 | In the Library (or anywhere with a Library card for NSW residents) |
 | Only in the Library |
 | Publicly available |
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 State Records NSW.
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 |
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.
