Archives



Children’s Welfare and Public Relief Board

The Children’s Welfare and Public Relief Board replaced both the State Children’s Council and the Destitute Board in 1926 as a result of the passing of the Maintenance Act 1926. The new Board took responsibility for all matters relating to destitute and neglected children and adults and had the power to proclaim institutions for State…

Department of Child Safety, Youth and Women, State Government of Queensland

The Department of Child Safety, Youth and Women was established on 12 December 2017, following the Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services’ responsibilities being split into two departments. The Department of Child Safety, Youth and Women is responsible for youth justice and child protection services including adoption, foster and kindship care. The Department…

Public Instruction Department, State Government of Queensland

The Public Instruction Department was established on 1 January 1876 under The State Education Act of 1875 to be responsible for the administration of preschool to secondary school education in Queensland. The Department ran the Queensland School for the Deaf from 1893 to 1957. In 1957, with the passing of the State Education Acts and…

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Policy and Development Department, State Government of Queensland

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Policy and Development Department was created on 4 September 1998. The Department amalgamated the Office of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Policy and the Community and Personal Histories Section from various Government Departments. The creation of this department reflected a shift in policy at this time away from a…

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Policy Department, State Government of Queensland

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Policy Department was created on 22 February 2001. It was previously known as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Policy and Development Department. The Department was responsible for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander policy, rights and culture. In 2006, the Department was abolished and its functions transferred to the Communities…

Community Services and Ethnic Affairs Department, State Government of Queensland

The Community Services and Ethnic Affairs Department was created on 14 December 1987. Previously known as the Community Services Department the main difference in the policy for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders was the change towards a supportive rather than a directive role with programmes and activities established to transfer administrative responsibilities to Aboriginal…

Office of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Policy, State Government of Queensland

The Office of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Policy was created on 22 February 1996. It was previously known as the Family Services and Aboriginal and Islander Affairs Division of the Families, Youth and Community Care Department. The aim of this office was to improve the physical, social and economic well-being of Aboriginal and Torres…

Aboriginal and Islanders Advancement Department, State Government of Queensland

The Aboriginal and Islanders Advancement Department was created on 16 January 1975. Previously known as the Aboriginal and Island Affairs Department the main difference was that people now had to apply for a ‘Certificate of Entitlement’ in order to come under the Act. The Department ran the Kowanyama Mission from 1975 to 1984. In 1984,…

Community Services Department, State Government of Queensland

The Community Services Department was established on 31 May 1984, when the Community Services (Aborigines) Act 1984 and the Community Services (Torres Strait) Act 1984 were passed. It was previously known as the Aboriginal and Islanders Advancement Department, with the new department the policy was changed to promote equal opportunity in the Queensland Community for…

Director Of Native Affairs Office, State Government of Queensland

The Director Of Native Affairs Office was responsible for the welfare of Queensland’s Aboriginal population who were deemed to be State Wards. Replacing the Chief Protector of Aboriginals Office, it was established in 1939 under the Aboriginals Preservation and Protection Act 1939. This Act represented a change in government policy from one of ‘protection and…