Department of Regional Australia, Local Government, Arts and Sport
The Department of Regional Australia, Local Government, Arts and Sport was an Australian government department. It was formed in December 2011, absorbing the former Department of Regional Australia, Regional Development and Local Government along with Arts and Sport functions from the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. The department was abolished in September 2013 with its functions moved to other Australian Government departments.
Scope
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 departmental website.According to the Administrative Arrangements Order made on 14 December 2011, the Department dealt with:
- Administration of the Jervis Bay Territory, the Territory of Cocos Islands, the Territory of Christmas Island, the Coral Sea Islands Territory, the Territory of Ashmore and Cartier Islands, and of Commonwealth responsibilities on Norfolk Island
- Constitutional development of the Northern Territory
- Constitutional development of the Australian Capital Territory
- Delivery of regional and rural specific services
- Planning and land management in the Australian Capital Territory
- Regional development
- Matters relating to local government
- Regional Australia policy and co-ordination
- Support for ministers and parliamentary secretaries with regional responsibilities
- Cultural affairs, including movable cultural heritage and support for the arts
- Sport and recreation
- Management of government records
- Old Parliament House
Intended outcomes
The department worked to help the Government of the day achieve its policy objectives by contributing to, and reporting against four key outcomes. The 2011–12 departmental annual report identified the four outcomes as:- Coordinated community infrastructure in rural, regional and local government areas through financial assistance.
- Good governance in the Australian territories through the maintenance and improvement of the overarching legislative framework for selfgoverning territories, and laws and services for the non-self-governing territories.
- Participation in, and access to, Australia's arts and culture through developing and supporting cultural expression.
- Improved opportunities for community participation in sport and recreation, and excellence in high-performance athletes, including investment in sport infrastructure and events, research and international cooperation.
Structure
The department's staff were headed by an executive group comprising the departmental Secretary, Ms Glenys Beauchamp PSM, and four deputy secretaries. According to an estimate in the Australian Government Budget Papers, average staffing levels in the department during 2012-13 were 552, making it the second smallest of 20 portfolio departments that year. Staff were located at 23 offices around Australia. As at June 2012, 68 per cent of departmental staff were female.
| Start date | End date | Ministerial title | Minister | Ref. |
| 14 Dec 2011 | 4 Feb 2013 | Minister for Regional Australia, Regional Development and Local Government Minister for the Arts | Simon Crean | |
| 14 Dec 2011 | 5 Mar 2012 | Minister for Sport | Mark Arbib | |
| 5 Mar 2012 | 3 Jul 2013 | Minister for Sport | Kate Lundy | |
| 25 Mar 2013 | 3 Jul 2013 | Minister for Regional Development and Local Government | Anthony Albanese | |
| 25 Mar 2013 | 3 Jul 2013 | Minister for Regional Services, Local Communities and Territories | Catherine King | |
| 3 Jul 2013 | 18 Sep 2013 | Minister for Regional Australia, Local Government and Territories | Catherine King | |
| 25 Mar 2013 | 18 Sep 2013 | Minister for the Arts | Tony Burke | |
| 3 Jul 2013 | 18 Sep 2013 | Minister for Sport | Don Farrell | |
| 3 Jul 2013 | 18 Sep 2013 | Minister for Regional Development | Sharon Bird | |
| 25 Mar 2013 | 18 Sep 2013 | Parliamentary Secretary for the Arts | Michael Danby |