Department of Science and Consumer Affairs

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 reports.

At its creation, the department's functions were:^[1]

• Science and technology, including research, support of research and support of civil space research programs
• Meteorology
• Ionospheric prediction service
• Analytical laboratory service
• Patents of inventions and designs, and trade marks
• Weights and measure
• National standards
• Consumer affairs

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