The department, created by the McMahon government, was a collection of three areas that had previously been handled by other departments or government agencies.
The department was abolished by the incoming Whitlam government, with its functions split across six departments (the Departments of Aboriginal Affairs, Environment and Conservation, Media, Prime Minister and Cabinet, Special Minister of State, Science and Services and Property).
[2] 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.
[1] The department's first Minister, Peter Howson, was not keen on the job, reportedly calling the portfolio "trees, boongs and poofters".
[1] This Australian government-related article is a stub.