On 30 June 1820 Major Frederick Goulburn was commissioned as Colonial Secretary and Registrar of the Records of New South Wales. On 1 January 1821, Frederick Goulburn was officially sworn in and assumed his duties as Colonial Secretary.

The Colonial Secretary’s Office kept the Registers of Letters, and prepared the financial and statistical Returns of the Colony, which were sent annually to the Secretary of State. The offices of Secretary to the Governor and Colonial Secretary were not separated until May 1824 when Major Ovens was officially appointed Governor Brisbane's Private Secretary.

Another aspect of the Colonial Secretary’s Duties was as a legislator. The Secretary was an ex officio member of the Legislative Council, which first sat in August 1824. The warrant establishing the Council listed in order of precedence the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Chief Justice, Colonial Secretary, Principal Surgeon, and Surveyor General.

The most important function of the Colonial Secretary’s office was that it acted as the channel of communications between the Governor, other government offices, and private settlers.

On 24 Sep 1926 the first Labour and Industry Department was established but from 1 Oct 1942 the name was changed to Labour and Employment Department. Under the "Labour and Industry Act 1946" from 1 Mar 1947 the name was changed back to Labour and Industry Department. From 1966 to 1972 it was named Department of Labour and Tourism.

The Public Service Board was established under the Public Service Act, 1895 to replace the Civil Service Board (1885-1895). The functions of the Board were to carry out inspections of departments, grade officers and classify work, hear appeals against decisions made, conduct inquiries and investigations, arrange for examinations for officers to be conducted, keep minutes of meetings and furnish annual reports.

In September 1988 the Board's activities were altered as a result of Government restructure of the Public Service and a number of functions and programs transferred to the Department of Administrative Services. Under the Public Sector Management Act, 1988 the Board was abolished, with devolvement of its functions to department heads. Responsibility for industrial relations was placed with the new Public Employment Industrial Relations Authority.

In 1954 the Department of Labour and Industry was established and superseded the Department of Labour.

In 1974 a Ministry of Consumer Affairs was established and was subordinate to the Department of Labour and Industry until 1981 when it became a separate Department of State. In 1985 the Department was amalgamated with the Ministry of Employment and Training and the Ministry of Industrial Affairs to form the Department of Employment and Industrial Affairs.

An Industrial Court was established in 1912 and was later incorporated in the system of tribunals created by the Industrial Code of 1920. The Industrial Court usually had a President and a Deputy President, each of whom was appointed from legal practitioners of ten years’ standing. Normally the Court was constituted by one of these officers, but certain matters were traditionally determined by a full court comprising both officers. When a dispute was under consideration, the President or Deputy President may have been assisted by two assessors nominated by the parties before the Court. The function of the Court was to make awards concerning wages and conditions of employment for workers who were outside the jurisdiction of industrial boards. It had authority to adjudicate in cases of strikes or lockouts and may have summoned persons to a compulsory conference and hear appeals from determinations of industrial boards. In making an award the Court may have appointed or provided for a board of reference to deal with matters covered by the award, with a right of appeal to the Court against a decision of the board. The arbitral functions of the Industrial Court of South Australia were assumed by the Industrial Commission of South Australia following amendments to that state's Industrial Code in 1966, however, the Court continued to operate in a purely legal capacity after this date.

The Western Australian Industrial Commission superseded the role of the Court of Arbitration in 1964 and consisted of a Chief Industrial Commissioner and three other Commissioners. The Industrial Arbitration Act provided that a Commissioner sitting or acting alone constituted the Commission and exercised all the powers and jurisdiction of the Commission. The Commission was empowered to inquire into any industrial matter or industrial dispute in any industry and to make orders or awards fixing the prices for work done by and the rates of wages payable to workers; fixing the number of hours and the times to be worked in order to entitle those workers to the wages so fixed; limiting the hours of piece workers; fixing the rates for overtime, work on holidays, shift work, week-end work and other special work, including allowances as compensation for overtime; determining any other special work, including allowances for as compensation for overtime; determining any industrial matter; and declaring what deduction may be made from the prices or wages of workers for board or residence or board and residence provided for workers and for any customary provisions or payments in kind conceded to such workers. The Commission in Court Session was constituted by not less than three Commissioners sitting or acting together. Appeals from decisions of a single Commissioner were heard and determined by the Commission in Court Session. Such appeals were restricted to the evidence and matters raised in the proceedings before the single Commissioner.

