The Department of Immigration and Ethnic Affairs was an Australian government department that existed between December 1975 and July 1987.
[3] The creation of the department was an election commitment that Malcolm Fraser said indicated the importance placed by the Fraser government on Australia's immigration program and the Coalition's concern that issues affecting migrants and their families should receive close and sympathetic attention.
[3] Information about the department's functions and government funding allocation could be found in the Administrative Arrangements Orders, the annual Portfolio Budget Statements and in the department's annual reports.
According to the Administrative Arrangements Order made on 22 December 1975 (reproduced by the National Archives), the department dealt with:[1] The department was an Australian Public Service department, staffed by officials who were responsible to the Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs.
[1] During the department's existence, the following people were appointed as Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs.