History
The re-organisation of the legal system of Colonial New South Wales led to the creation of the Attorney-General, an appointed law officer. Following the creation of self-government in 1856, the position of Attorney-General became an officer appointed by the Government of the day from within the membership of the Parliament of New South Wales.
In 1901, the Department of Attorney General and the Department of Justice were amalgamated into the Department of the Attorney General and Justice. In 1911, two separate branches of the Department were established, later called divisions which continued until the 1970s. Responsibility for police and corrective services were removed from the Department in the 1970s; and by 1991 the Department of Courts Administration was split out of the Department. Some four years later, the two Departments were merged and the Justice portfolio re-established in 2009 through the creation of the Department of Justice and Attorney General.
The headquarters of the department was at the Goodsell Building in Chifley Square. In 2008 the department's main business centres were relocated to newer offices in Parramatta.
Following the 2011 state election the department was merged with Corrective Services and renamed to its current name.
Read more about this topic: Department Of Attorney General And Justice (New South Wales)
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