AGY-49 | Treasury

Full description

The first Colonial Treasurer, William Balcombe, was appointed by Earl Bathurst under his Majesty's Commission. Balcombe arrived in the colony on 5 April 1824, his appointment was gazetted on 6 May 1824 and from 27 May payments were made through the Colonial Treasurer's Office. (1) Before the appointment of the Treasurer, the colony's finances were administered by the Commissary, the Treasurer of the Police Fund, the Land Office and the Treasurer of the Orphan Fund. Between 1827 and 1836 revenue, except that from customs duties and court fees, was collected by the Collector of Internal Revenue. This office subsequently became the Revenue Branch of the Treasury.

The Treasurer's initial concern with the actual collection and disbursement of revenue meant that he had close relations with all departments through which revenue was collected including the Lands Department, Customs Department, Post Office, Chief Inspector of Distilleries and Harbour Master. The Treasurer was thus responsible for collecting fees payable for many licenses, such as Publican's Licenses and Depasturing Licenses. (2)

After responsible government the Treasurer became increasingly important as the manager of the State's fiscal policy. The Treasurer was responsible for the preparation of the estimates, the administration of government funds and the control of accounts, his office was in close contact with all other departments, particularly those offices under his ministerial control such as the Quarantine Department (1859-84) and the Imperial Pensions Office (1873-94). (3)

In April 1983 the Department of Finance was established to administer acts relating to stamp duties, pay-roll tax, land tax, business franchise licenses, charities, lotteries and art unions and to review and co-ordinate State taxation policies. To enable it to perform its functions, a number of branches and offices attached to the Treasury were transferred to the new Department. These included the Poker Machine, Charities Administration, and Business Franchise Licenses Branches and Stamp Duties, Pay-roll Tax and Land Tax Offices. (4)

On 31 March 1988, the Department of Finance was abolished and all programs for which it was responsible were transferred to the Treasury. (5) Following this re-amalgamation two units were established in the Treasury - the Office of Financial Management and the Office of State Revenue.

The Office of Financial Management advised Government generally on the growth and development of the New South Wales economy and, within established priorities, promoted the efficient and effective management of resources in the public sector part of the economy. The Office of State Revenue was responsible for developing policy and implementing legislation relating to Stamp Duties, Pay-roll Tax, Land Tax, and Business Franchise Licences Fees. In addition, the Office collected revenue for the State Government. (6)

On 2 April 2003, the business units from the Department of Public Works and Services which were concerned with assets and procurement policy were transferred to the Treasury. (7)

On 27 April 2007, the group of staff who were principally involved in energy policy were transferred to the newly created Department of Water and Energy. (8)

The Treasury became one of thirteen Principal Departments of the Public Service from 1 July 2009. The Treasury was responsible to the Treasurer and the Minister for Finance. (9)

From 4 April 2011 the Office of State Revenue was removed from the Treasury and transferred to the Principal Department, the Department of Finance and Services. (10)

On 10 October 2012 the group of staff from the Department of Finance and Services who were employed to enable the Long Service Corporation to exercise its functions were removed from that Department and added to the Treasury. (11)

On 24 February 2014 the Public Sector Employment and Management Act 2002 (Act No.43, 2002) was replaced by the Government Sector Employment Act 2013 (Act No.40, 2013). Under the Constitution Act 1902 (Act No.32, 1902) the Administrative Arrangements Order 2014 was issued to commence on 24 February 2014. The Order abolished all principal departments under the former act however they were re-established with the same name as Departments under Schedule 1 of the Government Sector Employment Act. For all purposes the re-established Treasury was the successor and a continuation of the former principal Department. (12) The Government Sector Employment Act replaced the former position of Director General of the Treasury with Secretary of the Treasury. (13)

On 22 December 2017, staff from Treasury involved in the Building and Construction Industry Long Service Payments Act 1986, Contract Cleaning Industry (Portable Long Service Leave Scheme) Act 2010, Long Service Corporation Act 2010 and the Data Analytics Centre were transferred from Department of Finance, Services and Innovation to Treasury. (14)

From 1 July 2019, staff from the abolished Department of Finance, Services and Innovation were transferred to Treasury, comprising NSW Procurement and those persons who were principally involved in the administration of legislation allocated to the Minister for Finance and Small Business (including the provision of support for the portfolio responsibilities of that Minister). (15) Parts of the Department of Industry were transferred to the Treasury, comprising: (a) those persons who were principally involved in the administration of legislation allocated to the Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney (including the provision of support for the portfolio responsibilities of that Minister), (b) the Office of the Small Business Commissioner, and (c) NSW Trade and Investment. (16) Staff from Data Analytics Centre were transferred from Treasury to the Department of Customer Service. (17) Staff employed in the Treasury who were principally involved in the administration of legislation allocated to the Special Minister of State, Minister for the Public Service and Employee Relations, Aboriginal Affairs, and the Arts (including the provision of support for the portfolio responsibilities of that Minister) were transferred to the Department of Premier and Cabinet. (18)

