The Department of Foreign Affairs was created by Executive Council Minute No PSB 1972/47 of 6 November 1970. The functions of this Department were previously carried out by the Department of External Affairs [II] (CA 18) and the minute quoted above changed its name to that of the Department of Foreign Affairs without major functional changes (Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, No 98, 6 November 1970).
 
In 1975 the Department of Foreign Affairs was responsible for (as set out in Australian Government Directory, 1975, pp 150-151):
 
 (a) The control and management of Australian Embassies, High 
     Commissions, Consulates and similar permanent missions abroad 
     having diplomatic and consular status.
 (b) Responsibility within Australia for relationships between the 
     Australian Government and foreign diplomatic missions and
     consulates and the representatives of other members of the
     Commonwealth.
 (c) Publication of Diplomatic and Consular lists.
 (d) All communictions between the Australian Government and other 
     governments whether passed through Australian missions abroad or
     foreign missions in Australia and all communications with
     Australian Government representatives overseas.
 (e) All telegraphic traffic transmitted on behalf of Australian 
     Government departments and authorities to overseas missions and 
     all telegraphic traffic in the reverse direction.
 (f) The Diplomatic Mail Service and Safe Hand Mail Service.
 (g) Advice on Australian policy or matters that arise in the
     various organs of the United Nations and the Specialised
     Agencies associated with the United Nations and with the
     International Atomic Energy Agency. Apart from purely political
     issues these include questions of trusteeship, international
     relief and rehabilitiation, and international economic and
     cultural relations.
 (h) To act as a co-ordinating authority and channel for Australian 
     participation which includes co-operation with several
     Australian Government and State Governments and authorities.  
(i) Supervision over Australian participation in international 
    conferences with a view to ensure co-ordination in policy and 
     economy in representation.
 (j) Acting as the liaison between the United Nations and Australian 
     non-governmental bodies.
 (k) Implementation of the Australia-New Zealand Agreement, the 
     Security Treaty between Australia, New Zealand and the United 
     States.
 (l) Foreign policy aspects of Australian participation in the South 
     South East Asia Collective Defence Treaty.
 (m) Australian policy in respect of the South Pacific Commission.  
 (n) Advice in most fields of public international law, relations 
     with the International Court of Justice, the International Law 
     Commission.
 (o) Negotiation and conclusion of treaties and international 
     agreements, publication of the Australian Treaty Series and
     maintenance of the Australian Treaty List.
 (p) Advice on matters relating to Australia's cultural relations 
     with other governments and co-ordination and implementation of 
     the work of other agencies of government and non-government
     bodies in the external cultural relations fields.
 
Most of the above functions were inherited by Department of Foreign Affairs from the Department of External Affairs [II] on 6 November 1970. In 1972, the Department of Foreign Affairs assumed control of the High Commissioner's Office, London (CA 241) which was previously controlled by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (CA 1401) (notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, No 99A, 25 October 1972); in 1973 residual responsibilities relating to the newly independent Papua New Guinea were transferred from the
Department of External Territories [II] (CA 1284) (notified in the Australian Government Gazette, No 183, 30 November 1973); in October 1974 the Overseas Property Bureau was moved from the Department of Services and Property (CA 1488) to the control of the Department of Foreign Affairs (notified in the Australian Government Gazette, No 80B, 2 October 1974) and in December 1975 the Bureau was once again moved, now to the Department of Administrative Services [II] (CA 1964)(Australian Government Gazette, No S262, 22 December 1975).
 
In November 1974 a reorganization of the structure of the Department was brought into effect. The structure of the Department changed from emphasis on workloads based on geographical proximity and historical relationships between countries, to reflect the problem areas, issues and tasks which the Department is called on to analyse and perform (for further details see Australian Department of Foreign Affairs Annual Report, 1974, pp 85-88, Appendix II).
 
The Acts administered by the Department of Foreign Affairs as at 22 December 1975 (Commonwealth of Australian Gazette, No S262) were:  

