Administrative Arrangements Order - 04 April 1912

Administered by Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet

Legislation au C2004Q00006 Not in force Administrative Arrangements Order

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COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA

 

ADMINISTRATIVE ARRANGEMENTS ORDER

 

ORDER BY HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL

 

I, THOMAS, BARTON DENMAN, the Governor-General in and over the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, do hereby approve of the Administrative Arrangements specified in the Schedule hereto, and do order that, until further order herein, all Acts of the Commonwealth Parliament relating to the matters specified in the second column of the Schedule opposite to the name of a Department (including the Acts specified in the third column opposite the name of the Department) shall, unless the contrary intention appears in the Act, be administered by the Minister of State for the Commonwealth administering that Department.

 

THE SCHEDULE

 

The names of the Departments of State of the Commonwealth are specified in the first column of the Schedule. The matters dealt with by each Department are specified in the second column opposite to the name of the Department. The Acts specified in the third column are the Acts in force at the date of this order which are administered by the Minister of State administering the Department specified in the first column opposite their names.

 

FIRST COLUMN

Names of Departments.

SECOND COLUMN

Matters dealt with by each Department.

THIRD COLUMN

Acts Administered by the Minister of each Department.

THE PRIME MINISTER’S DEPARTMENT

Auditor-General and Staff.

Communication with the Governor- General.

Communication with the States.

Officers of the Parliament.

Public Service Commissioner and

 Staff (as from 1st July 1912).

The Commonwealth of Australia  Gazette.

The Federal Executive Council.

Arbitration (Public Service) Act  1911

Commonwealth Public Service  Act 1902-1911 (as from 1st July 1912).

Commonwealth Salaries Act 1907.

Parliamentary Allowances Act  1907

Petherick Collection Act 1911.

Royal Commissions Act 1902.

 

 

THE DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

 

Appropriation and Supply.

Banking.

Currency, Coinage and Legal Tender

Government Printer.

Insurance.

Invalid and Old-age Pensions.

Public Loans.

Public Moneys.

State Debts.

Taxation other than Duties of Customs and of Excise.

 

Appropriation Acts.

Audit Act 1901-1909.

Australian Notes Act 1910-11.

Bank notes Tax Act 1910.

Coinage Act 1909.

Commonwealth Bank Act 1911.

Commonwealth Inscribed Stock  Act 1911.

Constitution Alteration (State Debts)  1909.

Invalid and Old-age Pensions Act  1908-1909.

Land  Tax Act 1910.

Land Tax Assessment Act 1910-1911.

Life Assurance (Companies) Act 1905.

Loan Act 1911.

Marine Insurance Act 1909.

Supply Acts.

Surplus Revenue Act 1908.

Surplus Revenue Act 1909.

Surplus Revenue Act 1910.

Trust fund Advances Act.

Trust fund Advances Act 1910 (No 2).

 

THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPARTMENT

Bankruptcy and Insolvency.

Bills of Exchange and Promissory Notes.

Conciliation and Arbitration.

Copyright.

Crown Law Offices.

Designs.

Divorce and Matrimonial Cases.

Foreign Corporations.

Judiciary and Courts.

Marriage.

Parliamentary Drafting.

Patents.

Recognition throughout the Commonwealth of State Laws,  Records, and Judicial  Proceedings.

Service and Execution throughout

the Commonwealth of State Process and Judgments.

Trade Marks.

Trading and Financial Corporations formed within the limits of the Commonwealth.

Acts Interpretation Act 1901.

Acts Interpretation Act 1904.

Amendments Incorporation Act 1905.

Bills of Exchange Act 1909.

Commonwealth Conciliation and                   Arbitration Act 1904-1911.

Copyright Act 1905.

Designs Act 1906.

Evidence Act 1905.

Extradition Act 1903.

High Court Procedure Act 1903.

High Court Procedure Amendment Act  1903.

Judiciary Act 1903-1909.

Jury Exemption Act 1905.

Parliamentary Papers Act 1908.

Patents Act 1903-1909.

Patents Trade Marks and Designs Act    1910.

Rules Publication Act 1903.

Service and Execution of Process Acts       1901-1905.

