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Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Australia)
Encyclopedia
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) is a department of the government of Australia charged with advancing the interests of Australia
and its citizens internationally. It manages the Government's foreign relations
and trade policies, and is responsible to the ministers for Foreign Affairs
and Trade
.
The department is headquartered in the Canberra
suburb of Barton
, near Parliament House
.
: the Department of Trade and Customs and the Department of External Affairs, headed by Harry Wollaston and Atlee Hunt respectively.
Until the Second World War, Australia's status as a dominion
of the British Empire
then realm
in the then British Commonwealth
meant its foreign relations
were mostly defined by the United Kingdom
. During this time, Australia's overseas activities were predominately related to trade and commercial interests, while its external affairs were concerned mostly with immigration, exploration and publicity. The department was abolished on 14 November 1916 and its responsibilities were undertaken by the Prime Minister's Department
and the Department of Home and Territories. It was re-established on 21 December 1921.
The political and economic changes wrought by the Great Depression
and Second World War, and the adoption of the Statute of Westminster
, necessitated the establishment and expansion of Australian representation overseas, independent of the British
Foreign Office
. Australia began to establish its first overseas missions
(outside of London
) in 1940, beginning with Washington, D.C.
, and now has a network of over 80 diplomatic (and 22 trade) posts.
The Department of External Affairs 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 Labor Government
to form the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
In 2005, DFAT became embroiled in the Oil-for-Food Programme
scandal after it was revealed it had approved the Australian Wheat Board
's (AWB) request allowing it to pay 'trucking charges' to Alia, a Jordan
ian 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.
The department is responsible to the Minister for Foreign Affairs
and Minister for Trade
, currently Kevin Rudd
and Craig Emerson
respectively. The Foreign Minister is also assisted by a parliamentary secretary
.
DFAT is administered by a senior executive, comprising a secretary and five deputy secretaries. The current secretary is Dennis Richardson
. Previous secretaries have included Richard Woolcott
(1988–1992) and Michael L'Estrange
(2005–2009). It has a staff of around 3,300 employees, of which 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. It is known but unspoken that "some" of the diplomats are secret agents for the Australian Secret Intelligence Service
(ASIS), which can be a useful cover to disguise travel whilst also providing diplomatic privileges such as diplomatic immunity
. ASIS reports directly to and is controlled by the Foreign Minister
.
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.
DFAT also manages several agencies within its portfolio, including:
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and its citizens internationally. It manages the Government's foreign relations
Foreign relations of Australia
The foreign relations of Australia have spanned from the country's time as Dominion and later Realm of the Commonwealth to become steadfastly allied with New Zealand through long-standing ANZAC ties dating back to the early 1900s, and the United States throughout the Cold War, to its engagement...
and trade policies, and is responsible to the ministers for Foreign Affairs
Minister for Foreign Affairs (Australia)
In the Government of Australia, the Minister for Foreign Affairs is responsible for overseeing the international diplomacy section of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. In common with international practice, the office is often informally referred to as Foreign Minister...
and Trade
Minister for Trade (Australia)
The Australian Minister for Trade has been Dr. Craig Emerson since 14 September 2010.-Portfolio:Currently the Minister for Trade administers the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade jointly with the Minister for Foreign Affairs, although prior to 1987 there was a separate Department of Trade...
.
The department is headquartered in the Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
suburb of Barton
Barton, Australian Capital Territory
Barton is a suburb of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia. Barton is named after Sir Edmund Barton, Australia's first Prime Minister. Streets in Barton are named after Governors....
, near Parliament House
Parliament House, Canberra
Parliament House is the meeting facility of the Parliament of Australia located in Canberra, the capital of Australia. The building was designed by Mitchell/Giurgola Architects and opened on 1988 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia...
.
History
The department finds its origins in two of the seven original Commonwealth Departments established following FederationFederation of Australia
The Federation of Australia was the process by which the six separate British self-governing colonies of New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia formed one nation...
: the Department of Trade and Customs and the Department of External Affairs, headed by Harry Wollaston and Atlee Hunt respectively.