A Registrar was appointed to the Court of Industrial Arbitration and given the power to appoint such officers as may be required under the Industrial Arbitration Act, No. 59 of 1901. This Act was placed under the administration of the Department of Attorney General and Justice from 12 December 1901.(1) The Registry was known as the Industrial Arbitration Office and was responsible for determining applications for permits to work less than award rates, receipt of applications for determination by the Court and carrying out the orders of the Court.(2)

The Industrial Disputes 1908 (Act, No. 3, 1908) provided for the constitution of boards to determine the conditions of employment in industries. In addition to the duties previously mentioned, the Registrar became responsible for the executive work connected with the constitution and control of the boards. There were 213 of these boards by 1912.(3)

The Industrial Arbitration Act,1912 (Act No. 17, 1912) provided for the constitution of a Court of Arbitration as well as that of the boards. This Act was placed under the administration of the then Department of Labour and Industry on 17 April 1912 and the Industrial Registrar classed as Permanent Head of the Department(4). This Act also allowed for the constitution of Conciliation Committees by the Minister. These Committees applied to colliery districts only and had the power to look into any industrial matter regarding coal or metalliferous mining within its district. The Industrial Registrar became responsible for some of the administrative work connected with the Conciliation Committees.

The Industrial Commission was appointed under the Industrial Arbitration (Amendment) Act, 1926 (Act No. 14, 1926), assuming the powers and duties of the Court of Arbitration and the NSW Board of Trade. The Industrial Registrar continued to provide administrative support to this body. The boundaries of Conciliation Committees were extended under this legislation, no longer being restricted to the colliery industry. A Conciliation Commissioner was appointed under the Industrial Arbitration Amendment Act, 1932 (Act No. 39, 1932). This position assumed the powers and duties of the Deputy Commissioner as well as those of any chairman of a Conciliation Committee.

On 1 July 1936 the Industrial Registrar became responsible for registering trade unions as well as industrial unions, a duty which had previously been performed by the Registrar of Friendly Societies under the Trade Union Act, 1881. This change was directed by the Trade Union (Amendment) Act, 1926 (Act No.23, 1936).

The Industrial Arbitration Act, 1991 (Act No.34, 1991) changed the way in which unions were registered. Instead of being registered as a "Trade Union" under the Trade Union Act, 1881 or as an "industrial union" under the Industrial Arbitration Act, 1940 they were registered as "organisations". There are three types of organisations, industrial organisations of employers, industrial organisations of employees and non-industrial organisations. The Industrial Register was responsible for administering this and was required to submit an annual report(5).

In 1997 the Registry was situated under the administration of the Department of Industrial Relations (the former Department of Labour and Industry), as of 6 April 1995. It served the Industrial Relations Commission of New South Wales as well as industrial organisations, employers and employees, members of the legal profession and lay industrial advocates. The duties of the Registry included providing support to the Industrial Relations Commission of New South Wales, registering enterprise agreements, registering industrial unions, publishing awards and administering the Employment Protection Act 1982.(6)

The Registrar General's Office of New South Wales was responsible for the registration of wills, deeds, land transactions and births, deaths and marriages between 1844 and 1975, and for the registration of companies from 1874 to 1962. In 1975 with the establishment of a separate agency for the registration of births, deaths and marriages, the office ceased to exist though the Lands Titles Office continued to use the name until 1985.

In 1853 the Registrar-General's Department was established under the provisions of the Births, Deaths and Marriages Act 16 Victoria, No. 2 (1853). The department carried out a range of functions including the collection of census and statistics; registering of livestock, licence liens on agricultural land, naturalizations, hospitals, banks, companies, patents, copyright, printing presses and types, powers of attorney, Parliamentory electors and land titles. By 1873 a new agency, the Office of the Registrar-General and Office of Titles, had assumed responsibility for the functions previously undertaken separately by the Registrar-General's Department and the Office of Titles. In 1958 the registration of companies was subsequently transferred to the Registrar of Companies and the Companies Office.

A Registrar was appointed to the Court of Industrial Arbitration and given the power to appoint such officers as may be required under the Industrial Arbitration Act, No. 59 of 1901. This Act was placed under the administration of the Department of Attorney General and Justice from 12 December 1901.(1) The Registry was known as the Industrial Arbitration Office and was responsible for determining applications for permits to work less than award rates, receipt of applications for determination by the Court and carrying out the orders of the Court.(2)

The Industrial Disputes 1908 (Act, No. 3, 1908) provided for the constitution of boards to determine the conditions of employment in industries. In addition to the duties previously mentioned, the Registrar became responsible for the executive work connected with the constitution and control of the boards. There were 213 of these boards by 1912.(3)

The Industrial Arbitration Act,1912 (Act No. 17, 1912) provided for the constitution of a Court of Arbitration as well as that of the boards. This Act was placed under the administration of the then Department of Labour and Industry on 17 April 1912 and the Industrial Registrar classed as Permanent Head of the Department(4). This Act also allowed for the constitution of Conciliation Committees by the Minister. These Committees applied to colliery districts only and had the power to look into any industrial matter regarding coal or metalliferous mining within its district. The Industrial Registrar became responsible for some of the administrative work connected with the Conciliation Committees.

The Industrial Commission was appointed under the Industrial Arbitration (Amendment) Act, 1926 (Act No. 14, 1926), assuming the powers and duties of the Court of Arbitration and the NSW Board of Trade. The Industrial Registrar continued to provide administrative support to this body. The boundaries of Conciliation Committees were extended under this legislation, no longer being restricted to the colliery industry. A Conciliation Commissioner was appointed under the Industrial Arbitration Amendment Act, 1932 (Act No. 39, 1932). This position assumed the powers and duties of the Deputy Commissioner as well as those of any chairman of a Conciliation Committee.

On 1 July 1936 the Industrial Registrar became responsible for registering trade unions as well as industrial unions, a duty which had previously been performed by the Registrar of Friendly Societies under the Trade Union Act, 1881. This change was directed by the Trade Union (Amendment) Act, 1926 (Act No.23, 1936).

The Industrial Arbitration Act, 1991 (Act No.34, 1991) changed the way in which unions were registered. Instead of being registered as a "Trade Union" under the Trade Union Act, 1881 or as an "industrial union" under the Industrial Arbitration Act, 1940 they were registered as "organisations". There are three types of organisations, industrial organisations of employers, industrial organisations of employees and non-industrial organisations. The Industrial Register was responsible for administering this and was required to submit an annual report(5).

In 1997 the Registry was situated under the administration of the Department of Industrial Relations (the former Department of Labour and Industry), as of 6 April 1995. It served the Industrial Relations Commission of New South Wales as well as industrial organisations, employers and employees, members of the legal profession and lay industrial advocates. The duties of the Registry included providing support to the Industrial Relations Commission of New South Wales, registering enterprise agreements, registering industrial unions, publishing awards and administering the Employment Protection Act 1982.(6)

The Registrar of Friendly Societies was established in 1873 by the Friendly Societies Act. 1873 (37 Vic. No.4). Previously the registration and regulation of Friendly Societies was governed by English law and then by the Friendly Societies Act 1843. The new Act required that all copies of rules, certificates and documents for all types of Mutual Benefit Societies previously filed in the custody of the Clerk of the Peace were to be transferred to the Registrar of Friendly Societies. The Registrar was responsible for all mutual societies which included Friendly Societies, Benefit Building Loan and Investment Societies, and Co-operative Trading and Industrial Societies. The Friendly Societies Act, 1899 (Act No.31, 1899) repealed the Act of 1873, except the provisions relating to Benefit-Building Loan and Investment Societies, and Co-operative Trading and Industrial Societies. The Act provided for the appointment by the Governor of a Registrar of Friendly Societies. The functions of the Registrar were to prepare and circulate model account, balance-sheet, and valuation forms to societies; and to collect, collate, and publish financial statistics on each society. In 1902, the Registry of Co-operative Societies was established under the Building and Co-operative Societies Act, 1901 (Act No.17, 1902). Under the Act, the Registrar of Friendly Societies became the Registrar of Co-operative Societies. On 8 July 1936 the responsibility for registering trade unions was transferred from the Registrar of Friendly Societies to the Industrial Registrar under the Trade Union Amendment Act, 1936 (Act No. 23, 1936).

The J S Battye Library of West Australian History came into being on 14 December 1956 (as the J S Battye Library of West Australian History and State Archives) and collects Western Australian documentary heritage material.

The Industrial Commission of New South Wales was established under the Industrial Arbitration (Amendment) Act on 15 April, 1926. The Commission assumed the duties and responsibilities of the Court of Industrial Arbitration and the Board of Trade. The Industrial Commission of New South Wales was abolished on 31 March, 1992 by the Industrial Relations Act, 1991 which established the Industrial Commission of New South Wales to carry out conciliation and duties and the Industrial Court took the judicial role.

New South Wales industrial relations legislation was administered by the Attorney General until 1911, when the Minister for Labour and Industry took up this responsibility. The Department of Labour and Industry played a pivotal role in employment relations in NSW, including the regulation of working conditions and wages, and ensuring occupational health and safety in the workplace, under the Factory and Shop Act 1912. One of the key roles of the Department under the Act was to provide information and advice about working conditions, and it focused on accident prevention in the workplace, particularly industrial accidents. In 1940, the Department became the Department of Labour and Industry and Social Welfare until the mid-1950s, when the Department of Child Welfare and Social Welfare was established.