The Department of Primary Industry [II] was renamed from the Department of Agriculture (CA 1768) on 22 December 1975 (Australian Government Gazette, No 5262, 22 December 1975, p 2). The new department continued to be responsible for the following legislation:
 
 Apple and Pear Export Charges Act 1938-1973
 Apple and Pear Stabilization Act 1971-1973
 Apple and Pear Stabilization Export Duty Act 1971
 Apple and Pear Stabilization Export Duty Collection Act 1971-1973  
 Australian Apple and Pear Corporation Act 1973  
 Butter Fat Levy Act 1965-1972
 Canned Fruits Export Charges Act 1926-1966
 Canned Fruits Export Marketing Act 1963-1973
 Canned Fruit (Sales Promotion) Act 1959-1973
 Chicken Meat Research Act 1969
 Commerce (Trade Descriptions) Act 1905-1973, in relation to exports 
 Continental Shelf (Living Natural Resources) Act 1968-1973, except 
  to the extent to which that Act is administered by the Minister 
  for Administrative Services, the Minister for the Capital Territory
  and the Minister for the Northern Territory
 Dairy Adjustment Act 1974
 Dairy Produce Act 1975
 Dairy Produce Export Control Act 1924-1975
 Dairy Produce Sales Promotion Act 1958-1975
 Dairying Industry Act 1962-1973
 Dairying Industry Equalization Act 1970
 Dairying Industry Equalization Legislation Referendum Act 1970 
 Dairying Industry Levy Act 1970 
 Dairying Industry Levy Collection Act 1970
 Dairying Research Act 1972
 Dairying Research Levy Act 1972-1973
 Dairying Research Levy Collection Act 1972-1973
 Defence (Re-establishment) Act 1965-1975, Parts IV and VI in so far
  as they relate to agricultural occupations
 Dried Fruits Export Charges Act 1924-1975
 Dried Fruits Export Control Act 1924-1973
 Dried Fruits Levy Act 1971-1975
 Dried Fruits Levy Collection Act 1971-1973
 Dried Fruits Research Act 1971-1973
 Dried Vine Fruits Levy Act 1971
 Dried Vine Fruits Levy Collection Act 1971
 Dried Vine Fruits Stabilization Act 1971
 Egg Export Charges Act 1947-1973
 Egg Export Control Act 1947-1973
 Fisheries Act 1952-1975
 Fishing Industry Act 1956
 Fisheries (Papua New Guinea Boats) Act 1974
 Fishing Industry Research Act 1969
 Forestry and Timber Bureau Act 1930-1973
 Honey Export Charge Act 1973
 Honey Export Charge Collection Act 1973
 Honey Industry Act 1962-1973
 Honey Levy Acts
 Honey Levy Collection Act 1962-1966
 Live-stock Slaughter Levy Act 1964-1974
 Live-stock Slaughter Levy Collection Act 1964-1974
 Meat Chicken Levy Act 1969
 Meat Chicken Levy Collection Act 1969
 Meat Export Charge Act 1973
 Meat Export Charge Collection Act 1973
 Meat Industry Act 1964-1973
 Meat Inspection Arrangements Act 1964
 Meat Legislation Repeal Act 1968
 Meat Research Act 1960-1973
 New South Wales Grant (Leeton Co-operative Cannery Limited) Act 1971
 Pig Industry Research Act 1971-1975
 Pig Meat Promotion Act 1975
 Pig Slaughter Levy Act 1971-1975
 Pig Slaughter Levy Collection Act 1971-1975
 Poultry Industry Assistance Act 1965-1966
 Poultry Industry Levy Act 1965-1966
 Poultry Industry Levy Collection Act 1965-1966
 Processed Milk Products Bounty Act 1962-1972
 Queensland Meat Inspection Agreement Act 1932
 Re-establishment and Employment Act 1945-1973, Part III in relation 
  to rural training; Divisions 3 and 4 of Part VI in relation to 
  agricultural occupations; Division 1 of Part XI in so far as it 
  extends the foregoing; and Part XII to the extent to which it 
  applies or may be applied in relation to the foregoing
 Softwood Forestry Agreements Act 1967
 Softwood Forestry Agreements Act 1972
 South Australia Grant (Fruit Canneries) Act 1971
 States Grants (Beef Industry) Act 1975
 States Grants (Rural Reconstruction) Act 1971
 States Grants (Rural Reconstruction) Act 1973
 States Grants (War Service Land Settlement) Act 1952-1953
 States Grants (Fruit-growing Reconstruction) Act 1972 
 States Grants (Fruit-growing Reconstruction) Act 1973
 States Grants (Fruit-growing Reconstruction) Act 1974
 Tobacco Industry Act 1955-1965
 Tobacco Marketing Act 1965-1973
 Victoria Grant (Shepparton Preserving Company Limited) Act 1971
 War Service Land Settlement Agreements Act 1945
 Whaling Act 1960-1973
 Wheat Export Charge Act 1974
 Wheat Industry Stabilization Act 1974
 Wheat Industry Stabilization Fund (Disposal) Act 1962
 Wheat Products Export Adjustment Act 1974
 Wheat Research Act 1957
 Wheat Tax Act 1957-1973
 Wine Grapes Charges Act 1929-1973
 Wine Overseas Marketing Act 1929-1973
 Wine Research Act 1955-1966
 Wool (Deficiency Payments) Act 1971-1973
 Wool Industry Act 1972-1974
 Wool Reserve Prices Plan Referendum Act 1965-1966
 