Until the Second World War, Australia's status as a dominion
Dominion
A dominion, often Dominion, refers to one of a group of autonomous polities that were nominally under British sovereignty, constituting the British Empire and British Commonwealth, beginning in the latter part of the 19th century. They have included Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Newfoundland,...
of the British Empire
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
then realm
Commonwealth Realm
A Commonwealth realm is a sovereign state within the Commonwealth of Nations that has Elizabeth II as its monarch and head of state. The sixteen current realms have a combined land area of 18.8 million km² , and a population of 134 million, of which all, except about two million, live in the six...
in the then British Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
meant its foreign relations
Foreign relations of Australia
The foreign relations of Australia have spanned from the country's time as Dominion and later Realm of the Commonwealth to become steadfastly allied with New Zealand through long-standing ANZAC ties dating back to the early 1900s, and the United States throughout the Cold War, to its engagement...
were mostly defined by the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. During this time, Australia's overseas activities were predominately related to trade and commercial interests, while its external affairs were concerned mostly with immigration, exploration and publicity. The department was abolished on 14 November 1916 and its responsibilities were undertaken by the Prime Minister's Department
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (Australia)
The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet is an Australian Government department. The Department was first established in 1911...
and the Department of Home and Territories. It was re-established on 21 December 1921.
The political and economic changes wrought by the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
and Second World War, and the adoption of the Statute of Westminster
Statute of Westminster 1931
The Statute of Westminster 1931 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Passed on 11 December 1931, the Act established legislative equality for the self-governing dominions of the British Empire with the United Kingdom...
, necessitated the establishment and expansion of Australian representation overseas, independent of the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Foreign Office
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, commonly called the Foreign Office or the FCO is a British government department responsible for promoting the interests of the United Kingdom overseas, created in 1968 by merging the Foreign Office and the Commonwealth Office.The head of the FCO is the...
. Australia began to establish its first overseas missions
Australian diplomatic missions
This is a list of diplomatic missions of Australia, excluding honorary consulates. Australian diplomatic missions are posts representing the Commonwealth of Australia in foreign countries. They are mostly maintained of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, with some smaller posts being run...
(outside of London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
) in 1940, beginning with Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, and now has a network of over 80 diplomatic (and 22 trade) posts.
The Department of External Affairs 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 Labor Government
Bob Hawke
Robert James Lee "Bob" Hawke AC GCL was the 23rd Prime Minister of Australia from March 1983 to December 1991 and therefore longest serving Australian Labor Party Prime Minister....
to form the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
In 2005, DFAT became embroiled in the Oil-for-Food Programme
Oil-for-Food Programme
The Oil-for-Food Programme , established by the United Nations in 1995 was established with the stated intent to allow Iraq to sell oil on the world market in exchange for food, medicine, and other humanitarian needs for ordinary Iraqi citizens without allowing Iraq to boost its military...
scandal after it was revealed it had approved the Australian Wheat Board
AWB Limited
AWB Limited is a major grain marketing organisation based in Australia. It was a government body known as the Australian Wheat Board until 1 July 1999, when the AWB was transformed into a private company, owned by wheat growers...
's (AWB) request allowing it to pay 'trucking charges' to Alia, a Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
ian trucking company with no actual involvement in the trucking of Australian wheat within Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
. The Cole Inquiry
Cole Inquiry
The Cole Inquiry, formally the Inquiry into certain Australian companies in relation to the UN Oil-For-Food Programme was a Royal Commission set up by the Government of Australia in November 2005...
into the AWB was established, however its terms of reference excluded any investigation of the role of DFAT.
Objectives
The department has six key goals, as stated on its website:- enhance Australia's security
- contribute to growth in Australia's economy, employment and standard of living
- assist Australian travellers and Australians overseas
- strengthen global cooperation in ways that advance Australia's interests
- foster public understanding of Australia's foreign and trade policy and project a positive image of Australia internationally
- manage efficiently the Commonwealth's overseas owned estate.
Structure
Minister for Foreign Affairs (Australia)
In the Government of Australia, the Minister for Foreign Affairs is responsible for overseeing the international diplomacy section of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. In common with international practice, the office is often informally referred to as Foreign Minister...
and Minister for Trade
Minister for Trade (Australia)
The Australian Minister for Trade has been Dr. Craig Emerson since 14 September 2010.-Portfolio:Currently the Minister for Trade administers the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade jointly with the Minister for Foreign Affairs, although prior to 1987 there was a separate Department of Trade...
