Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development

Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development

The building at 62 Northbourne Avenue in Canberra, which houses part of the Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development.
Department overview
Formed 18 September 2013[1]
Preceding agencies
Jurisdiction Commonwealth Government
Employees 994 (estimate for Department of Infrastructure and Transport 2013–14)[2]
Annual budget A$6.9 billion (Department of Infrastructure and Transport 2013-14)
Ministers responsible
Department executive
Child agencies
Website www.infrastructure.gov.au
www.bitre.gov.au

The Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development is an Australian Public Service department of the Government of Australia charged with the responsibility for national policies and programs that promote, evaluate, plan and invest in infrastructure; foster an efficient, sustainable, competitive, safe and secure transport system; and ensure a strong and liveable Australia by focusing on effective local government and external territories administration and regional development that enables communities to achieve economic and social dividends.[3] Matters dealt with by the department include: infrastructure planning and coordination; transport safety; land transport; civil aviation and airports; maritime transport including shipping; administration of Australian territories; constitutional development of the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory; regional programs; regional development; local government matters; and regional policy.[4]

The head of the department is the Secretary of the Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development, currently Mike Mrdak, who reports to the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, currently the Hon. Darren Chester MP, the Minister for Regional Development, Senator the Hon. Fiona Nash, and the Minister for Territories, Local Government and Major Projects, currently the Hon. Paul Fletcher MP.

The department is headquartered in the Canberra central business district at Infrastructure House and the neighbouring building to Infrastructure House.[5]

Operational activities

In an Administrative Arrangements Order made on 18 September 2013, the functions of the department were broadly classified into the following matters:[4]

Prominent business units in the department

Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics

The Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics (BITRE) within the department provides economic analysis, research and statistics on infrastructure, transport and regional development issues to inform Australian Government policy development and wider community understanding.[6] BITRE employs around 30 staff, including statisticians, economists and policy analysts. BITRE was first established in 1970 as the Bureau of Transport Economics by the Cabinet.[6]

Office of Transport Security

The Office of Transport Security (OTS), a business division within the department, is the Australian Government’s preventive security regulator for the aviation and maritime sectors, and its primary adviser on transport security.[7] The OTS head office is in Canberra, and regional offices are situated in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth.[8]

Structure and staff

Organisation structure for the Department of Infrastructure and Transport, Australia (as at 2 March 2013)

The department is administered by a senior executive, comprising a Secretary and several Deputy Secretaries.[9]:p.11

The current Secretary is Mike Mrdak, appointed on 29 June 2009.[10][11] Mr Mrdak began his public sector career in 1988 as a Graduate with the then Department of Transport and Communications.[12] He holds a bachelor's degree in arts along with a graduate diploma in economics.[13]

The department has a staff of around 994 people (estimate for 2013–14),[2] of which around 836 are employed in Canberra and 15 are based overseas.[14]:p.123 Staff are employed as part of the Australian Public Service under the Public Service Act 1999. The workforce of the department has a reasonably even gender distribution (54% male, 46% female), but at more senior levels this ratio decreases.[15] Around two-thirds of the department holds a bachelor's degree or higher.[15]

The department works closely with several Australian Government agencies within its portfolio, including:

Budget and Finance

In the department's 2013–14 budget statements, expenses are categorised as either departmental or administered expenses. Departmental expenses are those within the control of the relevant agency, whereas administered expenses are those administered on behalf of the Government. Expenses can be broken down as follows:

Program Funding (billions)
Administered expenses through the Department of the Treasury[17] $4.627
Administered expenses through the Department of Infrastructure and Transport[18] $2.038
Departmental expenses[18] $0.212
Total $6.877

Audit of expenditures

The department's financial statements are audited by the Australian National Audit Office.

History

The Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development was formed by way of an Administrative Arrangements Order issued on 18 September 2013[4] and replaced the majority of the functions previously performed by the former Department of Infrastructure and Transport and some of the functions previously performed by the former Department of Regional Australia, Local Government, Arts and Sport; with the exception of the arts functions that were transferred to the Attorney-General's Department and the sports functions that were assumed by the Department of Health and Ageing.[19][20][21]

