Department of the Premier (also known as Premier's Department 1960-1982)

Full description

Establishment

The Department of the Premier was established in December 1936 superseding the Premier's Office (VA 672), a sub-department of the Department of the Treasurer (VA 865).

Relationship to Subordinate Agencies and Statutory Bodies

The Department often took on responsibility for new Government initiatives and priority areas. In such cases it was common for a Minister to be commissioned with direct responsibility for the function while agency responsibility was exercised by an administrative unit within the Department of the Premier. The Department of the Premier will therefore be listed as a Department of State for the Ministerial Group that had the direct responsibility. It is assumed that the Department of State, as a superior agency, would have exercised some degree of responsibility for financial, personnel and other administrative functions including record-keeping. If the administrative unit has been registered as a separate agency it is likely that the unit exercised greater independence from the Department than a unit that has not been registered.

Examples of this situation where the administrative units have not been registered separately from the Department are those units that were responsible for regional development and decentralisation which were located in the Department of the Premier from 1943 to 1971 although they were responsible to the Minister for State Development and Decentralisation (VRG 51).

Example of this situation where the administrative units have been registered as separate agencies include the Tourist Development Authority (VA 2918) which was located within the Department from 1958 to 1970 although it was responsible to the Minister for State Development and Decentralisation (VRG 51) and the Ministry of Fuel and Power (VA 627) which was located within the Department from 1965 to 1975 although the responsible Minister was the Minister of Fuel and Power (VRG 47).

From 1975 to 1982 a Ministry for Federal Affairs was established within the Department.

The Department also provided financial and personnel services to the following bodies:
Agent-General for Victoria (in London) (VA 1829)
Auditor-General (VA 1031)
Public Service Commissioner/Board (VA 886)

From 1936 to 1986 the Official Secretary to the Governor was located within the Department of the Premier however records maintained by the Official Secretary will be found attributed to the Governor (VA 466). Likewise, although the Clerk of the Executive Council has been located within the above Department since 1936 records will be found attributed to the Executive Council (VA 2903).

Establishment of Department of the Premier and Cabinet (VA 1039)

In 1982 the Department of the Premier and Cabinet was established (Victoria Government Gazette No.102, 13 October 1982) superseding the Department of the Premier.

Location of Records

Significant holdings of records have been transferred to the Public Record Office Victoria.

See also List of Holdings 2nd edition 1985, section 3.17.1.