, currently Kevin Rudd
Kevin Rudd
Kevin Michael Rudd is an Australian politician who was the 26th Prime Minister of Australia from 2007 to 2010. He has been Minister for Foreign Affairs since 2010...
and Craig Emerson
Craig Emerson
Craig Anthony Emerson , Australian politician, has represented the House of Representatives seat of Rankin in Queensland for the Australian Labor Party since the 1998 federal election...
respectively. The Foreign Minister is also assisted by a parliamentary secretary
Parliamentary Secretary
A Parliamentary Secretary is a member of a Parliament in the Westminster system who assists a more senior minister with his or her duties.In the parliamentary systems of several Commonwealth countries, such as the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia, it is customary for the prime minister to...
.
DFAT is administered by a senior executive, comprising a secretary and five deputy secretaries. The current secretary is Dennis Richardson
Dennis Richardson (diplomat)
Dennis James Richardson AO is an Australian public servant. He is the current Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade...
. Previous secretaries have included Richard Woolcott
Richard Woolcott
Richard Arthur Woolcott, AC is a retired Australian diplomat, author and commentator.Woolcott was educated at Geelong Grammar School and the University of Melbourne, and became a member of the Australian Diplomatic Service. He held positions as Australia's ambassador to Indonesia and The...
(1988–1992) and Michael L'Estrange
Michael L'Estrange
Michael Gerard L'Estrange AO is an Australian public servant, and worked as the secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade form 2005 to 2009....
(2005–2009). It has a staff of around 3,300 employees, of which 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. It is known but unspoken that "some" of the diplomats are secret agents for the Australian Secret Intelligence Service
Australian Secret Intelligence Service
The Australian Secret Intelligence Service is the Australian government intelligence agency responsible for collecting foreign intelligence, undertaking counter-intelligence activities and cooperation with other intelligence agencies overseas...
(ASIS), which can be a useful cover to disguise travel whilst also providing diplomatic privileges such as diplomatic immunity
Diplomatic immunity
Diplomatic immunity is a form of legal immunity and a policy held between governments that ensures that diplomats are given safe passage and are considered not susceptible to lawsuit or prosecution under the host country's laws...
. ASIS reports directly to and is controlled by the Foreign Minister
Minister for Foreign Affairs (Australia)
In the Government of Australia, the Minister for Foreign Affairs is responsible for overseeing the international diplomacy section of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. In common with international practice, the office is often informally referred to as Foreign Minister...
.
The department maintains offices in each state and mainland territory
States and territories of Australia
The Commonwealth of Australia is a union of six states and various territories. The Australian mainland is made up of five states and three territories, with the sixth state of Tasmania being made up of islands. In addition there are six island territories, known as external territories, and a...
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
Australian diplomatic missions
This is a list of diplomatic missions of Australia, excluding honorary consulates. Australian diplomatic missions are posts representing the Commonwealth of Australia in foreign countries. They are mostly maintained of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, with some smaller posts being run...
, including Australian embassies, high commissions, consulates-general and consulates.
DFAT also manages several agencies within its portfolio, including:
- the Australian Passport Office;
- AusAID;
- Austrade;
- the Export Finance and Insurance CorporationExport Finance and Insurance CorporationThe Export Finance and Insurance Corporation is Australia’s export credit agency and has carried out its role within various statutory frameworks since 1957...
; - the Australian Secret Intelligence ServiceAustralian Secret Intelligence ServiceThe Australian Secret Intelligence Service is the Australian government intelligence agency responsible for collecting foreign intelligence, undertaking counter-intelligence activities and cooperation with other intelligence agencies overseas...
; - the Australian Safeguards and Non-Proliferation Office;
- and, the Australian Centre for International Agricultural ResearchAustralian Centre for International Agricultural ResearchThe Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research is an Australian Government Statutory Authority that operates within the portfolio of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade...
External links
- Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Website
- National Indigenous Times article on Trent Smith who was dismissed by DFAT then re-employed after lengthy legal proceedings
- A site on public sector accountability in Australia with documentation obtained under Freedom of Information on several issues relating to the Code of Conduct in DFAT