The department also inherited responsibility for the following acts from the Department of Northern Australia (CA 1889):
 
 Brigalow Lands Agreement Act 1962-1973
 Sugar Agreement Act 1971
 Sugar Industry Assistance Act 1967
 Sugar Marketing Assistance Agreement Act 1967
 
In the administrative changes of 23 June 1976 the Department assumed responsibility for veterinary field services and operational meat inspection in the Australian Capital Territory both formerly implicit functions of the Department of Health (CA 17), and also the
administration of the Foot and Mouth Disease Act 1961.
 
The Department of Primary Industry [II] also became responsible for the following new enactments at that time:
 
 Dairy Produce Act 1975
 Dairying Industry Research and Promotion Levy Act 1972-1976
 Dairying Industry Research and Promotion Levy Collection Act 
  1972-1976
 
There were a number of new enactments listed under the administrative control of the Department in the changes of 8 September 1977:  

 Apple and Pear Export Charge Act 1976
 Apple and Pear Export Charge Collection Act 1976
 Apple and Pear Levy Act 1976
 Apple and Pear Levy Collection Act 1976
 Australian Meat and Livestock Corporation Act 1977
 Dairy Industry Assistance Act 1977
 Dairy Industry Assistance Levy Act 1977
 Dairy Industry Stabilization Act 1977
 Dairy Industry Stabilization Levy Act 1977
 Livestock Export Charge Act 1977
 Livestock Export Charge Collection Act 1977
 States Grants (Rural Adjustment) Act 1976
 
Several acts no longer appeared in the list for Primary Industry as they had been repealed between 1976 and 1977. These were:
 
 Apple and Pear Export Charges Act 1934
 Apple and Pear Stabilization Act 1971
 Dairying Industry Equalization Act 1970
 Dairying Industry Equalization Legislation
 Referendum Act 1970
 Dairying Industry Levy Act 1970
 Dairying Industry Levy Collection Act 1970
 Meat Industry Act 1964
 
In the administrative arrangements of 28 September 1978 the Department became responsible for the new enactment of the States and Northern Territory Grants (Blue-tongue Virus Control) Act 1978. There was also a change in the extent of the administration of the Continental Shelf (Living Natural Resources) Act 1968. The Department inherited part responsibility for that legislation from three other departments: from the Department of Home Affairs [III] (relating to Territories), from the Department of the Capital Territory (CA 1477) (relating to the Jervis Bay Territory) and from the Department of Northern Territory [II] (CA 1958) relating to the Northern Territory and Ashmore and Cartier Islands).
 