State Law and Records Recognition  Act 1901.

Statutory Declarations Act 1911.

Trade Marks Act 1905.

 

 

THE DEPARTMENT OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

Consular Appointments.

External Affairs.

Pearl shell and Trepang Fisheries in  Australian Waters beyond  Territorial Limits.

High Commissioner.

Immigration and Emigration.

Influx of Criminals.

Naturalization and Aliens.

Passports.

People of Races (other than the  Aboriginal races in any state) for  whom it is deemed necessary to               make special laws.

Relations with the Pacific Islands.

Territories of the Commonwealth.

Contract Immigrants Act 1905.

Emigration Act 1910.

High Commissioner Act 1909.

Immigration Restriction Acts 1901-1910.

Naturalization Act.

Northern Territory Acceptance Act 1910.

Northern Territory (Administration) Act 1910

Pacific Islands Labourer’s Act 1901-1906.

Papua Act 1905.

 

THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENCE

Control of Railways with respect to transport for Naval and Military purposes.

Naval and Military Defence.

Naval and Military Factories and  Workshops.

Defence Acts 1903-1911.

Naval Agreement Act 1903.

Naval Defence Act 1910-1911.

THE DEPARTMENT OF TRADE AND CUSTOMS

Bounties.

Bureau of Agriculture.

Customs and Excise.

Fisheries (other than Pearl Shell or Trepang) in Australian waters beyond Territorial Limits.

Inter-State Commission.

Lighthouses, Lightships, Beacons and Buoys.

Quarantine.

Trade and Commerce, including Navigation and Shipping.

Weights and Measures.

 

Australian Industries Preservation Act 1906-1910.

Beer Excise Act 1901.

Bounties Act 1907.

Commerce (Trade Descriptions) Act 1905.

Customs Act 1901-1910

Customs (Inter-state Accounts) Act 1910.

Customs Tariff 1902.

Customs Tariff 1908.

Customs Tariff Amendment 1908.

Customs Tariff 1910.

Customs Tariff 1911.

Customs Tariff (South African Preference) 1906.

Customs Tariff 1906 (Agricultural Machinery).

Distillation Act 1901.

Excise Act 1901.

Excise Procedure Act 1907.

Excise(Sugar) Act 1910.

Excise Tariff 1902 .

Excise Tariff 1908.

Excise Tariff (Starch) 1908.

Excise Tariff (Sugar) 1905.

Excise Tariff (Amendment) 1906 (Sugar).

Excise Tariff 1906 (Spirits).

Lighthouses Act 1911.

Manufactures Encouragement Act 1908.

Quarantine Act 1908.

Sea-Carriage of Goods Act 1904.

Seamen’s Compensation Act 1911.

Secret Commissions Act 1905.

Shale Oils Bounties Act 1910.

Spirits Act 1906.

Sugar Bounty Act 1903.

Sugar Bounty Act 1905-1910.

 


FIRST COLUMN

Names of Departments.

SECOND COLUMN

Matters dealt with by each Department.

THIRD COLUMN

Acts Administered by the Minister of each Department.

THE DEPARTMENT OF HOME AFFAIRS

Astronomy.

Census and Statistics.

Elections.

Franchise.

Lands

Meteorology.

Public Service Commissioner (until 1st July, 1912).

Public Works.

Railways.

Representation of the People.

Rivers.

Seat of Government.

Surveys.

 

Census and Statistics Act 1905.

Commonwealth Public Service

Act 1902-1911 (until 1st July, 1912).

Commonwealth Electoral Acts 1902-1911.

Commonwealth Franchise Act 1902.

Constitution Alteration (Senate    Elections) 1906.

Disputed Elections and Qualifications Act 1907.

Electoral Divisions Act 1903.

Electoral Validating Act 1906.

Governor-General’s Residences

Act 1906.

Kalgoorie to Port Augusta Railway Survey Act 1907.

Kalgoorie to Port Augusta Railway Act 1911.

Land Acquisition Act 1906.

Meteorology Act 1906.

Referendum (Constitution Alteration) Act 1906-1910.

Representation Act 1905.

