Full description Background
Originally the responsibility of the Statistics Branch within the Colonial Secretary's Office (VA 856), collection of statistics and periodic census-taking became the responsibility of the Registrar-General's Department (VA 2889) in 1854. Responsibility was transferred to the Office of the Registrar-General and the Office of Titles (VA 862) in 1873 and then to the newly-formed Office of the Government Statist and Actuary (VA 989) in 1874. Ministerial responsibility for this agency has been exercised by the Colonial Secretary (VRG 16) to 1855, the Chief Secretary 1855-1869, the Attorney-General (VRG 19) 1869-1874, the Chief Secretary 1874-1979, the Minister for Property and Services (VRG 69) 1979-1983, and the Treasurer (VRG 23) since 1983.
Statistical reports have been published in the Victorian Blue Books and subsequently in the Victorian Year Books. The census function passed to the Commonwealth (VRG 87) on Federation and since that time many of the Office's statistical activities have also been taken over by the Commonwealth, later Australian Bureau of Statistics. The Treasurer inherited the Government Statist and Actuary's Office from the Minister of Property and Services in 1983. The position of Government Statist and Actuary has not been filled since the mid-1980s. The Office's remaining actuarial functions are performed on a contract basis by the sector.
From 1893 until 1983 the Government Statist's Office was also responsible for the registration of births, deaths and marriages under the Births, Deaths and Marriages Transfer Act 1893 (No.1303).
Data time period: 1836 to 2013