In the changes of 5 December 1978, two acts, the Dried Fruits Export Control Act 1924 and the Foot and Mouth Disease Act 1961, were no longer listed under the administrative control of the Department of Primary Industry as they had both been repealed in 1978. New enactments appearing for the first time were:
 
 Australian Dried Fruits Corporation Act 1978
 Dried Vine Fruits Equalization Act 1978
 Dried Vine Fruits Equalization Levy Act 1978
 Livestock Disease Act 1978
 
By 11 September 1979 the Wine Grapes Charges Act 1929 had been repealed and there were seven new enactments, namely:
 
 Grain (Export Inspection Charge) Act 1979
 Grain (Export Inspection Charge) Collection Act 1979
 Livestock Slaughter (Export Inspection Charge) Act 1979
 Livestock Slaughter (Export Inspection Charge) Collection Act 1979  
 Wheat Industry Stabilization (Reimbursement of Borrowing Costs) 
  Act 1979
 Wine Grapes Levy Act 1979
 Wine Grapes Levy Collection Act 1979
 
In the Administrative Arrangements Orders of 5 September 1980, the following legislation did not appear on the list for Primary Industry as it had been repealed:
 
 Canned Fruits Export Changes Act 1926
 Canned Fruits Export Marketing Act 1963
 Whaling Act 1960
 Wheat Industry Stabilization Act 1974
 Wheat Export Change Act 1974

Several new enactments were listed, as follows:
 
 Canned Fruits Marketing Act 1979
 Canned Fruits Levy Act 1979
 Canned Fruits Levy Collection Act 1979
 States and Northern Territory Grants (Rural Adjustment) Act 1979
 Sugar Agreement Act 1979
 Tasmanian Native Forestry Agreement Act (1979 and 1980)
 Wheat Marketing Act 1979
 
The Honey Research Act of 1980 appeared for the first time on 3 November 1980 as an enactment administered by the Department of Primary Industry. In the changes of 23 December 1981, there were a number of new acts listed under the administrative control of the Department of Primary Industry, as follows:
 
 Dried Fruit (Export Inspection Charge)
 Collection Act 1981
 Fish (Export Inspection Charge) Act 1981
 Fish (Export Inspection Charge) Collection Act 1981
 Fisheries Agreement (Payments) Act 1981
 Foreign Fishing Boats Levy Act 1981
 Meat Export (Penalties) Act 1981
 Sugar Agreement Act 1979
 
The new enactments controlled by the Department listed in the Administrative Arrangements Orders of 7 May 1982 were:
 
 Dairy Products (Export Inspection Charge)
 Collection Act 1982
 Dried Sultana Production Underwriting Act 1982
 Edible Oils (Export Inspection Charge) Act 1982
 Edible Oils (Export Inspection Charge) Collection Act 1982
 Eggs (Export Inspection Charge) Act 1982
 Eggs (Export Inspection Charge) Collection Act 1982
 
The Department of Primary Industry was reorganised in 1982 and and a new export inspection service was created to bring together all the departments' activities in this area. In the 1983 addition of the Commonwealth Government Directory (volume 2), the Department was organised into ten Divisions and Bureaux: Operations; Meat and Wool; Dairy and Intensive Livestock; Field Crops; Forestry and Horticultural Crops; Fisheries; Export Inspection; Development and Coordination; Bureau of Agriculture Economics; and the Australian Bureau of Animal Health.
 
In the administrative charges of 11 March 1983, three enactments previously administered by the Department of Primary Industry were no longer listed as that Department's responsibility as they had been repealed in 1982. These were: 

 Canned Fruit (Sales Promotion) Act 1965
 Commence (Trade Descriptions) Act 1905, in relation to exports
 Meat Export (Penalties) Act 1981, in relation to exports 

New enactments appearing under the control of the Department of Primary Industry in these Administrative Arrangements Orders were:  

 Cotton Levy Act 1982
 Cotton Research Act 1982
 Drought Assistance (Primary Procedures) Act 1982
 Export Control Act 1982
 Export Control (Miscellaneous Amendments) Act 1982
 
In the Administrative charges of 1 March 1984 the Meat Inspection Act 1983 was the only new act listed under the portfolio of Primary Industry [II].
 
In the Administrative arrangements of 2 July 1984, the Department was no longer responsible for the Defence (Re-establishment) Act 1965 parts IV and VI in so far as they relate to agricultural occupations. This function was amalgamated with the remainder of Parts IV and VI in Veterans' Affairs (CA 2107).  New enactments that now appeared under the control of the Department of Primary Industry were:
 
 Australian Meat and Live-stock Industry Policy Council Act 1984 
 Australian Meat and Live-stock Industry Selective Committee Act 1984
 Torres Strait Fisheries Act 1984
 
In the Administrative Arrangements of 13 December 1984 the Department gained responsibility for animal and plant quarantine functions from the Department of Health. The Quarantine Act 1908 in relation to animal and plant quarantine was then administered by the Department.
 