On 16 October 2020, those persons employed in the Western Sydney Investment Attraction Office of the Treasury were transferred to the Western City and Aerotropolis Authority Staff Agency. (19)

On 26 March 2021 staff from Treasury that related to the Jobs, Investment, Tourism group transferred to Investment NSW and Greater Sydney Commission. (20)

From 1 April 2022 persons employed in Treasury who were principally involved in providing support for NSW Business Connect were transferred to Service NSW, while Small Business Commissioner staff were transferred to Department of Customer Service. (21) From 1 April 2022 those persons employed in the Department of Planning and Environment who were principally involved in the administration of legislation allocated, or providing support, to the Minister for Energy were transferred to the Treasury. (22)

Endnotes
1. HRA Series I Vol X p.138.
2. "Concise Guide" 2nd Edition. "Sur - Y", "Treasury" p.72.
3. Ibid.
4. NSW Government Gazette No.63, 22 April 1983, p.1828.
5. NSW Government Gazette No.66, 31 March 1988, p.2046.
6. NSW Government Directory, 1989, p.300.
7. NSW Government Gazette, No.67, Special Supplement, 2 April 2003, p.4331.
8. NSW Government Gazette, No.47, Special Supplement, 2 April 2007, p. 2106; NSW Government Gazette, No.56, Special Supplement, 20 April 2007, p. 2435.
9. Public Sector Employment and Management (Departmental Amalgamations) Order 2009 (2009 No 352), cls. 2 and 4; NSW Legislation website, 27 July 2009.
10. Public Sector Employment and Management (Departments) Order 2011 (2011 No 184), cls. 31; NSW Legislation website, 3 April 2011.
11. Public Sector Employment and Management (Treasury) Order 2012, cl.4 (1); NSW Legislation website, 10 October 2012.
12. Administrative Arrangements Order 2014 (2014 No 11), cls.4 (amending Schedule 1 to Government Sector Employment Act), 7(2), 11(1); NSW Legislation Website (2014 No 11), 29 January 2014.
13. Government Sector Employment Act 2013 (Act No.40, 2013), s.23.
14. Administrative Arrangements (Administrative Changes Miscellaneous) Order 2017 (2017 No 757), cl.4, NSW Legislation Website, 22 December 2017.
15. Administrative Arrangements (Administrative Changes—Public Service Agencies) Order 2019 (2019 No 159), cl.23(1); NSW Legislation Website, 2 April 2019, as amended by Administrative Arrangements (Administrative Changes—Public Service Agencies) Amendment Order 2019 (2019 No 180), Sch. 1 [8], NSW Legislation Website, 1 May 2019.
16. Administrative Arrangements (Administrative Changes—Public Service Agencies) Order 2019 (2019 No 159), cl.28(1); NSW Legislation Website, 2 April 2019.
17. Administrative Arrangements (Administrative Changes—Public Service Agencies) Order 2019 (2019 No 159), cl.18(1); NSW Legislation Website, 2 April 2019.
18. Administrative Arrangements (Administrative Changes—Public Service Agencies) Order 2019 (2019 No 159), cl.19(1); NSW Legislation Website, 2 April 2019 (as as amended by Administrative Arrangements (Administrative Changes—Public Service Agencies) Amendment Order 2019 (2019 No 180), Sch. [6], NSW Legislation Website, 1 May 2019.
19. Administrative Arrangements (Administrative Changes—Transfer of Staff to Western City and Aerotropolis Authority Staff Agency) Order 2020 (2020 No 613), cls. 5(1), NSW Legislation Website, 16 October 2020.
20. Administrative Arrangements (Administrative Changes Miscellaneous) Order 2021 (2021 No 147), cl.8; NSW Legislation Website, 26 March 2021.
21. Administrative Arrangements (Administrative Changes—Miscellaneous) Order 2022 (2022 No 38), cls.17(1); NSW Legislation Website, 17 February 2022.
22. Administrative Arrangements (Administrative Changes Miscellaneous) Order (No 2) 2022 (2022 No 84), cls.8; NSW Legislation Website, 16 March 2022.

References
Public Service Lists, 1858-1960.
The Treasurer's Annual Report, 1988.
NSW Public Service Notices, 1983, 1988.
Public Service Board, Annual Report, 1978-79.