When the department was first established in June 1941, nearly two years after Australia entered World War II.
[3] Alexander Welch was appointed permanent head of the department in December 1941.
[6][7] In March 1944, the department's Secretary Alexander Welch was appointed Director of War Housing and M.J.S.
[9] Information about the department's functions and government funding allocation could be found in the Administrative Arrangements Orders, the Government Gazette, annual budget statements and in the Department's annual reports.
According to the National Archives of Australia reproduction of the Commonwealth Gazette from June 1941, at its creation, the Department dealt with:[1] The Department was a Commonwealth Public Service department responsible to the Minister for Home Security, initially Joe Abbott and later Bert Lazzarini.