This list of Australian Government entities includes ministerial departments, principal entities, secondary entities, and other entities, which are grouped into a number of areas of portfolio responsibility. Each portfolio is led by one or more
government ministers who are members of the
federal parliament, appointed by the
governor-general on the advice of the
prime minister.[1]
As of December 2023, there are 1,334 government entities reportable to the Australian Government Organisations Register. This includes:[2][3]
191 "principal" entities, including non-corporate Commonwealth entities (such as the 20
cabinet departments), corporate Commonwealth entities, and Commonwealth companies
693 "secondary" entities, such as advisory bodies, ministerial forums, and statutory offices
450 "other" entities, such as subsidiaries of government companies, joint ventures, national law bodies, and bodies linked through statutory contracts, agreements or delegations
Principal entities
Principal entities are Australian Government entities that are defined in the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2011 as either a:
Principal non-corporate Commonwealth entity - such as a cabinet department
Commonwealth company - such as
NBN Co or Aboriginal Hostels Limited
Cabinet departments
The Australian Government comprises 20 portfolio departments, each representing a seat in the
federal cabinet and leading its respective portfolio area:[4][2]
There are 171 principal entities other than the cabinet departments. These government agencies are classified by the Australian Government Organisations Register as either a non-corporate Commonwealth entity, a corporate Commonwealth entity, or a Commonwealth company.[2]
On 18 September 2013 an Administrative Arrangements Order was issued by the Governor-General on the recommendation of the
Prime MinisterTony Abbott[5] which replaced the previous Order of 14 September 2010 issued by the Governor-General on the recommendation of the
Gillard government.[6][7] The Order formed or re-confirmed government departments, as follows:
The
Attorney-General's Department, assuming the arts functions previously managed by the Department of Regional Australia, Local Government, Arts and Sport
The
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, assuming the indigenous affairs functions previously managed by the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs