Harman Patil (Editor)

Department of Finance (1976–97)

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Formed
  
7 December 1976

Headquarters
  
Canberra

Dissolved
  
9 October 1997

Preceding Department
  
Department of the Treasury

Superseding agency
  
Department of Finance and Administration

Jurisdiction
  
Commonwealth of Australia

The Department of Finance (also called DoF) was an Australian government department with the mission to support and promote excellence in Commonwealth financial management and budgeting, and in program performance throughout the public sector. The department existed between December 1976 and October 1997.

Contents

History

The department was split from the Department of the Treasury in 1976 with the aim to separate financial oversight functions from economic policy functions generally, emulating changes Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau had introduced to his government.

Outcomes and scope

The Department's mission was to support and promote excellence in Commonwealth financial management and budgeting, and in program performance throughout the public sector.

Information about the department's functions and/or government funding allocation could be found in the Administrative Arrangements Orders, the annual Portfolio Budget Statements, in the department's annual reports and on the department's website.

At its creation, the Department dealt with:

  • Examination, review and evaluation of governmental expenditure proposals and programs.
  • Collection and analysis of forward estimates of expenditure; and
  • Administration of the Public Account.
  • Structure

    The Department was an Australian Public Service department, staffed by officials responsible to the Minister for Finance.

    References

    Department of Finance (1976–97) Wikipedia