Help

There are two ways to find information in the Government Online Directory

  1. browsing - by selecting and following the links through the directory, or
  2. searching - using the search field at the top right of the screen.

Browsing

The structure of the Government Online Directory is hierarchical, with each entry located at different levels in the hierarchy. For example, a Branch is part of a Division, which is part of a Department. When an organisation is selected, the available contact information, functional description and personnel details are displayed in the centre of the page. Subordinate units of that organisation are displayed in the right side menu box.

Subordinate units that can be further expanded to display lower level elements will have 'plus' or 'minus' icons next to them. Clicking the 'plus' icon next to these organisations will display the lower level elements. Clicking the 'minus' icon will contract the list. The organisation displayed in the centre of the page is identified directly above the left side menu box. The 'breadcrumbs' shown beneath the top page banner indicate the path taken through the directory.

You may select the 'home' link at the top right of the page or the Australian coat-of-arms logo to return to the home page at any time.

Text Searching

Organisations

To search for an organisation, type the organisation's name into the search field and and press the GO button. If you are unsure of the name of the organisation but know some of the words in the title, type these in the search field and the directory will give search results of all close matches.

People

A person search can be done in much the same way as an organisation search. To search for a person, type their surname in the search field at the top of the screen, select "Surname" and press the GO button. If you are unsure of the spelling, type in as much as you know and the search results will show all close matches. If a person has an entry in the directory, their name will be displayed in the Search results with available contact details. Where a person has more than one role (for example, the person may also be a member of a committee), those available contact details will also be displayed. The organisation with which a person is associated will also be displayed as a link, which will take you to that organisation's entry in the directory, if you are looking for additional information.

Please note that where other people with the same surname have entries in the directory, their contact details will also be displayed.

The online directory is not a list of all Australian Government personnel; it lists only senior staff information provided by government agencies.

Subjects

If you are not sure of the title of the organisation you are searching for, or if you want to search more generically for all organisations and services that are associated with a particular issue, you may wish to search by Subject. The Subject search will only return results for relevant organisations and services.

The Government Online Directory also provides an advanced search function. You can refine your queries by using additional search fields, including keywords and roles and limit your search to specific parts of the directory.

Can't find what you're looking for?

It may be that the entry you are looking for is not in the directory. The directory does not contain contact details for every Australian Government employee, only senior staff, generally senior executive level personnel. The directory does not contain State and Territory government information. It may be that the organisation or function you are looking for is a State or Territory body or responsibility. Links to State and Territory government directories can be found under 'Quick Links' on the home page. Further information about State and Territory governments can be found at www.gov.au.

The About this site page contains further information about the content of the Government Online Directory.

Contact Us

Government Online Directory
AGIMO
Department of Finance and Deregulation
John Gorton Building
King Edward Terrace
PARKES ACT 2600

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do I obtain the printed Guide to the Australian Government?

The printed Guide to the Australian Government has been replaced with a quarterly PDF version, available to downloaded for free from the Online Directory homepage.

How is this directory organised?

The Government Online Directory is a guide to the structure, organisations and key people in the Australian Government. Information in the site is grouped under the four key arms of government: the Commonwealth Parliament, the Courts, the Governor-General and Australian Government departments and agencies. Within each group, the information is structured as follows:

Government Departments and Agencies
Australian Government portfolios are at the first level of the directory. Within each portfolio are departments, other portfolio bodies and Ministers. Within each department and portfolio body there are smaller divisions, branches and related sub-organisations.
Commonwealth Parliament
Within the Commonwealth Parliament there is the ministry, the shadow ministry, listings of members of parliament and the parliamentary departments.
Governor-General
Within the Governor-General's entry are the Office of the Official Secretary to the Governor-General, the Federal Executive Council, the Council for the Order of Australia and the Australian Bravery Decorations Council.
Courts and Judges
The Courts and Judges group contains entries for the High Court, the Federal Court, the Family Court, the Australian Industrial Relations Commission and the Federal Magistrates Court.

In addition to contact details and functional descriptions, entries for these organisations also contain contact details for key senior staff.

State and Territory Government Directories can be accessed via the link provided in the Quick Links section of the home page.

I can't find something I know is there?

Guidance for searching the Government Online Directory can be found under Text Searching in these pages. You may also need to refine your search by using the advanced search facility.

I can't find State Government Offices

The Government Online Directory does not list State and Territory Government offices and personnel. It does however provide contact details for the State and Territory offices of Australian Government organisations. State and Territory Government Directories can be accessed via the link provided in the Quick Links section of the home page.

I can't find Local Government details

The Government Online Directory does not list Local Government details. However a list of Local Governments online can be found at the Australian Local Government Association site.

I can't find the details of a particular officer who works in an Australian Government agency

The online directory is not a listing of all Australian Government personnel - it contains only contact information for those senior staff provided by the relevant organisation.

How do I obtain mailing lists?

The Government Online Directory does not provide mailing lists.

How do I find particular Government publications?

The Online Directory does not list Government publications however there is a Government publications register available at www.publications.gov.au

How up to date is the directory?

The organisations listed in the Online Directory are responsible for maintaining their own information and review it at regular intervals. The last reviewed date shows the most recent date that information for that entry was entered or changed. It is important to note, however, that some information in the Directory does not require updating very often. Accordingly, if a review date is not recent it does not necessarily indicate that the information is out of date.

How do I become an updater?

You will need to contact the Online Directory team via the Feedback link at the top right of the page.

Why do some agencies provide more detail than others?

The level of information provided is determined by each organisation.

How can I find all the positions that someone holds?

If you search by a person's name the directory will automatically list all the positions that person holds.

Why are some email addresses missing?

The level of contact information provided is determined by each organisation.

Australian Government Coat of Arms - Printable Version