Administrative Arrangements Orders (AAOs) specify firstly, the subject matters, and secondly, the legislation dealt with by particular government departments. From 1906 to 2010 AAOs were published in the Commonwealth Gazette (either the regular Government Notices Gazette or a Special Gazette). They are often re-issued, especially when a new government comes to power, and may also be amended from time to time as the structure of government departments change. For further background see Administrative Arrangements Order : Third Report of the Joint Committee of Public Accounts (Commonwealth Parliamentary Papers, 1951-53, vol. 2, pp. 507-530).
The list below, of all Administrative Arrangements Orders since the first one was gazetted in 1906, shows the date on which the Governor-General signed the Order, the date of the gazette in which it was published, and the gazette number and page numbers, as well as whether the Order was a new consolidation.
The Commonwealth Gazette is available online on the Federal Register of Legislation.
From 30 June 2013, print publication of the Government Notices, Special and Periodic Gazettes ceased. From 1 July 2013, Gazette Notices are available online immediately on publication through the Federal Register of Legislation (the Legislation Register). The list below will reflect theses changes by referencing the unique Register ID number of the AAO and the date it was registered.
The National Archives of Australia has also compiled a listing of AAOs from 1901 to February 2020.
Date of AAO |
Date of Gazette/Registration |
Gazette Number / Federal Register of Legislation ID Number |
New Consolidation? |
11 December 1906 |
15 December 1906 |
71, pp. 1536 7 |
|
4 April 1912 |
13 April 1912 |
26, pp. 475 8 |
Yes |
20 December 1916 |
21 December 1916 |
188, pp. 3451 3 |
Yes |
17 July 1918 |
18 July 1918 |
105, pp. 1519 21 |
Yes |
14 March 1923 |
15 March 1923 |
19, pp. 360 2 |
Yes |
24 June 1925 |
2 July 1925 |
53, pp. 1040 3 |
Yes |
13 August 1925 |
20 August 1925 |
64, p. 1257 |
|
3 November 1925 |
5 November 1925 |
94, p. 1687 |
|
11 December 1928 |
15 December 1928 |
139, pp. 3503 6 |
Yes |
21 April 1930 |
1 May 1930 |
33, p. 862 |
|
27 August 1930 |
4 September 1930 |
78, p. 1795 |
|
13 April 1932 |
14 April 1932 |
35, pp. 545 8 |
Yes |
11 April 1934 |
12 April 1934 |
22, p. 591 |
|
13 August 1936 |
14 August 1936 |
67, pp. 1503 8 |
Yes |
4 April 1939 |
6 April 1939 |
18, pp. 593 8 |
Yes |
12 July 1939 |
13 July 1939 |
46, p. 1265 |
|
29 November 1939 |
30 November 1939 |
153, pp. 2633 9 |
Yes |
20 November 1940 |
28 November 1940 |
238, p. 2532 |
|
22 April 1941 |
22 May 1941 |
100, p. 1093 |
|
23 March 1943 |
25 March 1943 |
66, p. 718 |
|
9 March 1944 |
11 March 1944 |
50, p. 643 |
|
25 July 1945 |
26 July 1945 |
145, p. 1637 |
|
27 August 1945 |
4 September 1945 |
170, p. 1920 |
|
12 September 1945 |
13 September 1945 |
176, p. 1980 |
|
12 December 1946 |
19 December 1946 |
239, p. 3527 |
|
12 March 1947 |
14 March 1947 |
52, pp. 889 99 |
