The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) is the department of the Australian federal government responsible for foreign policy and relations, international aid (using the branding Australian Aid), consular services and trade and investment (including trade and investment promotion Austrade). Australia's total official development assistance (ODA) (USD 3 billion) decreased in 2022 due to differences in Australia's financial year reporting and the timing of its COVID-19-related expenditure, representing 0.19% of gross national income (GNI).[6]
Until the Second World War, Australia's status as a dominion of the British Empire in the then British Commonwealth meant its foreign relations were mostly defined by the United Kingdom. During this time, Australia's overseas activities were predominantly related to trade and commercial interests, while its external affairs were concerned mostly with immigration, exploration and publicity.[7] The political and economic changes wrought by the Great Depression and Second World War, and the adoption of the 1931 Statute of Westminster (ratified by Australia in 1942), necessitated the establishment and expansion of Australian representation overseas, independent of the United KingdomForeign Office. Australia began to establish its first overseas missions (outside London) in 1940, beginning with Washington, D.C., and now has a network of over 80 diplomatic (and 22 trade) posts.[7]
The DEA was renamed the Department of Foreign Affairs in 1970. On 24 July 1987, the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Trade were amalgamated by the Hawke government to form the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).[citation needed]
In 1994, the Australian Overseas Information Service (AOIS, formerly Australian Information Service) became a branch in DFAT known as the International Public Affairs Branch.[10] In 1996 the branch was dissolved.[11]
In 2005, DFAT became embroiled in the Oil-for-Food Programmescandal after it was revealed it had approved the Australian Wheat Board's (AWB) request allowing it to pay 'trucking charges' to Alia, a Jordanian trucking company with no actual involvement in the trucking of Australian wheat within Iraq. The Cole Inquiry into the AWB was established, however its terms of reference excluded any investigation of the role of DFAT.
Portfolio responsibilitiesedit
The functions of the department are broadly classified into the following matters as laid out in an Administrative Arrangements Order issued on 18 September 2013:[12][needs update]
External Affairs, including:
relations and communications with overseas governments and United Nations agencies
treaties, including trade agreements
bilateral, regional and multilateral trade policy
international trade and commodity negotiations
market development, including market access
trade and international business development
investment promotion
international development co-operation
diplomatic and consular missions
international security issues, including disarmament, arms control and nuclear non-proliferation
public diplomacy, including information and cultural programs
International expositions
Provision to Australian citizens of secure travel identification
Provision of consular services to Australian citizens abroad
Overseas property management, including acquisition, ownership and disposal of real property
DFAT is administered by a senior executive, comprising a secretary and five deputy secretaries. On the recommendation of the Prime Minister, the Governor-General has appointed the following individuals as Secretary to the department:
The department has around 3,300 employees, of whom 1,300 are foreign staff employed by missions directly, and 1,500 are Australian employees based in Australia, and some 500 are diplomats serving overseas.
Departmental structureedit
Office of the Secretary
Internal Audit Branch
Strategic Policy, Contestability and Futures Branch
Executive Branch
Global Cooperation, Development and Partnerships Group
Multilateral Policy Division
Development Policy Division
Multilateral Development and Finance Division
Public Diplomacy, Communications & Scholarships Division
Centre for Health Security
Office of Development Effectiveness
Innovation Xchange
Office of the Ambassador for the Environment
International Security, Humanitarian and Consular Group
The department maintains offices in each state and mainland territory to provide consular and passport services, and to perform an important liaison service for business throughout Australia. In addition, it has a Torres Strait Treaty Liaison Office on Thursday Island. Additionally, the department manages a network of over 90 overseas posts, including Australian embassies, high commissions, consulates-general and consulates.
Portfolio agenciesedit
DFAT also manages several agencies within its portfolio, including:
^ abc"History of the Department". Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Retrieved 8 August 2007.
^"Our History". Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
^Parliamentary Handbook of the Commonwealth of Australia, 20th ed, 1978, pp. 289-290
^"Fact Sheet Forty Seven: Australian Overseas Information Service photographs". National Archives of Australia. 2000. Archived from the original on 12 February 2006. Retrieved 12 May 2006.
^"Australian News and Information Bureau". The Dictionary of Sydney. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
^"Ministry List as at 1 June 2022" (PDF). Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
^Harris was Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs beginning on 3 September 1984 until it was renamed the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in July 1987.
^"Mr Peter N Varghese AO - Biographical details". Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Commonwealth of Australia. 3 December 2012. Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 28 October 2013.
^Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (2016), Biography of Ms Frances Adamson, Australian Government, archived from the original on 17 August 2016
^Doran, Matthew (20 July 2016). "Frances Adamson appointed as DFAT's first female secretary". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 5 August 2016.
^Mannheim, Markus (20 July 2016). "Frances Adamson becomes Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's first female secretary". The Canberra Times. Fairfax Media. Archived from the original on 17 August 2016.
^Turnbull, Malcolm (20 July 2016). "Ms Frances Adamson appointed Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade" (Press release). Australian Government. Archived from the original on 21 April 2017. Retrieved 18 August 2016.