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Victoria - Legislation

Social Welfare Act 1970 (1971 - 1978)

  • The Social Welfare Act 1970

    The Social Welfare Act 1970
    Details

From
1971
To
1978
Categories
Principal Act
Alternative Names
  • Community Services (attendance at school) Act 1970 (Also known as)
  • Community Services Act 1970 (Also known as)
  • Community Welfare Services Act 1970 (Also known as)
Website
http://corrigan.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/vic/hist_act/swa1970137/

The Social Welfare Act 1970 (No.8089) created a new position in the Victorian government, the Minister for Social Welfare.
In 1971, the Social Welfare Department was established, taking over responsibility for all functions previously administered by the Social Welfare Branch. In 1978, the Community Welfare Services Act provided that the title of the Social Welfare Act 1970 be changed to the Community Welfare Services Act 1970. In 1987, the Community Services Act changed the title of this legislation to the Community Services Act 1970. The Children Youth and Families Act 2005 changed the name of this legislation again, to the Community Services (attendance at school) Act 1970.

Details

The long title is 'An Act to establish a Social Welfare Department to make Provision with respect to the Functions of that Department, to re-enact with Amendments certain Provisions of the Children's Welfare Act 1958, the Gaols Act 1958, the Street Trading Act 1958, the Youth Organizations Assistance Act 1958 and the Social Welfare Act 1960 and for other purposes.'

It repealed the Children's Welfare Act 1958 No. 6219, Gaols Act 1958 No. 6259, Street Trading Act 1958 No. 6385, Youth Organisations Assistance Act 1958 No. 6421 and Social Welfare Act 1960 No. 6651.

In its 1976 Report, the Committee of Enquiry into Child Care Services recommended a review of the Social Welfare Act 1970, as well as the Children's Court Act 1973. The Report observed that the sections of the Social Welfare Act relating to the admission of children to state guardianship 'basically derive from the nineteenth century. They reflect the political, psychological and social beliefs of that day…'

The Norgard Report also stated that the Social Welfare Act 1970s's provisions for approving children's homes 'again date essentially from very early legislation and require a radical transformation'.

Timeline

 1864 - 1888 The Neglected and Criminal Children's Act 1864
       1888 - 1890 The Neglected Children's Act 1887
             1890 - 1915 The Neglected Children's Act 1890
             1891 - 1915 Infant Life Protection Act 1890
                   1915 - 1929 Infant Life Protection Act 1915
                   1915 - 1929 Neglected Children's Act 1915
                   1919 - 1929 Children's Maintenance Act 1919
                   1919 - 1929 Children's Maintenance Act 1919
                         1929 - 1955 Children's Welfare Act 1928
                         1929 - 1958 Maintenance Act 1928
                               1955 - 1959 Children's Welfare Act 1954
                                     1959 - 1971 Children's Welfare Act 1958
                                     1960 - 1971 Social Welfare Act 1960
                                           1971 - 1978 Social Welfare Act 1970
                                                 1979 - 1983 Community Welfare Services Act 1978
                                                       1987 - Community Services Act 1987

Related Glossary Terms

Publications

Reports

  • Report of the Committee of Enquiry into Child Care Services in Victoria, July 1976. Details

Online Resources

Photos

The Social Welfare Act 1970
Title
The Social Welfare Act 1970
Type
Document

Details

Sources used to compile this entry: Report of the Committee of Enquiry into Child Care Services in Victoria, July 1976; 'Victoria: Legislation', in To remove and protect: laws that changed Aboriginal lives, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, 2008, https://aiatsis.gov.au/collection/featured-collections/remove-and-protect; Law Research Service, Melbourne Law School, Law Library, The University of Melbourne. 'Find and Connect Project - Victoria Legislation', 13 December 2013, held in the project files at the University of Melbourne eScholarship Research Centre.

Prepared by: Cate O'Neill