Yes |
1 April 1947 |
8 April 1947 |
68, pp. 1087 97 |
Yes |
16 April 1947 |
17 April 1947 |
72, p. 1143 |
|
15 October 1947 |
23 October 1947 |
202, p. 3044 |
|
7 May 1948 |
13 May 1948 |
76, pp. 2153 4* |
|
11 May 1949 |
19 May 1949 |
34, p. 1247 |
|
29 June 1949 |
30 June 1949 |
48, p. 1897 |
|
13 July 1949 |
21 July 1949 |
54, p. 2041** |
|
21 July 1949 |
28 July 1949 |
55, p. 2105 |
|
4 August 1949 |
11 August 1949 |
58, p. 2219 |
|
11 January 1950 |
12 January 1950 |
3, p. 105 |
|
9 March 1950 |
17 March 1950 |
15, p. 666 |
|
? March 1950 |
17 March 1950 |
15, pp. 666 7 |
|
24 August 1950 |
31 August 1950 |
51, p. 2167 |
|
16 November 1950 |
23 November 1950 |
71, pp. 3015 26 |
Yes |
4 January 1951 |
5 January 1951 |
2, p. 49 |
|
21 June 1951 |
2 July 1951 |
46, pp. 1653 65 |
Yes |
23 November 1954 |
25 November 1954 |
73, p. 3537 |
|
22 April 1956 |
27 April 1956 |
20, p. 1199 |
|
30 August 1956 |
6 September 1956 |
51, p. 2703 |
|
23 April 1951 |
24 April 1958 |
25, pp. 1331 8 |
Yes |
13 June 1952 |
19 June 1952 |
43, p. 2833 |
|
11 January 1956 |
12 January 1956 |
3, pp. 173 4 |
|
30 April 1959 |
7 May 1959 |
28, pp. 1633 40 |
Yes |
17 March 1961 |
23 March 1961 |
28, pp. 1265 72 |
Yes |
14 February 1962 |
16 February 1962 |
10, pp. 627 35 |
Yes |
17 December 1963 |
18 December 1963 |
106A, p. 4577A |
|
17 December 1963 |
20 December 1963 |
108, p. 4668 |
|
16 January 1964 |
17 January 1964 |
7, pp. 333 41 |
Yes |
19 March 1964 |
23 March 1964 |
27, pp. 1153 61 |
Yes |
4 May 1964 |
14 May 1964 |
45, p. 1767 |
|
2 July 1964 |
16 July 1964 |
61, p. 2811 |
|
8 January 1965 |
21 January 1965 |
8, pp. 461 8 |
Yes |
4 November 1965 |
5 November 1965 |
87, pp. 4833 40 |
Yes |
13 December 1966 |
13 December 1966 |
103A, pp. 6217A |
|
9 March 1967 |
10 March 1967 |
22, pp. 1357 66 |
Yes |
28 February 1968 |
28 February 1968 |
18A, pp. 1116A B |
|
11 March 1968 |
12 March 1968 |
22A, pp. 1532A B |
|
16 May 1968 |
16 May 1968 |
45, pp. 2791 2800 |
Yes |
7 June 1968 |
20 June 1968 |
55, p. 3370 |
|
11 October 1968 |
31 October 1968 |
90, p. 6168 |
|
19 December 1968 |
23 December 1968 |
109, p. 7571 |
|
16 April 1970 |
17 April 1970 |
30, pp. 2535 46 |
Yes |
6 November 1970 |
6 November 1970 |
98, p. 7507 |
|
18 January 1971 |
18 January 1971 |
4, pp. 439 50 |
Yes |
12 March 1971 |
15 March 1971 |
28, pp. 1874 6 |
|
31 May 1971 |
31 May 1971 |
56A, pp. 3303A B |
|
1 February 1972 |
17 February 1972 |
14, p. 1 |
|
6 March 1972 |
6 March 1972 |
17, pp. 1 13 |
Yes |
17 July 1972 |
18 July 1972 |
62A, p. 1 |
|
14 July 1972 |
21 July 1972 |
65, p. 1 |
|
20 October 1972 |
25 October 1972 |
99A, pp. 1 2 |
|
9 November 1972 |
10 November 1972 |
111, p. 1 |
|
9 November 1972 |
14 November 1972 |
112A, p. 1 |
|
19 December 1972 |
20 December 1972 |
131, pp. 1 14 |
Yes |
20 December 1972 |
21 December 1972 |
135, p. 2 |
|
5 March 1973 |
5 March 1973 |
28, pp. 1 2 |
|
5 March 1973 |
9 March 1973 |
30, pp. 1 2 |
|
9 October 1973 |
8 November 1973 |
171, p. 2 |
|
