Department of Industry and Science

The Department of Industry and Science was a department of the Australian Government responsible for consolidating the Government’s efforts to drive economic growth, productivity and competitiveness by bringing together industry, energy, resources and science.[2]

Department of Industry and Science
Department overview
Formed23 December 2014
Preceding Department
Dissolved21 September 2015
Superseding agency
JurisdictionAustralian Government
Employees4926 (at 31 December 2014)[1]
Ministers responsible
Department executive
Websitewww.industry.gov.au

History

The department was established on 23 December 2014, taking on most of the functions of the previous Department of Industry; but transferring skills responsibilities to the Department of Education and Training.[3]

The Department's creation, and the associated swearing in of Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane when he added 'Science' to his official title, was seen by several media outlets as an admission from the Abbott Government that it had been a mistake to not have a dedicated Science minister in 2014.[4][5]

The Department was abolished and replaced with the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science in September 2015, to create a new federal government focus on innovation.[6]

Scope

As outlined in the December 2014 Administrative Arrangements Orders,[7] the department was responsible for a wide range of functions including:

  • Manufacturing and commerce including industry and market development
  • Industry innovation policy and technology diffusion
  • Construction industry, excluding workplace relations
  • Facilitation of the development of service industries generally
  • Trade marks, plant breeders' rights and patents of inventions and designs
  • Anti-dumping
  • Civil space issues
  • Science policy
  • Energy policy

References
  1. Australian Public Service Commission (2015), Table 3C: All employees: agency by base classification, 31 December 2014, Australian Government, archived from the original on 24 March 2015
  2. Department of Industry and Science, About us, Australian Government, retrieved 24 March 2015
  3. Department of Industry and Science, Department of Industry and Science, Australian Government, archived from the original on 21 March 2015, retrieved 24 March 2015CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  4. Hutchens, Gareth (23 December 2014). "New Abbott ministry sworn in by Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. Archived from the original on 24 December 2014.
  5. Coyne, Allie (22 December 2014). "Abbott brings back Science minister in cabinet reshuffle". IT News. Archived from the original on 28 December 2014.
  6. Thomson, Phillip (25 September 2015). "Department with most name changes? That title goes to Department of Industry, Innovation and Science". The Canberra Times. Fairfax Media.
  7. Commonwealth of Australia Administrative Arrangement Order (PDF), Australian Government, 23 December 2014
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