Creation
The Department of Health and Aged Care was established on 21 October 1998, pursuant to the Administrative Arrangements Order of that date (Commonwealth of Australia Gazette No. S 514, 22 October 1998).
Abolition
The Department of Health and Aged Care was abolished on 26 November 2001, pursuant to the Administrative Arrangements Order of that date (Commonwealth of Australia Special Gazette No. S 468, 26 November 2001).
Functions and activities
At its inception the Department dealt with the following principal matters:
Services for the aged, including carers
Public health and medical research
Health promotion and disease prevention
Primary health care of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
Pharmaceutical benefits
Health benefits scheme
Specific health services, including human quarantine
National drug abuse strategy
Regulation of therapeutic goods
Legislation administered
The Department was also responsible for administering the following legislation:
Aged or Disabled Persons Care Act 1954
Aged Care Act 1997
Aged Care (Compensation Amendments) Act 1997
Aged Care (Consequential Provisions) Act 1997
Australian Hearing Services Act 1991
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Act 1987
Australia New Zealand National Food Authority Act 1991
Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation Act 1987, Part VIIA
Commonwealth Serum Laboratories Act 1961
Delivered Meals Subsidy Act 1970
Environment Protection (Nuclear Codes) Act 1978
Epidemiological Studies (Confidentiality) Act 1981
Health and Other Services (Compensation) Act 1995
Health and Other Services (Compensation) Care Charges Act 1997
Health Care (Appropriation) Act 1998
Health Insurance Act 1973
Health Insurance Commission Act 1973
Health Insurance Commission (Reform and Separation of Functions) Act 1997
Health Insurance (Pathology) (Fees) Act 1991
Health Insurance (Pathology) (License Fee) Act 1991
Hearing Services Act 1991
Hearing Services Administration Act 1997
Hearing Services and AGHS Reform Act 1997
Home and Community Care Act 1985
Home Nursing Subsidy Act 1956
Medicare Agreements Act 1992
Narcotic Drugs Act 1967, sections 9, 10, 11, 13, 19 and 23 and subsection 24(1), and so much of the remaining provisions of the Act (other than sections 12 and 22 and subsection 24(2) as relates to powers and functions under those sections
National Health Act 1953
National Health and Medical Research Council Act 1992
Nursing Home Charge (Imposition) Act 1994
Nursing Homes Assistance Act 1974
Private Health Insurance Complaints Levy Act 1995
Private Health Insurance Incentives Act 1997
Quarantine Act 1908, in relation to human quarantine
Quarantine (Validation of Fees) Act 1985, in relation to human quarantine
States Grants (Home Care) Act 1969
States Grants (Nurse Education Transfer Assistance) Act 1985
States Grants (Paramedical Services) Act 1969
Therapeutic Goods Act 1989
Therapeutic Goods (Charges) Act 1989
Tobacco Advertising Prohibition Act 1992
Tuberculosis Act 1948
World Health Organisation Act 1947
In the Amending Administrative Arrangements Order of 17 December 1998 (Commonwealth of Australia Gazette No. GN 1, 6 January 1999), the following legislation
Australia New Zealand National Food Authority Act 1991
was omitted and substituted with
Australia New Zealand Food Authority Act 1991.
Administrative structure
Ministers to the Department of Health & Aged Care have been:
21 Oct 1998 - 26 Nov 2001 : Hon. Dr Michael Wooldridge (CP 527)
Secretaries to the Department of Health & Aged Care have been:
21 Oct 1998 - 26 Nov 2001 : Andrew Podger
Sources
Commonwealth of Australia Gazette No. S 512, 21 October 1998
Commonwealth of Australia Gazette No. S 514, 22 October 1998
Commonwealth of Australia Gazette No. GN 1, 6 January 1999
Commonwealth of Australia Special Gazette No. S 468, 26 November 2001
Note that the Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care, Canberra published "Putting Life into Years: The Commonwealth's Role in Australia's Health since 1901" in 2001.
Historical agency address
Alexander and Albemarle Buildings and Fishburn, Juliana and Penrhyn House, Phillip ACT