Seat of Government Act 1908.

Seat of Government Acceptance Act 1909.

Seat of government (Administration) Act 1910.

Senate Elections Act 1903.

THE POSTMASTER-GENERAL’S DEPARTMENT

Postal, Telegraphic and other like Services.

 

Pacific Cable Act 1911.

Post and Telegraph Act 1901-1910

Post and Telegraph Rates Act 190-1911.

Purchase Telephone Lines Acquisition Act 1911

Telegraph act 1909.

Wireless Telegraphy Act 1905.

 

 

 

Given under my hand and the Seal of the Commonwealth of Australia, this fourth day of April One thousand nine hundred and twelve.

 

      (SEAL)   DENMAN,

         Governor-General.

       By His Excellency’s command,

         ANDREW FISHER

 

Overview

The Administrative Arrangements Order of 1912 (C2004Q00006) was enacted to address the need for a systematic allocation of administrative responsibilities among the various Departments of State within the Commonwealth of Australia. This order was introduced by the Governor-General, Thomas, Barton Denman, acting on the advice of the Federal Executive Council. The primary objective of this order is to ensure that each Department of State is assigned specific matters and corresponding Acts for administration, thereby streamlining governance and improving efficiency in the execution of governmental functions. The order lists the names of the Departments, the matters they deal with, and the relevant Acts they administer, providing a clear framework for the distribution of administrative duties across the Commonwealth. The order facilitates the orderly administration of Commonwealth legislation by assigning each Act to a specific Department based on the matter it pertains to, ensuring that responsibilities are clearly defined and effectively managed. This arrangement helps avoid overlaps and ensures that each Department can focus on its designated areas of governance, thus enhancing the overall functionality of the Australian government.

Scope and Application

The Administrative Arrangements Order pertains to the allocation and administration of Commonwealth Acts to the relevant Ministers of State, who oversee specific Departments within the government. The Order ensures that each Act, unless otherwise specified, is administered by the Minister responsible for the Department that deals with the matter in question. This Order applies to all Acts of the Commonwealth Parliament that are related to the specified matters of each Department as listed in the Schedule, thereby encompassing a broad range of legislative responsibilities across various sectors. The scope extends nationally, affecting all entities and persons subject to the administration of the relevant Acts. There are no stated exclusions or exemptions within the text of the Order itself, although the specific Acts administered by each Department may contain their own exclusions or thresholds. The Order can be further extended or restricted through subordinate instruments, which may specify additional administrative arrangements or modify the allocation of responsibilities among Departments.

Key Provisions

The Administrative Arrangements Order (C2004Q00006) serves as the legislative framework that delineates the allocation of responsibilities among the various Departments of State within the Commonwealth of Australia. According to this Order, specified Acts of the Commonwealth Parliament are to be administered by the Minister of State responsible for the respective Department unless otherwise indicated in the Act (Section 1). The Schedule of the Order lists the names of the Departments in the first column, the matters they are responsible for in the second column, and the Acts they administer in the third column. Each Department, as defined by the Order, has clear obligations to manage and oversee the specific matters listed under its purview. For instance, the Prime Minister’s Department is tasked with handling communications with the Governor-General and the States, managing the Public Service, and administering certain Acts such as the Arbitration (Public Service) Act 1911 and the Commonwealth Public Service Act 1902-1911 (Schedule, first column). Similarly, the Department of the Treasury is responsible for appropriation and supply, banking, and taxation, among other things, and administers Acts like the Appropriation Acts and the Taxation Acts (Schedule, second column). Non-compliance with the provisions of this Order can lead to significant consequences. While the Order itself does not explicitly outline specific offences or penalties, the Acts administered by the respective Departments may contain provisions for breaches and penalties. For instance, breaches of the Customs Act 1901-1910, administered by the Department of Trade and Customs, could result in fines and imprisonment as stipulated within the Customs Act. Similarly, failure to adhere to the provisions of the Defence Acts 1903-1911, administered by the Department of Defence, could lead to severe penalties, including imprisonment, reflecting the seriousness of national security and defence matters.

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Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation at 26 August 2026. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to https://www.legislation.gov.au.