Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Australia)

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is the department of the Australian government responsible for foreign policy and international relations, development aid, consular services, overseas trade, and investment. Australia's total official development assistance (ODA) decreased in 2022 due to differences in Australia's financial year reporting and the timing of its COVID-19-related expenditure, representing 0.19% of gross national income (GNI).
The head of the department is its secretary, presently Jan Adams. She reports to Penny Wong, who has held the position of Minister for Foreign Affairs since 2022.

WWW dfat.gov.au 𝕏 dfat

History

The department finds its origins in two of the seven original Commonwealth Departments established following Federation in 1901: the Department of Trade and Customs and the Department of External Affairs, headed by Harry Wollaston and Atlee Hunt respectively.
The first DEA was abolished on 14 November 1916 and its responsibilities were undertaken by the Prime Minister's Department and the Department of Home and Territories. It was re-established under the same name on 21 December 1921.
Until the Second World War, Australia's status as a dominion of the British Empire in the then British Commonwealth meant its foreign relations were mostly defined by the United Kingdom. During this time, Australia's overseas activities were predominantly related to trade and commercial interests, while its external affairs were concerned mostly with immigration, exploration and publicity. The political and economic changes wrought by the Great Depression and Second World War, and the adoption of the 1931 Statute of Westminster, necessitated the establishment and expansion of Australian representation overseas, independent of the United Kingdom Foreign Office. Australia began to establish its first overseas missions in 1940, beginning with Washington, D.C., and now has a network of over 80 diplomatic posts.
The DEA was renamed the Department of Foreign Affairs in 1970. On 24 July 1987, the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Trade were amalgamated by the Hawke government to form the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
In 1997 the department relocated to the R. G. Casey building, constructed over 5 years for $187 million. The next year the building was sold to the private market for $217 million and released back by the government. By 2015 the government was paying over $20 million per year in rent. By 2017 the government had spent $310 million in total rent for the building.
In 1994, the Australian Overseas Information Service became a branch in DFAT known as the International Public Affairs Branch. In 1996 the branch was dissolved.
In 2005, DFAT became embroiled in the Oil-for-Food Programme scandal after it was revealed it had approved the Australian Wheat Board's request allowing it to pay 'trucking charges' to Alia, a Jordanian trucking company with no actual involvement in the trucking of Australian wheat within Iraq. The Cole Inquiry into the AWB was established, however its terms of reference excluded any investigation of the role of DFAT.

Portfolio responsibilities

The functions of the department are broadly classified into the following matters as laid out in an Administrative Arrangements Order made on 13 May 2025:

External Affairs, including
*relations and communications with overseas governments and United Nations agencies
*treaties, including trade agreements
*bilateral, regional and multilateral trade policy
*international trade and commodity negotiations
*market development, including market access
*trade and international business development
*investment promotion
*international development co-operation
*diplomatic and consular missions
*international security issues, including disarmament, arms control, nuclear non-proliferation, counter terrorism and cyber affairs
*public diplomacy, including information and cultural programs
International expositions
Provision to Australian citizens of secure travel identification
Provision of consular services to Australian citizens abroad
Overseas property management, including acquisition, ownership and disposal of real property
Tourism industry
International development and aid
International climate diplomacy
Implementation of Australia's international climate finance commitment

Portfolio ministers

Five additional ministers support the Minister for Foreign Affairs in administering the department, as of 2025:

Secretary of the Department

DFAT is administered by a senior executive, comprising a secretary and five deputy secretaries. On the recommendation of the Prime Minister, the Governor-General has appointed the following individuals as Secretary to the department:

Order	Official	Date appointment commenced	Date appointment ceased	Term in office	Ref
1	Stuart Harris
2	Richard Woolcott
3	Peter Wilenski
4	Michael Costello
5	Philip Flood
6	Ashton Calvert
7	Michael L'Estrange
8	Dennis Richardson
9	Peter Varghese
10	Frances Adamson
11	Kathryn Campbell
12	Jan Adams		Incumbent

Structure

The department is responsible to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, the Minister for International Development and the Pacific, and the Assistant Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment.
As of June 2023, 3,881 Australian Public Service staff worked for DFAT in Australia and 959 worked in the overseas network. Additionally, DFAT employed 2,267 locally engaged staff in the overseas network. LES are citizens of the country in which the relevant DFAT Post is located, providing invaluable administrative and policy support to Australian officers whilst they conduct their overseas duties.

Departmental structure

The department is structured into seven groups, each led by a deputy secretary.

The Secretary
* Chief of Staff to the Secretary
Trade and Investment Group
*Trade and Investment Strategy Branch
**State and Territory Offices
*Trade and Investment Law Division
*Trade Resilience, Indo-Pacific Economic, and Latin America Division
*International Economics and Energy Transition Division
*Free Trade Agreements & Stakeholder Engagement Division
*Office of Global Trade Negotiations
Strategic Planning and Coordination Group
*Strategic Communications Division
*East Asia Division
*Geostrategy and Partnerships Division
*Defence and National Security Policy Division
*National Foundation for Australia-China Relations
South and Southeast Asia Group
*Office of Southeast Asia
*Southeast Asia Maritime Division
*Southeast Asia Regional and Mainland Division
*Southeast Asia Strategy and Development Division
*South and Central Asia Division
*Centre for Australia-India Relations
Office of the Pacific
*Pacific Infrastructure & Economic Division
*Pacific Strategy Division
*Melanesia Division
*Pacific Integration Division
*Polynesia, Micronesia and Development Division
*Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific
Development, Multilateral and Europe Group
*Multilateral Policy and Human Rights Division
*Development Policy Division
*Development Effectiveness and Enabling Division
*Humanitarian Division
*Climate Diplomacy and Development Finance Division
*Ambassador for Global Health Global Health Division
*Europe Division
International Security, Legal and Consular Group
*Legal Division
*Regulatory and Legal Policy Division
*Consular and Crisis Management Division
*Middle East and Africa Division
*International Security Division
*Australian Safeguards and Non-Proliferation Office
*Australian Passport Office
Enabling Services Group
*Finance Division
*Diplomatic Security Division
*Overseas Property Office
*Information Management and Technology Division
*People Division
*Executive Division
**Internal Audit Branch

Diplomatic network

DFAT maintains offices in each state and mainland territory to provide consular and passport services, and to perform an important liaison service for business throughout Australia. In addition, it has a Torres Strait Treaty Liaison Office on Thursday Island. Additionally, the department manages a network of 116 overseas posts, including Australian embassies, high commissions and consulates-general.

Portfolio agencies

DFAT also manages several agencies within its portfolio, including:

DFAT also manages foundations, councils, and institutes including:

ASEAN-Australia Centre
National Foundation for Australia-China Relations
Australia-Indonesia Institute
Australia-Japan Foundation
Australia-Korea Foundation
Centre for Australia-India Relations
Council for Australian-Arab Relations
Council on Australia Latin America Relations