30 November 1973 |
30 November 1973 |
183, pp. 1 8 |
|
4 December 1973 |
5 December 1973 |
184C, p. 1 |
|
12 June 1974 |
12 June 1974 |
48B, pp. 3 7 |
|
1 October 1974 |
2 October 1974 |
80B, pp. 1 18 |
Yes |
11 December 1974 |
11 December 1974 |
100D, p. 1 |
|
8 February 1975 |
10 February 1975 |
S21, pp. 1 18 |
Yes |
28 February 1975 |
28 February 1975 |
S39, p. 1 |
|
4 March 1975 |
4 March 1975 |
S42, p. 1 |
|
27 March 1975 |
27 March 1975 |
S59, pp. 2 3 |
|
21 April 1975 |
21 April 1975 |
S70, p. 2 |
|
6 June 1975 |
6 June 1975 |
S104, pp. 3 4 |
|
1 July 1975 |
1 July 1975 |
S128, pp. 2 20 |
Yes |
26 September 1975 |
29 September 1975 |
S192, p. 1 |
|
7 October 1975 |
7 October 1975 |
S200, pp. 1 3 |
|
14 October 1975 |
14 October 1975 |
S208, p. 1 |
|
30 October 1975 |
30 October 1975 |
S220, p. 1 |
|
14 November 1975 |
14 November 1975 |
S233, p. 1 |
|
22 December 1975 |
22 December 1975 |
S262, pp. 3 20 |
Yes |
23 June 1976 |
23 June 1976 |
S106, p. 1 |
|
5 October 1976 |
5 October 1976 |
S175, pp. 1 17 |
Yes |
8 November 1976 |
8 November 1976 |
S199, pp. 1 2 |
|
7 December 1976 |
7 December 1976 |
S223, pp. 2 7 |
|
16 December 1976 |
16 December 1976 |
S231, p. 1 |
|
17 July 1977 |
17 July 1977 |
S144, pp. 1 2 |
|
5 September 1977 |
8 September 1977 |
S188, pp. 1 20 |
Yes |
20 December 1977 |
20 December 1977 |
S291, pp. 1 19 |
Yes |
23 February 1978 |
23 February 1978 |
S36, pp. 1 2 |
|
1 June 1978 |
1 June 1978 |
S94, p. 1 |
|
4 July 1978 |
4 July 1978 |
S125, p. 1 |
|
28 September 1978 |
28 September 1978 |
S190, pp. 1 20 |
Yes |
5 December 1978 |
5 December 1978 |
S269, pp. 1 2 |
|
21 February 1979 |
26 February 1979 |
S37, pp. 1 19 |
Yes |
11 September 1979 |
12 September 1979 |
S181, pp. 1 19 |
Yes |
7 November 1979 |
7 November 1979 |
S229, p. 1 |
|
8 December 1979 |
8 December 1979 |
S259, p. 1 |
|
3 September 1980 |
5 September 1980 |
S199, pp. 1 18 |
Yes |
3 November 1980 |
3 November 1980 |
S250, pp. 1 18 |
Yes |
21 December 1981 |
23 December 1981 |
S268, pp. 1 18 |
Yes |
7 May 1982 |
7 May 1982 |
S91, pp. 1 18 |
Yes |
11 March 1983 |
11 March 1983 |
S46, pp. 1 18 |
Yes |
11 March 1983 |
18 March 1983 |
S51, p. 1 |
|
1 July 1983 |
1 July 1983 |
S134, pp. 1 18 |
Yes |
1 March 1984 |
1 March 1984 |
S83, pp. 1 19 |
Yes |
27 June 1984 |
2 July 1984 |
S255, pp. 1 19 |
Yes |
13 December 1984 |
13 December 1984 |
S521, pp. 1 19 |
Yes |
30 July 1985 |
1 August 1985 |
S302, pp. 1 19 |
Yes |
12 December 1985 |
12 December 1985 |
S523, p. 1 |
|
30 January 1986 |
31 January 1986 |
S30, pp. 1 20 |
Yes |
22 May 1986 |
30 May 1986 |
S247, p. 1 |
|
30 January 1987 |
3 February 1987 |
S16, pp. 1 19 |
Yes |
24 July 1987 |
24 July 1987 |
S183, pp. 1 19 |
Yes |
13 September 1987 |
22 September 1987 |
S242, p. 1 |
|
3 March 1988 |
4 March 1988 |
S64, pp. 1 19 |
Yes |
6 February 1989 |
15 February 1989 |
GN6, p. 394 |
|
13 March 1989 |
13 March 1989 |
S87, pp. 1 20 |
Yes |
28 June 1989 |
12 July 1989 |
GN26, p. 1577 |
|
31 July 1989 |
16 August 1989 |
GN31, p. 1976 |
|
