National Archives of Australia

The purpose of the CRS Thesaurus is to provide a thesaurus of terms to attach to a disposal class and to agency registrations. The terms reflect at a broad level the function performed by the class. This summary indicates preferred terms only, of which there are 256. The Browse Thesaurus function in RecordSearch may also help to identify the right term. RecordSearch also provides scope notes for the narrower terms in the right hand column.

List of generic activities

The list at the end of the summary is in the thesaurus only as a temporary measure until functional-based thesauri are transferred to NAA with disposal classes. The generic activities should not be added to agency registrations.

The terms in this thesaurus are also used to retrieve keywords in all title and note fields in RecordSearch.

ADMINISTRATIVE LAW	SCOPE NOTE Provision of legal advice, formulation of legislation and provision of legal aid services. Also includes responsibility and protection of the civil and consumer rights of individuals. USE Justice Administration for the Commonwealth Law Court System and USE Law Enforcement for policing functions
NT NT NT NT NT NT NT NT	Bankruptcy Censorship Consumer affairs Copyright Human rights Legal aid Legal services Ombudsman
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES	SCOPE NOTE Functions relating to the provision of services to the Commonwealth Government and general public, including leasing, purchasing, storage, protection of government and diplomatic buildings
NT NT NT NT NT NT NT	Freight Goods and Services Government accommodation and catering Property management NT Acquisition NT Leasing NT Maintenance Removals Storage Valuation
Audit	SCOPE NOTE Auditing and financial scrutiny of government operations, including departments, and autonomous or independent bodies
Cabinet	SCOPE NOTE Provision of secretariat services to Cabinet, Cabinet Committees and special wartime Cabinets
Ceremonial functions	SCOPE NOTE Includes government involvement in state ceremonial affairs; Imperial and Australian honours and decorations; official ceremonial, protocol; gifts and pageantry
Colonial Administration	HISTORY NOTE In 1901 the Commonwealth Government inherited several functions previously carried out by the colonies such as Colony of New South Wales. Examples of these functions include postal services, operation of lighthouses, and customs
Committees of Inquiry	SCOPE NOTE Independent investigations and reviews established for specific purposes and abolished on completion of their tasks
COMMUNICATIONS	SCOPE NOTE Electronic and print media and publishing, postal or telecommunications operations of the government (eg Australia Post). Also includes operation of government broadcasting stations and regulation of the broadcasting industry
NT	Broadcasting NT Radio broadcasting NT Television broadcasting
NT NT NT NT	Government media Postal services Publishing and printing Telecommunications
CULTURAL AFFAIRS	SCOPE NOTE Government involvement in the management, operation and support for the arts and cultural organisations such as museums, libraries and art galleries
NT NT NT NT	Archives administration Arts development NT Film production Collection management Literature funding

DEFENCE	SCOPE NOTE Administration and development of defence policy in time of peace or war. Includes military protection of Australia and the coordination of natural disaster services, the management of the defence industries infrastructure, defence scientific research and the collection of information of a strategic nature
NT	Defence administration
	NT Defence coordination NT Natural disasters
NT	Defence forces
	NT Air Force NT Air Force administration NT Air Force Commands NT Air operations NT Logistics (Air Force) NT Training (Air Force)
	NT Army
	NT Army NT Army administration NT Army Commands NT Field force (Army) NT Logistics (Army) NT Training (Army)
	NT Courts martial NT Defence service home schemes NT Logistics (Defence)
	NT Navy NT Navy Administration NT Navy Commands NT Maritime Commands (Navy)
	NT Prisoners of War
NT NT NT	Defence industries NT Munitions NT Ordnance NT Shipbuilding Defence intelligence Defence research

EDUCATION	SCOPE NOTE Commonwealth area of responsibility for education, including scholarships, programs to assist students, particularly through grants to individuals, educational institutions and curriculum development. For scholarships to overseas students studying in Australia USE Overseas aid programs
NT NT NT NT NT NT	Curriculum development Preschool education Primary education Secondary education Student assistance Tertiary education
Electoral matters	SCOPE NOTE Federal referendums and elections covering Parliament, unions and other bodies
ENVIRONMENT	SCOPE NOTE Policy, development and research into the natural environment and the national estate, including world heritage concerns. For industries impacting on the environment USE Primary industries OR Secondary industries
NT NT NT NT	Conservation Environmental monitoring National heritage National parks
FINANCIAL MATTERS	SCOPE NOTE Determination of public policy on and regulation of taxation, superannuation, and the corporate and banking sectors; regulation of foreign investment and exchange issues. Also includes determination of Commonwealth funds to the States and Territories
NT NT NT NT NT NT NT NT NT NT NT NT	Banking Commonwealth-State relations Corporate affairs Currency Foreign investment control Home savings schemes Insurance Market regulation Public borrowing Rationing and price control Superannuation Taxation
FOREIGN POLICY	SCOPE NOTE Development of international relations, including the United Nations; diplomatic representation in overseas countries, including trade and immigration. Also includes implementation of aid programs for other countries
NT NT NT NT	Government representation overseas NT Consular services NT Extraditions International relations Overseas aid programs Passports
Governor-General	SCOPE NOTE Representation of the Monarchy in Australia, involvement in Royal visits. For vice regal involvement in other ceremonial activities USE Ceremonial functions
HEALTH	SCOPE NOTE Public health, including quarantine and health research, except medical insurance and health benefit schemes. For insurance and benefit schemes USE Health insurance
NT NT NT NT NT NT	Health services NT Aged persons services NT Dental services NT Disability services NT Hearing services NT Nursing services Hospitals and clinics NT Pathology Medical research Pharmaceuticals and medical aids Quarantine Rehabilitation
INDIGENOUS AFFAIRS	SCOPE NOTE Health and welfare of indigenous peoples; includes social and political affairs and the provision of incentives for economic development
NT NT NT	Indigenous enterprises Indigenous land rights Indigenous settlements

INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS	SCOPE NOTE Government involvement in the labour market; training and employment and national service; regulation and arbitration of working conditions and practices including promotion of safe working environments. For postwar reconstruction training schemes USE Repatriation
NT NT NT	Arbitration Compensation schemes Employment NT Labour market programs NT Trade skills assessment NT Vocational training schemes
NT NT NT	National Service Occupational health and safety Trade union training
JUSTICE ADMINISTRATION	SCOPE NOTE Carriage of the Commonwealth justice system, including management and operation of judicial institutions
NT NT NT NT	Court reporting Family law Federal law Supreme law
LAW ENFORCEMENT	Administration of policing function of Federal and former territory jurisdiction and research into law enforcement patterns and trends. Also covers protection of diplomatic missions and corrective services
NT NT NT NT	Corrective services Criminology Police administration Protective services
MEMORIALS	SCOPE NOTE Design, negotiations for, construction and maintenance of memorials and monuments
NT NT	Historic memorials War memorials
MIGRATION	SCOPE NOTE Development and implementation of immigration and multicultural programs, including migrant accommodation, refugees, and recognition of overseas qualifications
NT NT NT NT NT NT NT	Citizenship Deportation Migrant services Multiculturalism Passenger entry control Refugees Visas
National events	SCOPE NOTE Planning, funding or coordination of events or festivals designed to commemorate significant events related to the history and development of Australia
PARLIAMENTARY MATTERS	SCOPE NOTE Execution of the parliamentary process in the House of Representatives and the Senate. Includes the Committees of House of Representatives, Senate and Joint House, and the provision of services to the Parliament
NT NT	Parliamentary chamber administration Parliamentary legislation
PRIMARY INDUSTRIES	SCOPE NOTE Primary industries, except mining. For animal and plant quarantine USE Quarantine
NT NT NT	Agriculture NT Horticulture NT Pastoral NT Viticulture Fisheries regulation Forestry regulation
PUBLIC SERVICE	SCOPE NOTE Operational activities of the Australian Public Service, including working conditions and conditions of service
NT	Personnel NT Equity programs NT Recruitment
RECREATION	SCOPE NOTE Development and promotion of tourism, national fitness, sports and other recreational activities, such as parks
NT NT NT NT	National fitness Parks Sport Tourism
RESOURCES	SCOPE NOTE Development and regulation of resource-related industries. Includes control over practices and research into renewable energy sources. For impact of resource extraction on the natural environment USE THE TERM ENVIRONMENT
NT NT NT NT	Energy Metals Mining Water resources
Royal Commissions	SCOPE NOTE Investigations conducted under the provisions of the Royal Commissions Act
SCIENCE	SCOPE NOTE Development and promotion of science research and standards, land and sea survey and mapping, management of science programs including meteorology and space science
NT NT NT NT NT NT NT	Analytical services Earth sciences Marine science Meteorology Scientific research NT Botany NT Genetics BT Zoology Space science Survey and mapping
Secondary industries	SCOPE NOTE Government factories and Commonwealth involvement in the manufacturing sector (not related to Defence). Includes textiles, motor vehicles, electronics and consumer durables
SECURITY AND INTELLIGENCE	SCOPE NOTE Covers the activities of the Australian intelligence community. Includes information and advice affecting Australia’s internal security, defences, diplomacy, and international relations
NT NT NT	External security Internal security Wartime security NT Internees
Social and economic research	SCOPE NOTE Development and implementation of demographic surveys, census and provision of statistical information
SOCIAL WELFARE	SCOPE NOTE Provision of community and welfare services, administration of pensions and allowances, and regulation of health insurance industry including government health-related subsidies
NT NT NT	Community services NT Child welfare Health insurance Pensions and benefits
TERRITORY ADMINISTRATION	SCOPE NOTE All activities relating to mainland and external territories including the national capital. Also includes claims for compensation for land degradation. For administration of colonies USE Colonial Administration
TRADE	SCOPE NOTE Exports and imports of resources and manufactured goods. Regulation of industry protection and subsidy schemes and control of imports through customs services
NT NT NT NT NT NT NT	Bounties Customs NT Coastal surveillance NT Excise NT Inspection services NT Tariff regulation Exports and imports Expositions Patents and trademarks Trade practices Weights and measures
TRANSPORT	SCOPE NOTE Public and private transport but excluding infrastructure activity such as road building. Also includes management of transport facilities such as lighthouses and airports
NT	Air transport NT Air safety NT Airport
NT	Land transport NT Rail transport NT Road transport NT Road safety
NT	Rescue coordination
NT	Sea Transport NT Lighthouses NT Navigation NT Port regulation NT Sea safety
VETERANS’ AFFAIRS	SCOPE NOTE Support for war veterans and their dependents, including determination of eligibility, provision of hospitals and geriatric care facilities
NT	Repatriation Repatriation hospitals
WORKS	SCOPE NOTE Determination of Government policy on construction and infrastructure projects including railways, housing and offices. Also includes provision of municipal services to mainland territories and development of programs to foster urban and regional development
NT NT NT NT NT NT NT NT	Building Civil engineering Construction Housing Public utilities Regional development Urban development Waste disposal
GENERIC ACTIVITIES	Accreditation Advice giving Grants administration Inspection Investigation Legislation Loans Marketing Personal case administration Planning Research and development Standard setting Statistics Training

The Commonwealth Record Series (CRS) Manual

5.9.2. Summary CRS Thesaurus terms

List of generic activities