The Labor Party platform before the general election of 1972 was that the Office of Aboriginal Affairs be upgraded to Ministerial level and the Federal Government assume the ultimate responsibility for Aboriginals and Islanders accorded it by the Referendum of 1967.
 
The Department of Aboriginal Affairs was created by Public Service Board Minute No 47 of 19 December 1972 (Commonwealth Gazette, No 129A, 19 December 1972).
 
The Department was to comprise four units:
 
- the Office of Aboriginal Affairs (CA 1396) of the former
  Department of the Environment, Aborigines and the Arts (CA 1407);  

- the Welfare Division of the former Northern Territory
  Administration, Department of the Interior [II] (CA 31);

- the Welfare and Social Services Branch of the central office of the
  former Department of the Interior; and
 
- the Establishment and Finance Branch of the Department of the
  Environment, Aborigines and the Arts.
 
This last Branch was also, as an interim measure, to have provided management services to the new Department of the Environment and Conservation (CA 1479). By the time the first Secretary was
appointed on 9 January 1973, however, it had been decided that the Branch should go to the Department of the Environment and
Conservation rather than to the Department of Aboriginal Affairs.  
The new Department comprised 957 officers, being 51 members of the Office of Aboriginal Affairs; 9 members from the central office of the Department of the Interior [II]; and 897 members from the Welfare Division of the Northern Territory Administration.
 
The Administrative Arrangements Order of 19 December 1972
(Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, No.131, 20 December 1972) stated that the new Department was to deal with the following matters:  

. Matters related to the Aboriginal people of Australia.
. The development and administration of national policies for the  
  advancement and welfare of the Aboriginal people, including the  
  administration of welfare activities in the Territories.
. Special laws for the Aboriginal people.
 
It was responsible for the following legislation:
 
 Aboriginal Enterprises (Assistance Act 1968
 Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies Act 1964-1966
 States Grants (Aboriginal Advancement) Act 1968-1969
 States Grants (Aboriginal Advancement) Act 1969
 States Grants (Aboriginal Advancement) Act 1970
 States Grants (Aboriginal Advancement) Act 1971
 States Grants (Aboriginal Advancement) Act 1972
 
By February 1973 the staff had been reduced from 957 to 476 by the transfer of the Northern Territory health and education
responsibilities and staff to the Departments of Health (CA 17) and Education (CA 1478) respectively. By 30 June 1973 the Public Service Board had approved a total establishment of 606, and 488 officers were held against this. On 25 February 1974 the social welfare function in the Northern Territory was transferred to the Department of the Northern Territory [I] (CA 1484), involving the transfer of a further 98 positions and 85 staff.
 
The establishment of the Department in June 1974 (excluding
industrial positions) was 840.
 
The new Department had no management services of its own, until well into the latter half of 1973. The central office of the
Department relied for its management services on the Management Services Branch of the Department of the Environment and
Conservation, which in turn had to rely for financial services for both Departments on the Australian Government Publishing Service located in a third department, Media (CA 1481). The Northern
Territory Division, constituting about five-sixths of the Department was dependent for its management and financial services of the Department of the Northern Territory as an interim arrangement. The new Department of Aboriginal Affairs therefore commenced operations with no staff of its own to handle its management and financial functions.
 
Another problem faced by the Department was that the central office staff were accommodated in six separate office buildings in the Civic and Woden areas of Canberra. By December 1973 all staff had moved to two buildings in Woden.
 
As from 1 July 1973 the Department was obliged to assume
responsibility for its own financial services from the Department of the Media, even though it had by that time been able to recruit only a skeleton financial staff.
 
There was cause for concern by August 1973 over the Department's inability to cope fully with its administrative obligations and over certain other difficulties faced by the Department. In the end the Secretary took the unprecedented step of calling on the Auditor-General in September 1973 to tell him that he could no longer adequately control the financial operations of the Department. The Auditor-General initiated immediately an intensive examination of the Department and submitted a Special Report to Parliament in March 1974 drawing attention to areas of weakness in financial administration. (See Commonwealth Parliamentary Paper No 13 of 1974). The Special Report was referred to the Parliamentary Joint Committee of Public Accounts.
 
On 20 October 1974, the Department of Aboriginal Affairs received responsibility for the administration of Section 21 of the Northern Territory (Administration) Act from the Department of the Northern Territory [I]. This legislation was repealed by Northern Territory (Self Government) Act of 1978. The Administrative Arrangements Order of 1 October 1974 (Australian Government Gazette, No. 80B, 2 October 1974) listed the legislation administered by the Department as being:  

 Aboriginal Affairs (Arrangements with the States) Act 1973
 Aboriginal Enterprises(Assistance) Act 1968-1973
 Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies Act 1964-1973
 Northern Territory (Administration) Act 1910-1973,Section 21
 States Grants (Aboriginal Advancement) Act 1972-1973
 
The States Grants (Aboriginal Advancement) Acts had been repealed by the Statute Law Revision Act 1973.
 
