Department of Premier and Cabinet (GRG75)

The first department to be known as the 'Premier's Department' was proclaimed on 14 June 1917. (1) Its actual creation however, occurred in 1916. In an Address in Reply debate Premier Vaughan referred to the increasing workload of the Premier and Cabinet, the existence of similar departments elsewhere and wartime exigency as reasons for the Department's creation. (2) the new department consisted of the Premier's secretariat, the Government Reporting Department and a Motor Garage. (3) On 31 August 1917 following election of the Peake Government, the Department was abolished. (4) Its functions were divided between the Department of the Legislature which acquired the Government Reporting Department, and Chief Secretary's Office which assumed many of the secretarial responsibilities relating to the Office of Premier and to Cabinet. (5)

The title lay in abeyance until 18 March 1965 when another Department also known as the Premier's Department was established. (6) In addition to the normal activities associated with the office of Premier the new Department was charged with (i) encouraging and fostering the introduction of new industries (ii) expansion of established industries and (iii) decentralisation of industries. (7) The organisational structure of the Department consisted of an Industries Assistance Branch, Secretariat and Government Motor Garage. (8) In 1968 the Industries Assistance Branch became known as the Industries Promotion, Research and Assistance Branch. The Secretariat assumed the title Administration. (9)

With the advent of the Dunstan Labor Government in 1970, the traditional power structure of the South Australian Public Service underwent transformation and the Premier's Department increased in power and prestige. (10) parallelling developments in other states, its role became that of a central co-ordinating agency for all administrative activity. (11) Coincident with its increasing involvement in policy areas such as the economy, planning, development, trade, administrative services and the arts, its structure became increasingly complex and fluid. According to Jaensch during this period "There was little policy development which did not, at some stage, involve the ubiquitous department." (12)

On 4 January 1972 the Department was amalgamated with the Immigration, Publicity and Tourist Bureau Department and became known as Department of the Premier and of Development. (13) A third Premier's Department was established on 27 September 1973 through amalgamation of the Department of the Premier and of Development and the Agent-General in England Department. (14) On 10 March 1981 the title of the Department became that of Premier and Cabinet. (15)

Other significant administrative changes affecting Premier's Department (II) and its successor agencies during this period included:

? transfer of the State Planning Office to the Department of Environment and Conservation on 28 February 1972. (16)

? transfer of the Tourist Division to the Department of Environment and Conservation on 27 September 1973. (17)

? amalgamation of the Trade and Development Division with the Economic Intelligence Unit to become the Department of Economic Development on 31 January 1977. (18)

? amalgamation of the Department of Legal Services with Premier's Department (III) on 31 August 1976. (19)

? transfer of the State Immigration Office to the Australian Department of Immigration and Ethnic Affairs on 30 June 1978. (20)

? transfer to the Courts Department of the Justices Division and Appeals Tribunal Branch. (21)

Notes:

Premier's Department (I) dockets 1916/1 - 1917/334 were re-numbered as part of the Chief Secretary's Office sequence following abolition of the Department and have since become GRG 24/6/1917/1103 - 1436 and GRG 24/6/1916/1546. Records created by the Immigration, Publicity and Tourist Bureau Department may be found in GRG 7. Records of the Agent-General in England Department from GRG 55.

References:

(1) Report of Efficiency, etc. of the Public Service 1917-1921, Parliamentary Papers, Adelaide the Government Printer, No. 5, 1921, p.3.
(2) Parliamentary Debates, Adelaide, the Government Printer, Volume 1, 1916, p. 108.
(3) Blue Book for the year 1916, Adelaide, the Government Printer, 1917, p. 30.
(4) Report on efficiency, etc., of the Public Service 1917-1921, Parliamentary Papers, Adelaide, the Government Printer, No. 5, 1921, p.4.
(5) Blue Book for the year 1918, Adelaide, the Government Printer, 1919, p4-5.
(6) Government Gazette, Adelaide, the Government Printer, no. 12, 1965, p.619.
(7) Parliamentary Debates, Adelaide, the Government Printer, Volume 1, 1965-1966, p.2.
(8) Public Service List for the year 1968. Parliamentary Papers, Adelaide, the Government Printer, No. 2, 1968, p. 1.
(9) Ibid, p.2.
(10) Smith, R.F.I., Weller, P., et al., Public Service Inquiries in Australia, St Lucia, Queensland, University of Queensland Press, 1978, p.86.
(11) Ibid., p. 86.
(12) Ibid., p. 86
(13) PSB docket 195/71.
(14) Government Gazette, 27 September, 1973, p. 2128.
(15) Government Gazette, 10 March 1981, p. 642.
(16) Government Gazette, 23 December 1971, p. 2629.
(17) PSB docket 195/71.
(18) PSB docket 1158/76.
(19) PSB docket 450/75.
(20) Premier's Department docket 481/77.
(21) L.D. docket 2292/80.