. Asian Development Bank (Special Funds (Contributions) Act 1970 
. Asian Development Fund Act 1974
. Australian Development Assistance Agency Act 1974
. Charter of the United Nations Act 1945
. Consular Fees Act 1955
. Consular Privileges and Immunities Act 1972-1973
. Diplomatic Privileges and Immunities Act 1967-1973
. High Commissioner (United Kingdom) Act Repeal Act 1973
. Indus Basin Development Fund Agreement Act 1960
. Indus Basin Development Fund Supplemental Agreement Act 1965 
. International Development Association Act 1960-1963
. International Development Association (Additional Contribution)
  Act 1963
. International Development Association (Additional Contribution)
  Act 1968
. International Development Association (Further Payment) Act 1971 
. International Development Association (Further Payment) Act 1974 
. International Labour Organisation Act 1947
. International Labour Organisation Act 1973
. International Organisations (Privileges and Immunities) Act 1963
  -1966
. International Trade Organisation Act 1948
. Nauru Independence Act 1967
. Papua New Guinea (Application of Laws) Act 1973
. Papua New Guinea Independance Act 1975
. Papua New Guinea (Staffing Assistance) Act 1973-1975, except to the
  extent to which the Act is administered by the Treasurer 
. Passports Act 1938-1973
. Security Treaty (Australia, New Zealand and the United States of
  America) Act 1952
. South-East Asia Collective Defence Treaty Act 1954
. Treaty of Peace (Bulgaria) Act 1947-1973
. Treaty of Peace (Finland) Act 1947-1973
. Treaty of Peace (Hungary) Act 1947-1973
. Treaty of Peace (Italy) Act 1947-1973
. Treaty of Peace (Japan) Act 1952-1973
. Treaty of Peace (Roumania) Act 1947-1973
. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation 
  Act 1947
. United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation Act 1944-1973
. United States Naval Communication Station Agreement Act 1963
. United States Naval Communication Station Agreement Act 1975.
 
On 5 October 1976 the Department of Foreign Affairs became
responsible for the Australia-Japan Foundation Act 1976 (Australian Government Gazette, No S175, 5 October 1976). The Australian Development Assistance Agency (Repeal) Act 1977 was added on 8 September 1977 (Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, No S188, 8 September 1977). In the Administrative Arrangements Orders of 20 December 1977 (notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, No S289, 20 December 1977) the Department became responsible for the International Fund for Agricultural Development Act 1977.
 
The Diplomatic and Consular Missions Act was added to those
administered by the Department in 1979 (notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, No S181, 12 September 1979). The Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research Act 1982 was added in May 1982 (Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, No S91, 7 May 1982) and the International Development Association (Special Contribution) Act 1983 was added on 1 March 1984 (Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, No. S83, 1 March 1984). On 13 December 1984 the Department of Foreign Affairs became responsible for the new function of disarmament. The Registration of Deaths Abroad Act 1984 was added in the same Administrative Arrangements Orders (notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, No S521, 13 December 1984).  

In the Administrative Arrangements Orders of 3 February 1987
(notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, No S16 of 3 February 1987) the repeal of the following acts was reflected:  

. Asian Development Bank (Special Funds Contributions) Act 1970 
. International Development Association (Additional Contributions) 
  Acts
. International Trade Organisation Act 1948
. South-East Asia Collective Defence Treaty Act 1954
. Treaty of Peace (Bulgaria) Act 1947
. Treaty of Peace (Finland) Act 1947
. Treaty of Peace (Hungary) Act 1947
. Treaty of Peace (Italy) Act 1947
. Treaty of Peace (Japan) Act 1947
. Treaty of Peace (Roumania) Act 1947.
 
In the same Orders the South-Pacific Nuclear Free Zone Treaty Act 1986 was added to the list of those administered by the Department of Foreign Affairs.
 
In July 1987 the Prime Minister announced a major re-organisation of the administration, resulting in the amalgamation of 28 departments into 16 `super-ministries'. The Department of Foreign Affairs was abolished on 24 July 1987 and all functions and legislative
responsibilities of the former department were assumed by the new Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (CA 5987) (notified in Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, No S183, 24 July 1987).
 
Ministers for the Department of Foreign Affairs were:
 
 6 Nov 1970 - 22 Mar 1971   : Rt Hon William McMahon (CP 41)
22 Mar 1971 -  2 Aug 1971   : Hon Leslie Harry Ernest Bury (CP 34)
 2 Aug 1971 -  5 Dec 1972   : Hon Nigel Hubert Bowen (CP 74)
 5 Dec 1972 -  6 Nov 1973   : Rt Hon Edward Gough Whitlam (CP 99)
 6 Nov 1973 - 11 Nov 1975   : Hon Donald Robert Willesee (CP 108)
12 Nov 1975 -  3 Nov 1980   : Hon Andrew Sharp Peacock (CP 234)
 3 Nov 1980 - 11 Nov 1983   : Hon Anthony Austin Street (CP 203)
11 Mar 1983 - 24 Jul 1987   : Hon William George Hayden.
 
Secretaries to the Department were:
 
 6 Nov 1970 -  3 Jan 1974   : Sir (John) Keith Waller
 3 Jan 1974 - 18 Feb 1977   : A P Renouf
18 Feb 1977 -  4 Sep 1979   : N F Parkinson
 4 Sep 1979 -  3 Sep 1984   : P G F Henderson
 3 Sep 1984 - 24 Jul 1987   : Dr S F Harris
Historical agency address
Administrative Building, Parkes ACT
Legislation administered
Creation: Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, No. 98, 6 November 1970 
Abolition: Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, No. S183, 24 July 1987