At a meeting in April 1973 of the Australian and State Ministers responsible for Aboriginal Affairs, constituted as the Australian Aboriginal Affairs Council, the Prime Minister announced that the Australian Government intended to assume full responsibility for policy in Aboriginal Affairs. Negotiations began immediately with each State with a view to transferring the policy planning and co-ordination functions to the Australian Government. All State Premiers, with the exception of the Queensland Premier, agreed to this transfer of functions and staff in the interest of a unified national approach to Aboriginal assistance. In October 1973, the Australian Parliament passed the Aboriginal Affairs (Arrangements with the States) Act to facilitate the transfer of State Public Servants. On 1 December in the same year, the South Australian Government agreed to the staff of its Aboriginal Resources Division going on leave without pay from the South Australian Public Service in the Department of Aboriginal Affairs pending the conclusion of a formal agreement. The staff of the West Australian Government Aboriginal Affairs Planning Authority were transferred to the Department of Aboriginal Affairs on 29 June 1974 and the Victorian Ministry staff were transferred on 1 January 1975. New South Wales staff were temporarily transferred on 1 July 1975 and the final transfer occurred later in the same year. A regional Branch was also established in Queensland with a small office in Hobart to give the Department a nationwide presence. No transfer was involved in Tasmania as the Tasmanian Government had no Aboriginal Affairs agency.
 
The Administrative Arrangements Order of 8 February 1975 (Australian Government Gazette No. S 21, 10 February 1975) deleted the reference to the Aboriginal Enterprises (Assistance) Act 1968-1973 and added the following new legislation:
  
 Aboriginal Land Fund Act 1974
 Aboriginal Loans Commission Act 1974
 States Grants (Aboriginal Assistance) Act 1974
 
The Administrative Arrangements Order of 1 July 1975 (Australian Government Gazette, No S 128, 1 July 1975) added the following Act to the list of legislation administered by the Department:
 
 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders (Queensland Discriminatory  
  Laws) Act 1975
 
In 1976 the Australia Council (CA 3039) assumed responsibility for the Aboriginal Arts activities of the Department of Aboriginal Affairs.
 
The Administrative Arrangements Order of 5 September 1977 (Commonwealth Gazette, No S 188, 8 September 1977) added the following new legislation:
 
 Aboriginal Councils and Associations Act 1976
 Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976
 
The Administrative Arrangements Order of 28 September 1978
(Commonwealth Gazette, No S 190, 28 September 1978) deleted the reference to section 21 of the Northern Territory (Administration) Act 1910, which had been repealed by the Northern Territory (Self Government) Act 1975 and also listed the following new Act:
  
 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders (Queensland Reserves and
  Communities Self-management) Act 1978
 
The same Order also contained a change in the wording of the Principal Matters dealt with and this now read:
 
Matters related to the Aboriginal people of Australia
. The development, in consultation with the Aboriginal people, of  
  national policies directed to the advancement of the Aboriginal
  people, the administration of those policies and the co-ordination
  of programs 
. Special laws for the Aboriginal people
 
The Aboriginal Development Commission Act 1980 repealed the following legislation:
 
 Aboriginal Land Fund Act 1974
 Aboriginal Loans Commission Act 1974
 
This was reflected in the Administrative Arrangements Order of 5 September 1980 (Commonwealth Gazette No. S199, 5 September 1980).  

As of 18 May 1981 the Department of Aboriginal Affairs was
responsible for administering the following enactments:
 
 Aboriginal Affairs (Arrangements with the States) Act 1973
 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders (Queensland Discriminatory
  Laws) Act 1975
 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders (Queensland Reserves and
  Communities Self-management) Act 1978
 Aboriginal Councils and Associations Act 1976
 Aboriginal Development Commission Act 1980
 Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976
 Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies Act 1964
 State Grants (Aboriginal Advancement) Acts
 States Grants (Aboriginal Assistance) Acts
 
By this time (1981) the Department consisted of three Divisions, the Co-ordination Division, the Development Division and the Operation division and a Management Services Branch.
 
The Co-ordination division advised on the administration of the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976, and on land and mining issues and economic development programs affecting Aboriginals; co-ordinated the economic development and review of Commonwealth legislation in Aboriginal Affairs; provided Ministerial and Parliamentary liaison services; maintained liaison with the National Aboriginal Conference and the Council for Aboriginal Development; developed, implemented and reviewed the Department's information and public relations policies and programs.
 
