Administrative Arrangements Order made on 5 December 2019 with effect from 1 February 2020

Administrative Arrangements Order (AAOs) formally allocate executive responsibility among ministers. They set out which matters and legislation are administered by which department or portfolio.

Summary of Changes

The new AAO reflects the following changes:

• Transfer employment and skills functions to the renamed Department of Education, Skills and Employment.
• Transfer agriculture functions to the renamed Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment.
• Transfer small business and energy functions to the renamed Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources.
• Transfer communications and arts functions to the renamed Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications.
• The Department known as Services Australia (formerly known as the Department of Human Services) will be established as a new Executive Agency, within the Social Services Portfolio.