Government Legislation & Publications: New South Wales

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All users should be aware that some topics or historical content may be culturally sensitive, offensive or distressing, and that some images may contain nudity or are of people not yet identified. Certain words, terms or descriptions may reflect the author's/creator's attitude or that of the period in which they were written, but are now considered inappropriate in today's context.

Key to library resources

Access anywhere with a library card In the Library (or anywhere with a Library card for NSW residents)
Available to access in the library Only in the Library
Publicly available online Publicly available

Past names of government departments

Look up past names of government departments in the list below

This is a simplified list of major name changes and does not cover all agencies or offices within a department and government.

For comprehensive information visit MHNSW - State Archives.

Agriculture

1874-1891 Department of Mines
1891–1908 Department of Mines and Agriculture
1908–1988 Department of Agriculture
1988-1991 Department of Agriculture and Fisheries
1991-2004      Department of Agriculture
2004-2009      NSW Agriculture
2004-June 2009  Department of Primary Industries
July 2009-May 2011  Department of Industry and Investment
April 2011-June 2015  Department of Trade and Investment, Regional Infrastructure and Services (known as NSW Trade and Investment)
July 2015-        Department of Industry, Skills and Regional Development (known as NSW Department of Industry)

Commerce

1989-1995 Property Services Group
1995-2003    Department of Public Works and Services
2003-2009    Department of Commerce
2009-2011    Department of Services, Technology and Administration
2011-2014    Department of Finance and Services
2014-2015 Office of Finance and Services
2015- Department of Finance, Services and Innovation

Community Services

1881-1923     State Children’s Relief Department
1923–1970 Child Welfare Department
1970–1973 Department of Child Welfare and Social Welfare
1973–1974 Department of Youth and Community Services
1975 Department of Youth, Ethnic and Community Affairs
1976–1988 Department of Youth and Community Services
1988–1991 Department of Family and Community Services
June 1991-July 1992  Department of Health and Community Services
1992–2009 Department of Community Services
2009-2011     Department of Human Services
2011— Department of Family and Community Services

Education

1880–1925 Public Instruction
1925–1927 Education
1927 Public Instruction
1927–1988 Education
1988–1990 Education and Youth Affairs
1990–1992 School Education and Youth Affairs
1992–1993 Education and Youth Affairs
1993–1995 Education, Training and Youth Affairs
1995–2011 Department of Education and Training
2011–2014 Department of Education and Communities
2015-  Department of Education

Health

1904-1913     Department of Public Health
1913–1938 Office of the Director–General of Public Health
1938-1973    Department of Public Health
1973-1982     Health Commission of New South Wales
1982–2009 New South Wales Health Department
2009— NSW Health (used to cover Ministry of Health, Area health services and other health organisations)
2009-2011     Department of Health
2011- Ministry of Health

Indigenous

1883–1940 Board for the Protection of Aborigines
1940–1969 Aborigines Welfare Board
1969–1975 Aborigines Welfare Directorate
1975-1981 Aboriginal Services Branch (part of Department of Community Services)
1982–1988 Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs
1988 Bureau of Aboriginal Affairs
June 1988–1995 Office of Aboriginal Affairs
1995–2009 Department of Aboriginal Affairs (functions transferred to Department of Human Services)
2009— Aboriginal Affairs (N.S.W.) 

Labour

1896–1940 Department of Labour and Industry
1940–1944 Department of Labour and Industry and Social Services
1944–1956 Department of Labour and Industry and Social Welfare
1956–1979 Department of Labour and Industry
1979-1980      Department of Industrial Relations and Technology
1980-1986 Department of Industrial Relations
1986-1990      Department of Industrial Relations and Employment
1990-1991      Department of Industrial Relations
1991–1995 Department of Industrial Relations, Employment, Training and Further Education
1996–2002 Department of Industrial Relations
2003–2008 Office of Industrial Relations
2009– New South Wales Industrial Relations

Land

1856–1859 Department of Lands and Public Works
1859–1981 Department of Lands
1981–1984 Department of Local Government and Lands
1984–1991 Department of Lands
1991–1995 Department of Conservation and Land Management (incorporated with the Land Titles Office and the Valuer General's Department)
1995–2003 Department of Land and Water Conservation
2003–2009 Department of Lands
2009-2010 Land and Property Management Authority
2011-  Land and Property Information (operational division of Department of Finance and Services)

Law

1856-1901     Attorney General
1880–1901 Department of Justice
1901–1984 Department of Attorney General and of Justice
1984–2009 Attorney–General's Department
2009–2011 Department of Justice and Attorney General
2011-2013     Department of Attorney General and Justice
April 2014-May 2014  Department of Police and Justice
June 2014- Department of Justice

Mental health and disabilities

1879–1955 Master in Lunacy
1955–1972 Master in Protective Jurisdiction of the Supreme Court
1972–1985 Protective Office
1985–2009 Office of the Protective Commissioner
2009– NSW Trustee and Guardian

Planning and conservation

1938-1991     Soil Conservation Service
1984-1991     Department of Lands 
1987-1995     Department of Water Resources (amalgamation of Soil Conservation Service and Department of Lands)
1991-1995     Department of Conservation and Land Management
1995-2003     Department of Land and Water Conservation
2003 Department of Sustainable Resources
2003-2005 Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Natural Resources
2005-2011     Department of Planning
2011-2014 Department of Planning and Infrastructure
2014- Department of Planning and Environment

Premier and cabinet

1907-1908     Premier’s Office
1909-1988     Premier’s Department
1988 Premier’s Office
1988-2007     Premier’s Department
2007-  Department of Premier and Cabinet

Transport

1932-1975 Ministry of Transport
1975-1978 Ministry of Transport and Highways
1978-1990 Ministry of Transport
1990–2003 Department of Transport
2003 Transport Co–ordination Authority
2003–2009 Ministry of Transport
2009–2010 Department of Transport and Infrastructure (known as NSW Transport and Infrastructure)
2010–2011 Transport  for NSW
2011— Department of Transport
(Departments stated below operated within the Department of Transport) 
1989-2011 Roads and Traffic Authority (amalgamated with Department of Motor Transport and Traffic Authority of NSW)
2011- Roads and Maritime Services

What's in a name?

A change of government department names and hierarchy often occurs when there is a change in government. These changes affect their websites, publications and scope. Sometimes you will find discrepancies between the department's name and the name used in publications.