The Postmaster-General's Department (PMG) was a department of the Australian government, established at Federation in 1901, whose responsibilities included the provision of postal and telegraphic services throughout Australia. It was abolished in December1975 and replaced by the Postal & Telecommunications Department. Two separate legal entities had been established in July 1975 to take over the department's operations: Telecom Australia (that later became Telstra) and Australia Post.

History

The Postmaster-General's Department was established on 1 January 1901 to take over all postal and telegraphy services in Australia from the states and administer them on a national basis. The department was administered by the postmaster-general.

The first permanent secretary of the department was Sir Robert Townley Scott, who held office from 1 July 1901 until his retirement on 31 December 1910.

In its first 25 years, the department grew from 6,000 to 10,000 offices and from 18,000 to 47,000 staff. Earnings grew from £2.4million to £10million per annum.

In mid-1975 the department was disaggregated into the Australian Telecommunications Commission trading as Telecom Australia and the Australian Postal Commission trading as Australia Post. In 1993 the Spectrum Management Agency was formed to take responsibility of radio and television broadcast licensing, which was then merged into the Australian Communications Authority, that later became the Australian Communications & Media Authority. Telecom Australia changed its name to Telstra in 1993 and has since been privatised.

Abolition

The department was abolished in December1975 by the Fraser government, and replaced by the Postal & Telecommunications Department. The change was intended to take account of the increase in the functions of the department to include all electronic media matters which had previously been the responsibility of the Department of the Media.

List of postmasters-general

List of departmental secretaries and directors-general

• 1901–1910: Robert Scott

• 1911–1923: Justinian Oxenham

• 1923–1939: Harry Brown

• 1940–1946: Daniel McVey

• 1946–1949: Bede Fanning

• 1949–1958: Giles Chippindall

• 1958: Van Vanthoff

• 1959–1961: Mervyn Stradwick

• 1961–1965: Frank O'Grady

• 1965–1968: Trevor Housley

• 1968–1972: John Knott

• 1972–1975: Eber Lane

• 1975: Fred Green

References