Department of Defence Support
| Department overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 7 May 1982[1] |
| Preceding Department |
|
| Dissolved | 13 December 1984[1] |
| Superseding agency |
|
| Jurisdiction | Commonwealth of Australia |
| Headquarters | Reid, Canberra |
| Ministers responsible |
|
| Department executive |
|
The Department of Defence Support was an Australian government department that existed between May 1982 and December 1984.
History
The Department was established by the Fraser Government after a recommendation from the Defence Review Committee, which concluded that there were disadvantages in the previous large structure of the Defence Department.[2] Charles Halton became Secretary of the new department. In July 1984 a 27-person senior executive team was appointed to assist the departmental Secretary, of which only one was a woman.[3]
The Department was abolished in December 1984, after Bob Hawke was elected Prime Minister in the 1983 Australian federal election.[4] Hawke reasoned that the needs of Defence policy making in Australia would be better served if all responsibilities were bought together within the one portfolio.[4]
Scope
Information about the department's functions and/or government funding allocation could be found in the Administrative Arrangements Orders, the annual Portfolio Budget Statements and in the Department's annual reports.
Functions of the Department at its creation were:[1]
- Within defence policies approved by the Minister for Defence the following support for defence purposes -
- Purchase of goods and services
- Manufacture of goods and provision of services
- Research and development
- Development of Australian industry
- Dockyard support.
Structure
The Department was an Australian Public Service department, staffed by officials who were responsible to the Minister for Defence Support.[1]
References
- 1 2 3 4 CA 3254: Department of Defence Support, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 11 January 2014
- ↑ Fraser, Malcolm (7 May 1982). "Ministry and Departmental Changes" (Press release). Archived from the original on 4 December 2013.
- ↑ "'Significant change' in PS practice". The Canberra Times. 24 July 1984. p. 9. Archived from the original on 12 January 2014.
- 1 2 Hawke, Robert (11 December 1984). "Changes to the Ministry and Departmental Arrangements" (Press release). Archived from the original on 11 January 2014.