Australia Yearbook - 2001

Chapter 3—International relations 113
1946-47 Trade Commissions established at Paris, Bombay, London, Ottawa, Washington, Vancouver,
Santiago, Johannesburg, Canton, San Francisco and Hong Kong.
Jan 1950
Australia expands its aid projects overseas under the Colombo Plan.
1951 By May 1951, the Department of External Affairs has 7 Embassies, 7 High Commissions,
5 Legations, 4 Consulates-General, one Commission, 2 Consulates, and 4 Missions. There are
80 diplomatic staff overseas and 62 in Canberra. In addition there are 35 non-diplomatic staff
overseas (plus 298 locally engaged staff) and 227 officers in Australia. There are 6 female
diplomatic officers in Canberra and 6 overseas.
1963 First External Affairs trainee of non-English speaking background is recruited. The Trade
Commissioner Trainee Scheme commences.
1964 The Department of External Affairs establishes separate Consular and Administration streams.
1966 By January 1966, the Department of External Affairs has 48 missions abroad, including
25 Embassies and 11 High Commissions. It employs 1,558 officers, 602 of whom were in
Australia, 316 were overseas and 640 were ‘exempt’ staff (locally employed and casuals).
1970 The Department changes its name from the Department of External Affairs to the Department of
Foreign Affairs.
1971 The first woman to be appointed Head of Mission, Dame Annabelle Rankin, is appointed High
Commissioner to New Zealand.
1974—The first female career diplomat to be appointed Head of Mission, Ruth Dobson, is
appointed Ambassador to Denmark.
1977—Ros McGovern becomes the first woman in the Department of Foreign Affairs to enter the
Senior Executive Service.
1 Nov 1972 The Department of Foreign Affairs takes over responsibility for relations with the United Kingdom
from the Prime Minister’s Department.
1973 The Australian Development Assistance Agency (ADAA) is established. Commences operations on
1 December 1973 and is confirmed as a statutory authority in December 1974.
The ADAA is incorporated into the Department of Foreign Affairs in 1976 and renamed the
Australian Development Assistance Bureau (ADAB). Becomes an autonomous bureau within the
Department in 1984. Name changes to Australian International Development Assistance Bureau
(AIDAB) in 1987 and to AusAID in 1995.
1974 The Department of Foreign Affairs is reorganised. The new structure reflects issues rather than just
geography.
1975 The Department of Foreign Affairs takes over the passport function from the Department of Labor
and Immigration.
1983 Full-time Ambassador for Disarmament is appointed in Geneva.
1987 The Departments of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Promotion Australia are amalgamated as part
of broader machinery of government changes. Some 2,300 Foreign Affairs, 350 Trade and 140
Promotion Australia staff are involved in the merger.
The Australian Trade Commission (Austrade), placed initially in the Industry, Technology and
Commerce portfolio, moves to the Foreign Affairs and Trade portfolio in 1991.
1989 Ambassador for the Environment appointed.
2000 Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade staff number about 1,950; AusAID more than 500. DFAT
operates 82 posts around the world.