Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs

Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs

Department overview
Formed	3 December 2007
Preceding Department	Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs
Dissolved	18 September 2013
Superseding agency	Department of Social Services; Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (Indigenous affairs functions)
Jurisdiction	Commonwealth of Australia
Headquarters	Greenway, Canberra
Employees	3,324 (at April 2013)[1]
Department executives	Jeff Harmer, Secretary (2007‑11)[2] Finn Pratt, Secretary (2011‑13)[2]
Website	fahcsia.gov.au

The main entrance to FaHCSIA's national headquarters

The former Australian Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA) was a department of the Government of Australia located in Greenway in Canberra. It was formed in 2007 and absorbed the former Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs. As a result of an Administrative Arrangements Order issued on 18 September 2013, the Department of Social Services was established and assumed most of the responsibilities of FaHCSIA; with indigenous affairs functions assumed by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.^[3][4][5]

Operational activities

The former department's role was to develop social policies and support affected Australian society and the living standards of Australian families. The Office of Indigenous Policy Coordination was a part of FaHCSIA. In the Administrative Arrangements Order of 3 December 2007, the functions of the department were broadly classified into the following matters:^[6]

• Income security policies and programs for families with children, carers, the aged and people in hardship
• Services for families with children, people with disabilities and carers
• Community support services, excluding the Home and Community Care program
• Family relationship services
• Housing policy co-ordination, welfare housing and rent assistance
• Women's policies and programs
• Indigenous policy co-ordination and the promotion of reconciliation
• Community development employment projects

Administrative structure

Ministers and parliamentary secretaries for the former Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs

Start date	End date	Ministerial title	Minister	Ref.
3 Dec 2007	18 Sep 2013	Minister for Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs Minister for Disability Reform	Jenny Macklin	[7]
14 Dec 2011	18 Sep 2013	Minister for Housing and Homelessness, Community Services, Indigenous Employment and Economic Development Minister for the Status of Women	Julie Collins	[7]
25 Mar 2013	18 Sep 2013	Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Carers	Amanda Rishworth	[7]
1 Jul 2013	18 Sep 2013	Parliamentary Secretary for Housing and Homelessness	Doug Cameron	[7]
4 Feb 2013	1 Jul 2013	Minister for Housing and Homelessness	Mark Butler	[7]
4 Feb 2013	1 Jul 2013	Parliamentary Secretary for Homelessness and Social Housing	Melissa Parke	[7]
14 Sep 2010	25 Mar 2013	Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Carers	Jan McLucas	[7]
5 Mar 2012	Feb 2013	Minister for Housing and Homelessness	Brendan O'Connor	[7]
14 Dec 2011	5 Mar 2012	Minister for Housing and Homelessness	Robert McClelland	[7]
14 Sep 2010	Nov 2011	Minister for Indigenous Employment and Economic Development Minister for Social Housing and Homelessness	Mark Arbib	[7][8]
14 Sep 2010	Nov 2011	Minister for the Status of Women	Kate Ellis	[7][8]
3 Dec 2007	14 Sep 2010	Minister for Housing Minister for Status of Women	Tanya Plibersek	[7][8]
3 Dec 2007	14 Sep 2010	Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Children's Services Parliamentary Secretary for Victorian Bushfire Reconstruction	Bill Shorten	[7][8]
3 Dec 2007	14 Sep 2010	Parliamentary Secretary for Social Inclusion and the Voluntary Sector	Ursula Stephens	[7][8]

The Secretaries of the department were:

• Dr Jeff Harmer (3 December 2007 to April 2011). Harmer had been appointed Secretary of the previous Department of Families and Community Services in October 2004.^[8][9]
• Mr Finn Pratt (April 2011 to 18 September 2013).^[8]

References

1. Australian Public Service Commission (2 December 2013), State of the Service Report: State of the Service Series 2012-13 (PDF), Australian Public Service Commission, p. 253, archived from the original (PDF) on 6 December 2013
2. Gillard, Julia (21 December 2010). "Departmental Secretaries" (Press release). Archived from the original on 1 January 2014.
3. Packham, Ben (18 September 2013). "Tony Abbott puts broom through bureaucracy". The Australian. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
4. Abbott, Tony (18 September 2013). "The Coalition will restore strong, stable and accountable government" (Press release). Canberra, Australia: Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Retrieved 20 September 2013.
5. Wilson, Lauren (19 September 2013). "Coalition carves up the public service". The Australian. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
6. "Administrative Arrangement Order of 3 December 2007" (PDF). Government of Australia. 3 December 2007. p. 19. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 April 2013.
7. Former Ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries, Australian Government Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, retrieved 24 September 2013
8. CA 9193: Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, Central Office, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 22 April 2014
9. Malone, Paul (November 2006), "Chapter 13: The People's Choice – Jeff Harmer, Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs", Australian Department Heads Under Howard: Career Paths and Practice (Collected articles from the Canberra Times), ANU E Press and ANZSOG, ISBN 1 920942 83 1, archived from the original on 27 September 2013