Department of Social Security (Australia)


The Department of Social Security was the government department in Australia, which administered the Social Security system. The Department existed between 1972 and 1998.

History

The Department was one of several new departments established by the Whitlam Government. It largely filled the same functions as the previous Department of Social Services, while taking over some programs from the Department of Health.
The Department's delivery of payments and services functions was taken over by Centrelink in 1997. The creation of Centrelink meant significant changes to DSS, with the Department shrinking in size to approximately 700 staff who were tasked with policy formulation and advisory functions. The Department was dissolved completely in October 1998 with the creation of the new Department of Family and Community Services, that took on all remaining DSS functions.