Department of Repatriation and Compensation

The Department of Repatriation and Compensation was an Australian government department that existed between June 1974 and December 1975.

Department of Repatriation and Compensation

Department overview
Formed	12 June 1974[1]
Preceding Department	Repatriation Department (I)
Dissolved	22 December 1975[1]
Superseding Department	Department of Repatriation
Jurisdiction	Commonwealth of Australia
Ministers responsible	John Wheeldon, Minister (1974–1975) Don Chipp, Minister (1975)
Department executive	Richard Kingsland, Secretary

History

The department was created by the Whitlam government in 1974, expanding on the narrower Repatriation Department, with the intention that the new department would perform a wider total function of compensation to deserving groups in the community.^[2][3] The new compensation function included Commonwealth employees compensation, seamen's compensation, natural disasters, air accidents, the Housing Loans Insurance Corporation and Defence Service Homes Loans Insurance and the proposed Australian Government Insurance Office.^[2]

Scope

Information about the department's functions and government funding allocation could be found in the Administrative Arrangements Orders, the annual Portfolio Budget Statements and in the Department's annual report.

The functions of the Department at its creation were:^[1]

• Repatriation and other benefits for members of the Defence Force and their dependants
• National compensation
• Natural disaster compensation
• Government insurance

Structure

The Department was a Commonwealth Public Service department, staffed by officials who were responsible to the Minister for Repatriation and Compensation.^[1]