Our portfolio

Portfolio bodies

We provide advice to our ministers on strategic governance issues associated with portfolio bodies. This includes advice on ministerial appointments, performance outcomes and their contribution to the government’s broader policy agenda.

Australian Institute of Family Studies

Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS) conducts research and communicate findings for policy makers, service providers and the broader community to improve the wellbeing of children, families and communities.

Visit the Australian Institute of Family Studies(Opens in a new tab/window) website.

Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Commission

The Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Commission is a national body dedicated to addressing and ending violence against women and children in all its forms. Its objectives are:

• promoting the National Plan objectives to end gender-based violence and monitoring impact
• amplifying the voices of people with lived and living experience for meaningful engagement in shaping policy design and service delivery
• fostering collaboration and coordination across government and communities to enhance connection and reduce fragmentation and improve outcomes
• providing strategic advice to inform strengthened policy and practice, and improved outcomes.

Visit the Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Commission(Opens in a new tab/window) website.

Hearing Australia

Hearing Australia is a corporate Commonwealth agency that provides hearing services, undertakes research through the National Acoustic Laboratories, and works with partners to prevent avoidable hearing loss. Its operations include:

• providing government-funded hearing services to babies, children and young people, adults with complex hearing rehabilitation needs, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults and clients of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)
• providing commercial hearing services to pensioners and veterans who are eligible for government-funded services through the Hearing Services Program (HSP), and to self-funded adults who meet the cost of their own services
• working with partners to improve the ear health and hearing outcomes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, including through the early detection and treatment of ear disease, hearing loss and community liaison, training and raising awareness of the importance of ear and hearing health in First Nations communities
• delivering outstanding research to improve the lives of people with hearing loss through the National Acoustic Laboratories.

Visit the Hearing Australia(Opens in a new tab/window) website.

National Disability Insurance Agency

The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA), established under the National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013, implements the NDIS, which NDIS supports a better life for hundreds of thousands of Australians with a significant and permanent disability and their families and carers.

The NDIS provides information and referrals, links to services and activities, individualised plans and where necessary, funded supports to people over a lifetime. The NDIS also raises community awareness and encourages greater inclusion and access for people with disability to mainstream services, community activities and other government initiatives.

Visit National Disability Insurance Agency(Opens in a new tab/window) website.

The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission

The NDIS Commission is an independent agency established to improve the quality and safety of NDIS supports and services. The role of the NDIS Commission is to:

• regulate the NDIS market
• provide national consistency
• promote safety and quality services
• resolve problems
• identify areas for improvement.

Visit the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission(Opens in a new tab/window) website.

Services Australia

Services Australia delivers vital government services including social security and welfare, health and child support through its Centrelink, Medicare and Child Support programs. The agency works with various partner agencies and the community to simplify and streamline access to support Australians by developing new approaches to social and health related policy and service delivery.

Services Australia also administers myGov, which is a simple and secure way for people to access government services online in one place.

Visit the Services Australia(Opens in a new tab/window) website.

Statutory appointments

A statutory office holder is a person who holds a position to which duties and functions are specifically assigned in legislation. This is different to people who carry out the duties and functions assigned to a body established in legislation.

We support the minister in appointment matters for the following statutory appointments.

* Referred to as Australian Hearing in the enabling legislation
** Referred to as the National Disability Insurance Scheme Launch Transition Agency in the enabling legislation 

Significant ministerial appointments to non-statutory boards and advisory bodies

We support policy areas to make significant appointments to non-statutory boards and advisory bodies within the department.  

• Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS) Expert Advisory Committee (formerly the AIFS Advisory Council)
• Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety(Opens in a new tab/window) (ANROWS)
• Our Watch
• First Nations National Plan Steering Committee

More information

Find more information about the statutory and non-statutory significant appointments (including appointee details) in the Social Services Portfolio in:  

• Senate Order 15 – Departmental and agency appointments
• Directory.gov.au(Opens in a new tab/window)