Department of Social Services (Australia)

Last updated

Department of Social Services
Department of Social Services (Australia) logo.png
Main entrance to FaHCSIA offices March 2013.jpg
The head office of the Department of Social Services, located in Greenway , Canberra
Department overview
Formed18 September 2013 (2013-09-18) [1]
Preceding department
Jurisdiction Australian Government
Employees2,305 (2017–18) [2]
Ministers responsible
Department executive
Child agencies
Website dss.gov.au

The Department of Social Services (DSS) is a department of the Australian Government responsible for national policies and programs related to social welfare and social security. Additionally, the department develops and implements social policy.

Contents

The head of the department is the Secretary of the Department of Social Services, currently Michael Lye, [4] who reports to the Minister for Social Services. As of May 2025, the ministers of the department are Tanya Plibersek, Minister for Social Services, and Katy Gallagher, Minister for Government Services. They are joined by one assistant minister, Ged Kearney, who is the Assistant Minister for Social Services and Assistant Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence. [5]

The head office of the department is located in the Australian Capital Territory suburb of Greenway.

History

The department was formed by way of an Administrative Arrangements Order issued on 18 September 2013 [6] and replaced the majority of the functions previously performed by the former Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA); with the exception of Office of Indigenous Policy Coordination, that was transferred to the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. [7] [8] [9]

On 13 May 2025, the National Disability Insurance Scheme and Foundational Supports were transferred from the department to the newly renamed Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, and housing, rental and homelessness policy were transferred from the department to the Treasury. [10]

Operational activities

In an Administrative Arrangements Order made on 13 May 2025, the functions of the department were broadly classified into the following matters: [11]

Secretary of the Department

The Secretary of the Department Social Services is the head of the department, also known as the secretary of the level of Senior Executive Service Band 4 in the Australian Public Service as per the Public Service Act 1999.

NamePostnominal(s)Term beganTerm endedTime in Appointment
Secretary
Finn Pratt [12] AO , PSM 18 September 201318 September 20185 years, 0 days
Major General Kathryn Campbell AO , CSC 18 September 201822 July 20212 years, 307 days
Vice Admiral Raymond Griggs AO , CSC , RAN 22 July 202110 December 20243 years, 141 days
Michael Lye11 December 2024Incumbent253 days

See also

References

  1. ↑ CA 9434: Department of Social Services [II], Central Office, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 9 February 2021
  2. ↑ Australian Public Service Commission (2018), Leading and shaping a unified, high performing APS, archived from the original on 5 October 2014
  3. ↑ "Our ministers". Department of Social Services (Australia). 13 May 2025. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  4. ↑ "Appointment of new Secretary of the Department of Social Services | Prime Minister of Australia". www.pm.gov.au. 5 December 2024. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
  5. ↑ "Ministers for the Department of Social Services". Department of Social Services (Australia). Retrieved 14 May 2025.
  6. ↑ "Administrative Arrangements Order" (PDF). Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet . Commonwealth of Australia. 18 September 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 September 2013. Retrieved 27 October 2013.
  7. ↑ Packham, Ben (18 September 2013). "Tony Abbott puts broom through bureaucracy". The Australian. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
  8. ↑ Abbott, Tony (18 September 2013). "The Coalition will restore strong, stable and accountable government". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (Press release). Canberra, Australia: Commonwealth of Australia. Archived from the original on 20 September 2013. Retrieved 20 September 2013.
  9. ↑ Wilson, Lauren (19 September 2013). "Coalition carves up the public service". The Australian. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
  10. ↑ "Administrative Arrangements Order - 13 May 2025". Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet. Retrieved 14 May 2025.
  11. ↑ "Administrative Arrangements Order - 13 May 2025" (PDF). Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (Australia) . 13 May 2025. Retrieved 14 May 2025. Creative Commons by small.svg  This article incorporates textfrom this source, which is available under the CC BY 4.0 license.
  12. ↑ "Finn Pratt AO PSM | Former Ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries".
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