19 February 1990 |
28 February 1990 |
GN8, p. 455 |
|
27 June 1990 |
3 July 1990 |
S182, pp. 1 21 |
Yes |
7 June 1991 |
20 June 1991 |
S158, p. 1 |
|
29 October 1991 |
6 November 1991 |
GN43, p. 3535 |
|
27 December 1991 |
27 December 1991 |
S370, p. 1 |
|
31 January 1992 |
5 February 1992 |
S37, pp. 1 30 |
Yes |
30 June 1992 |
8 July 1992 |
GN27, p. 1834 |
|
24 March 1993 |
24 March 1993 |
S91, pp. 1 25 |
Yes |
1 April 1993 |
14 April 1993 |
GN14, pp. 994 5 |
|
28 June 1993 |
7 July 1993 |
GN26, p. 1977 |
|
19 August 1993 |
1 September 1993 |
GN34, p. 2487 |
|
15 December 1993 |
12 January 1994 |
GN1, p. 136 |
|
23 December 1993 |
12 January 1994 |
GN1, pp. 137 40 |
|
24 December 1993 |
12 January 1994 |
GN1, p. 141 |
|
30 January 1994 |
9 February 1994 |
GN5, pp. 440 2 |
|
25 March 1994 |
6 April 1994 |
GN13, pp. 983 6 |
|
1 June 1994 |
6 June 1994 |
S199, pp. 1 26 |
Yes |
29 November 1995 |
13 December 1995 |
GN49, p. 4583 |
|
11 March 1996 |
11 March 1996 |
S93, pp. 1 27 |
Yes |
23 April 1996 |
8 May 1996 |
GN18, pp. 1379 84 |
|
18 July 1997 |
30 July 1997 |
GN30, pp. 2179 80 |
|
9 October 1997 |
15 October 1997 |
GN41, pp. 3000 8 |
|
18 February 1998 |
25 February 1998 |
GN8, pp. 613 4 |
|
18 June 1998 |
24 June 1998 |
GN25, pp. 1985 2019 |
Yes |
21 October 1998 |
22 October 1998 |
S514, pp. 1 38 [As amended to 7 Feb 2001] |
Yes |
17 December 1998 |
6 January 1999 |
GN1, pp. 74 8 |
|
30 April 1999 |
5 May 1999 |
GN18, pp. 1226 7 |
|
30 January 2001 |
7 February 2001 |
GN5, pp. 389 91 |
|
13 September 2001 |
14 September 2001 |
S370, pp. 1 42 |
Yes |
26 November 2001 |
27 November 2001 |
S468, pp. 1 40
|
Yes |
20 December 2001 |
16 January 2002 |
GN2, pp. 204 7 |
|
8 August 2002 |
14 August 2002 |
GN32 , pp. 2210-2212 |
|
9 October 2003 |
15 October 2003 |
GN41 , pp. 3111-3115 |
|
18 December 2003 |
22 December 2003 |
S492 |
Yes |
24 June 2004 |
25 June 2004 |
S230 |
|
21 July 2004 |
22 July 2004 |
S296 |
|
26 October 2004 |
27 October 2004 |
S427 |
Yes |
16 December 2004 |
17 December 2004 |
S518 |
Yes |
21 July 2005 |
21 July 2005 |
S139 |
|
27 January 2006 |
27 January 2006 |
S16 |
|
21 September 2006 |
21 September 2006 |
S178 |
Yes |
30 January 2007 |
30 January 2007 |
S17 |
|
3 December 2007 |
3 December 2007 |
S251 |
Yes |
25 January 2008 |
25 January 2008 |
S21 |
Yes |
1 May 2008 |
1 May 2008 |
S93; S96* |
|
8 March 2010 |
10 March 2010 |
S27 |
|
6 May 2010 |
12 May 2010 |
GN18, p. 956*** |
Yes |
29 June 2010 |
7 July 2010 |
GN 26, pp. 1475-1477 |
|
14 September 2010 |
15 September 2010 |
S159*** |
Yes [C2010Q00191] |
14 October 2010 |
20 October 2010 |
GN41, p. 2372*** |
Yes [C2010Q00232] |
19 October 2011 |
25 October 2011 |
S166 |
|
7 December 2011 |
15 December 2011 |
S193 |
|
14 December 2011 |
16 December 2011 |
S195*** |
Yes [C2011Q00073] |
9 February 2012 |
10 February 2012 |
S16*** |
Yes [C2012Q00019] |
25 March 2013 |
27 March 2013 |
S39 (Amends AAO made 9 Feb 2012) |
|
16 May 2013 |
17 May 2013 |
S56*** |
Yes [C2013Q00004] |
18 September 2013 |