The Development Division advised on policies and strategies relating to the social, cultural and constitutional development of
Aboriginals; maintained liaison with functional departments and authorities on policies and expenditure programs and assisted in co-ordinating policies for Aboriginals.
 
The Operations Division assessed the effectiveness of Government programs in Aboriginal communities and the well being of Aboriginal communities; it reviewed operational arrangements and documentation procedures; developed programs for Aboriginal assistance and was responsible for the administration of the Aboriginal Councils and Associations Act 1976; also collected, collated and analysed
statistical data.
 
In the Administrative Arrangements Order of 2 July 1984 (Commonwealth Gazette, No S255, 2 July 1984) the Department of Aboriginal Affairs became responsible for a new enactment; Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage (Interim Protection) Act 1984.
 
In the Administrative Arrangements Order of 13 December 1984
(Commonwealth Gazette, No S521, 13 December 1984) there was a change to the wording of the Principal Matters dealt with by the Department. This now read:
 
. Policies and programs for the advancement of the Aboriginal and  
  Torres Strait Island peoples, including consultation and co
  -ordination  

In the Administrative Arrangements Order of 30 January 1987 (Commonwealth Gazette, No S16, 3 February 1987) the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage (Interim Protection) Act 1984 was amended by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (Interim Protection) Amendment Act 1986 to have the new citation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act 1984.
In the same Order the Department was given responsibility for a new enactment, the Aboriginal Land Grant (Jervis Bay) Territory Act 1986.  

On 24 July 1987 the Department came under the umbrella of the new super-ministry, the Department of Community Services and Health (CA 5985).

In the Administrative Arrangements Order of 24 July 1987 (Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, No S183, 24 July 1987) the Department gained a new enactment, the Aboriginal Land (Lake Condah and Framlingham Forest) Act 1987.
 
The Department of Aboriginal Affairs was abolished on 5 March 1990 by Executive Minute No 2 (Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, No PS 9, 8 March 1990). The subsequent agency was the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (CA 7080).
 
Ministers of the Department of Aboriginal Affairs were:
 
19 Dec 1972 -  9 Oct 1973   : Hon Gordon Munro Bryant (CP 106)
 9 Oct 1973 -  6 Jun 1975   : Hon James Luke Cavanagh (CP 93)
 6 Jun 1975 - 11 Nov 1975   : Hon Leslie Royston Johnson (CP 104)
12 Nov 1975 - 22 Dec 1975   : Hon Thomas Charles Drake-Brockman
22 Dec 1975 - 30 Nov 1978   : Hon Robert Ian Viner (CP 316)
30 Nov 1978 -  3 Nov 1980   : Hon Fred Michael Chaney (CP 242)
 3 Nov 1980 -  7 May 1982   : Sen the Hon Peter Erne Baume (CP 312)
 7 May 1982 - 11 Mar 1983   : Hon Ian Bonython Wilson (CP 263)
11 Mar 1983 - 14 Jul 1987   : Hon Clyde Holding
14 Jul 1987 -  5 Mar 1990   : Hon Gerard Leslie Hand
 
Permanent Heads of the Department have been:
 
20 Dec 1972 -  9 Jan 1973   : Sir Lenox Hewitt
 9 Jan 1973 - 20 Jan 1977   : B G Dexter
20 Jan 1977 - 20 Jul 1979   : D O Hay
20 Jul 1979 -  5 May 1981   : A J Ayers
 6 May 1981 - 29 Mar 1984   : J C Taylor
29 Mar 1984 -  5 Nov 1988   : C N Perkins
 1 Dec 1988 -  4 Mar 1990   : W J Gray
 

Sources
 
1. Annual Report of the Department of Aboriginal Affairs December
   1972-June 1974, Commonwealth Parliamentary Paper No 299 of 1974.  
2. Commonwealth Directory 1981, p 53, p 65. 
3. Annual Report of the Department of Aboriginal Affairs, 1988.
Historical agency address
  1972-by1973: Bank House, 24-26 Ainslie Avenue, Canberra City ACT 
by1973-  1975: Commonwealth Bank Building, Woden ACT 
  1975-  1990: MLC Tower, Woden Town Centre, Phillip ACT
Legislation administered
Creation: Executive Council Minute No. (Public Service Board Minute No.47) 19 Dec 1972;
Abolition: Executive Council Minute No. 2, Gazette PS 9 of 8 March 1990

Previous agency unregistered

1973: South Australian Government Aboriginal Resources Division
      (State Aboriginal Policy, Planning and Co-ordination
      functions)
1974: West Australian Government Aboriginal Affairs Planning
      Authority (State Aboriginal Policy, Planning and Co-ordination
      functions)
1975: New South Wales Government (State Aboriginal Policy, Planning
      and Co-ordination functions)