The following new Acts appeared under the Department of Primary Industry within this Administrative change:
 
 Biological Control Act 1984
 Egg Export legislation repeal Act 1984
 Fisheries Licences Levy Act 1984
 Income Equalisation Deposits (interest Adjustment) Act 1984
 Livestock Slaughter (Export Inspection Charge) Validation Act 1984 
 Meat Export Charge Act 1984 
 Meat Export Charge Collection Act 1984
 Wheat Tax (Permit) Act 1984
 Wheat Tax (Permit) Collection Act 1984
 
The Loan (Income Equalisation Deposits) Act 1946 was transferred from Department of Treasury [II] (CA 2141).
 
On 12 December 1985 the Prime Minister announced an administrative reorganisation as part of moves towards self government for the ACT. His Press Release of that date stated that administration of the Stock Dieseases Ordinance 1933 has been transferred from the Department of Primary Industry [II] to the Territories [II] portfolio. This transfer was not specified in the Administrative Arrangements Order issued at the time (Commonwealth Gazette, No S523 of 12 Dec.1985) and its effect on the structure of Primary Industry [II] is subject to further research.  

In the Administrative Arrangements Order of 3 February 1987
(Commonwealth of Australia Special Gazette, 3 February 1987), the following Acts were repealed by the Rural Industries Research (Transitional Provisions and Consequential Amendments) Act 1985:  

 Chicken Meat Research Act 1969
 Dairying Research Act 1972
 Dried Fruit Research Act 1971
 Honey Research Act 1980
 Pig Industry Research Act 1971
 Tobacco Industry Act 1955
 Wheat Research Act 1957
 
The following Acts were repealed by the Dairy Legislation
(Transitional Provisions and Consequential Amendments) Act 1986:  

 Dairy Industry Assistance Act 1977
 Dairy Industry Assistance Levy Act 1977
 Dairy Produce Market Support levy Act 1985
 Dairy Produce Sales Promotion Act 1958
 Dairy Produce Act 1924
 Dairy Industry Act 1962
 
The Department was given responsibility for the following new enactments:
 
 Dairy Industry Stabilisation Levy (Termination of Levy) Act 1986 
 Dairy Industry Research and Promotion Levy (Termination of Levy)
  Act 1986
 Grape Research Levy Act 1986
 Grape Research Levy Collection Act 1986
 Pig Industry ACt 1986
 Rural Industries Research (Transitional Provisions and
  Consequential Amendments) Act 1985
 Wine Research Repeal Act 1986
 
The Department of Primary Industry [II] was abolished on 24 July 1987 (notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, No S183, 24 July 1987) and its functions and legislative responsibilities were assumed by the new Department of Primary Industries and Energy (CA 5990).
 
Ministers for Primary Industry [II] have been:
22 Dec 1975 - 27 Sep 1979  : Rt Hon Ian McCahon Sinclair (CP 426) 
27 Sep 1979 - 11 Mar 1983  : Hon Peter James Nixon (CP83) 
11 Mar 1983 - 24 Jul 1987  : John Kerin
 
The following people held the position of Permanent Head of the Department:
 
22 Dec 1975 - 18 May 1978  : W Ives, CBE
18 May 1978 - 11 Mar 1980  : D H McKay, CBE
23 Apr 1980 - 10 Feb 1982  : L P Duthie
10 Feb 1982 - 24 Jul 1987  : G Miller
 
 
Sources 
1. Australian Government Gazette, No S262, 22 December 1975. 
2. Primary Industry - Media Release - 16 May 1978, 23 April 1980. 
3. The Canberra Times, 27 February 1982.
4. Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, No S83, 1 March 1984
5. Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, No S255, 2 July 1984
6. Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, No S521, 13 December 1984 
7. Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, No S183, 24 July 1987
Historical agency address
Trade Group Offices (later known as Edmund Barton Building), Broughton Street, Barton ACT
Legislation administered
Creation: Executive Council Meeting No.119, Public Service Board Minute No. 1975/58, 22 Dec. 1975
Abolition: Executive Council Meeting of 24 July 1987 (notified in Commonwealth of Australia Gazette No.S 183, 24 July 1987