19 September 2013 |
C2013Q00006 |
Yes |
18 September 2013 |
19 September 2013 |
C2013G01404**** |
|
3 October 2013 |
3 October 2013 |
C2013G01473 (Amends AAO made 18 Sep 2013) |
|
3 October 2013 |
10 October 2013 |
C2013Q00007 |
Yes |
12 December 2013 |
14 December 2013 |
C2014Q00003 |
Yes |
23 December 2014 |
7 January 2015 |
C2015Q00002 |
Yes |
9 July 2015 |
15 July 2015 |
C2015Q00005 |
Yes |
21 September 2015 |
1 October 2015 |
C2015Q00006 (Amends AAO made 9 July 2015) |
Yes |
30 September 2015 |
17 May 2016 |
C2016Q00008 |
Yes |
18 February 2016 |
18 May 2016 |
C2016Q00010 (Amends AAO made 30 Sep 2015) |
Yes |
19 July 2016 |
20 July 2016 |
C2016Q00063 (Amends AAO made 30 Sep 2015) |
Yes |
1 September 2016 |
13 September 2016 |
C2016Q00067 |
Yes |
27 October 2016 |
8 November 2016 |
C2016Q00069 (Amends AAO made 1 Sep 2016) |
Yes |
13 April 2017 |
26 April 2017 |
C2017Q00008 (Amends AAO made 1 Sep 2016) |
Yes |
30 November 2017 |
5 January 2018 |
C2018Q00001 (Amends AAO made 1 Sep 2016) |
Yes |
20 December 2017 |
5 January 2018 |
C2018Q00002 (Amends AAO made 1 Sep 2016) |
Yes |
19 April 2018 |
1 May 2018 |
C2018Q00015 |
Yes |
10 May 2018 |
11 May 2018 |
C2018Q00017 (Amends AAO made 19 Apr 2018) |
Yes |
28 August 2018 |
3 September 2018 |
C2018Q00021 (Amends AAO made 19 Apr 2018) |
Yes |
4 April 2019 |
8 April 2019 |
C2019Q00002 |
Yes |
29 May 2019 |
30 May 2019 |
C2019Q00005 |
Yes |
8 August 2019 |
9 August 2019 |
C2019Q00006 (Amends AAO made 29 May 2019) |
Yes |
1 September 2019 |
2 September 2019 |
C2019Q00007 (Amends AAO made 29 May 2019) |
Yes |
5 December 2019 |
30 January 2020 |
C2020Q00001 (Commences 1 Feb 2020) |
Yes |
5 March 2020 |
12 March 2020 |
C2020Q00002 (Amends AAO made 5 Dec 2020) |
Yes |
2 April 2020 |
14 April 2020 |
C2020Q00003 (Amends AAO made 5 Dec 2020) |
Yes |
18 March 2021 |
23 March 2021 |
C2021Q00007(Commences 18 March 2021) |
Yes |
15 April 2021 |
20 April 2021 |
C2021Q00010 (Amends AAO made 18 Mar 2021) |
Yes |
10 June 2021 |
7 July 2021 |
C2021Q00012 (Amends AAO made 18 Mar 2021) |
No |
28 June 2021 |
7 July 2021 |
C2021Q00013 (Amends AAO made 18 Mar 2021) |
No |
2 July 2021 |
7 July 20201 |
C2021Q00014 (Amends AAO made 18 Mar 2021) |
No |
1 June 2022 |
2 June 2022 |
C2022Q00006 (Commences 1 July 2022) |
Yes |
23 June 2022 |
6 July 2022 |
C2022Q00007 (Commences 1 July 2022) |
Yes |
13 October 2022 |
14 October 2022 |
C2022Q00008 (Commences 14 October 2022) |
Yes |
8 June 2023 |
8 June 2023 |
C2023G00849 (Prime Minister and Cabinet website***) |
No |
3 August 2023 |
16 August 2023 |
C2023G00950 (Prime Minister and Cabinet website***) |
No |
29 July 2024 |
30 July 2024 |
C2024G00453 (Prime Minister and Cabinet website ***) |
No |
* Two separate orders were made and gazetted on these days.
** Three separate orders were made and gazetted on these days.
*** Notification only published in the Gazette. Current issue published on the Prime Minister & Cabinet website.
****Abolition, Establishment and Renaming of Departments of State.