AGY-6327 | Department of Human Services (2009-2011) Department of Family and Community Services [II] (2011-2019)

Full description

On 1 July 2009 the Department of Human Services was established as one of thirteen Principal Departments under the Public Sector Employment and Management (Departmental Amalgamations) Order 2009. (1) The Department of Human Services was responsible to the portfolios of Aboriginal Affairs, Ageing, Community Services, Disability Services, Housing and Juvenile Justice. (2)

The new principal department had oversight of the following agencies:
Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care
Department of Community Services
Housing NSW
Department of Juvenile Justice
Department of Aboriginal Affairs
Aboriginal Housing Office. (3)

From 4 April 2011 the name of the Department of Human Services was changed to the Department of Family and Community Services [II]. The Department became one of nine Principal Departments. The Department reported to the Minister for Family and Community Services, the Minister for Women, the Minister for Ageing, and the Minister for Disability Services. (4)

Also on 4 April 2011 the Office for Women's Policy was removed from the Department of Premier and Cabinet and added to the Department of Family and Community Services [II]. (5)

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 Department of Family and Community Services [II] was the successor and a continuation of the former principal Department. (6) The Government Sector Employment Act replaced the former position of Director General of the Department of Family and Community Services with the Secretary of the Department of Family and Community Services. (7)

The Department of Family and Community Services was abolished on 1 July 2019 and its former staff were combined with the former Department of Justice to become the Department of Communities and Justice. (8)

Endnotes
1. Public Sector Employment and Management (Departmental Amalgamations) Order 2009 (2009 No 352) cls.12; notified on NSW Legislation website, 27 July 2009.
2. Ibid. cls.12 (2).
3. Ibid. cls.13.
4. Public Sector Employment and Management (Departments) Order 2011 (2011 No 184) cls. 34; notified on NSW Legislation website, 3 April 2011.
5. Ibid. cls. 35 (1).
6. Administrative Arrangements Order 2014 (2014 No 11), cls.4 (amending Schedule 1 to Government Sector Emplolyment Act), 7(2), 11(1); notified NSW Legislation Website (2014 No 11), 29 January 2014.
7. Government Sector Employment Act 2013 (Act No.40, 2013), s.23.
8. Administrative Arrangements (Administrative Changes—Public Service Agencies) Order 2019 (2019-159) cl. 11 (2) Legislation website, 2 April 2019 as amended by the Administrative Arrangements (Administrative Changes—Miscellaneous) Order 2019 (2019-308) cls. 6 and 2 (4) Legislation website, 1 May 2019.