The Department of Aboriginal Affairs (Western Australia) is the former government authority that was involved with the matters of the Aboriginal population of Western Australia between 2013 and 2017.
Prior to the creation of the Aborigines Department in 1898, there had been an Aborigines Protection Board,[1] which operated between 1 January 1886 and 1 April 1898 as a Statutory authority.
It was created by the Aborigines Protection Act 1886 (WA), also known as the Half-caste act, An Act to provide for the better protection and management of the Aboriginal natives of Western Australia, and to amend the law relating to certain contracts with such Aboriginal natives (statute 25/1886); An Act to provide certain matters connected with the Aborigines (statute 24/1889).
[7] The departments of Planning, Lands, Heritage and the Aboriginal heritage and land functions of the Department of Aboriginal Affairs amalgamated on 1 July 2017,[citation needed] forming the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage.
The Department of the Premier and Cabinet assumed responsibility for Aboriginal Affairs policy.