Departments with responsibility for infrastructure and transport

Preceding Australian Government departments with responsibility for infrastructure and transport
Start date End date Department Ref.
14 Nov 1916 12 Apr 1932 Department of Works and Railways [22]
10 Dec 1928 21 Apr 1930 Department of Markets and Transport [23]
21 Apr 1930 12 Apr 1932 Department of Transport (I) [24]
27 Nov 1938 19 Dec 1973 Department of Civil Aviation [25]
26 Jun 1941 16 Mar 1950 Department of Transport (II) [26]
17 Oct 1942 6 Apr 1948 Department of Supply and Shipping [27]
6 Apr 1948 16 Mar 1950 Department of Shipping and Fuel [28]
16 Mar 1950 11 May 1951 Department of Fuel, Shipping and Transport [29]
11 May 1951 19 Dec 1972 Department of Shipping and Transport [30]
19 Dec 1972 7 May 1982 Department of Transport (III) [31][32]
7 May 1982 24 Jul 1987 Department of Aviation [33]
7 May 1982 11 Mar 1983 Department of Transport and Construction [34]
11 Mar 1983 24 Jul 1987 Department of Transport (IV) [35]
24 Jul 1987 23 Dec 1993 Department of Transport and Communications [32][36][37]
23 Dec 1993 11 Mar 1996 Department of Transport (V) [38]
11 Mar 1996 21 Oct 1998 Department of Transport and Regional Development [39]
21 Oct 1998 3 Dec 2007 Department of Transport and Regional Services [40][41]
3 Dec 2007 14 Sep 2010 Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government [42][43]
14 Sep 2010 18 Sep 2013 Department of Infrastructure and Transport [44]

Departments with responsibility for regional development and local government

Preceding Australian Government departments with responsibility for regional development and local government
Start date End date Department Ref.
16 June 1950 19 December 1972 Department of National Development (I) [45]
20 December 1977 8 December 1979 Department of National Development (II) [46]
8 December 1979 11 March 1983 Department of National Development and Energy [47]
11 March 1983 13 December 1984 Department of Territories and Local Government [48]
13 December 1984 24 July 1987 Department of Local Government and Administrative Services [49]
24 July 1987 24 March 1993 Department of Immigration, Local Government and Ethnic Affairs [50]
24 March 1993 23 December 1993 Department of Health, Housing, Local Government and Community Services [51]
24 March 1993 25 March 1994 Department of Industry, Technology and Regional Development [52]
25 March 1994 11 March 1996 Department of Housing and Regional Development [53]
11 March 1996 21 October 1998 Department of Transport and Regional Development [39]
October 1998 3 December 2007 Department of Transport and Regional Services [40][41]
December 2007 14 September 2010 Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government [42][43]
14 September 2010 14 December 2011 Department of Regional Australia, Regional Development and Local Government [54]
14 December 2011 18 September 2013 Department of Regional Australia, Local Government, Arts and Sport [55][56][57]

See also

References

  1. ↑ CA 9427: Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development, Central Office, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 9 April 2014
  2. 1 2 Australian Government. "Budget Paper No. 1". 2013-14 Commonwealth Budget. Statement 6: Expenses and Net Capital Investment: Australian Government. Archived from the original on 24 September 2013.
  3. ↑ "Our role, responsibilities and services". Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development. Commonwealth of Australia. 15 October 2013. Retrieved 17 October 2013.
  4. 1 2 3 "Administrative Arrangements Order" (PDF). Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Commonwealth of Australia. 18 September 2013. Retrieved 27 October 2013.
  5. ↑ Brookfield (2012). "Brookfield Office Properties: Infrastructure House". Brookfield. Retrieved 13 October 2012.
  6. 1 2 "About BITRE". Department of Infrastructure and Transport. 26 February 2013. Retrieved 15 March 2013.
  7. ↑ "Transport Security". Department of Infrastructure and Transport. Archived from the original on 26 June 2013.
  8. ↑ "About - Aviation Security Obligations - The Office of Transport Security (OTS)". Aviation Security International Systems Training. 29 August 2013. Retrieved 27 September 2013.
  9. ↑ Department of Infrastructure and Transport (4 October 2011). "Department of Infrastructure and Transport Annual Report 2010-11". Department of Infrastructure and Transport.
  10. ↑ Department of Infrastructure and Transport (3 November 2010). "Secretary". Department of Infrastructure and Transport. Archived from the original on 26 November 2010. Retrieved 13 October 2012.
  11. ↑ Keane, Bernard (15 May 2009). "Canberra’s new mandarin: meet Mike Mrdak". Crikey. Archived from the original on 18 June 2009. Retrieved 13 October 2012.
  12. ↑ University of Wollongong (6 December 2010). "Mike Mrdak: Secretary, Department of Infrastructure and Transport". University of Wollongong. Retrieved 15 March 2013.
  13. ↑ Malone, Paul (3 March 2013). "Abbott PS purge on the cards". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 7 March 2013.
  14. ↑ Department of Infrastructure and Transport (27 February 2013). "Annual Report 2011–12". Australian Government. Retrieved 18 June 2013.
  15. 1 2 Australian Public Service Commission (November 2012). "Capability review: Department of Infrastructure and Transport" (PDF). APSC. Retrieved 15 March 2013.
  16. ↑ Department of Finance and Deregulation (1 July 2012). "Flipchart of FMA Act Agencies / CAC Act Bodies". Department of Finance and Deregulation. Retrieved 12 October 2012.
  17. ↑ "Department of the Treasury Portfolio Budget Statements 2013-14". Australian Government. May 2013. Retrieved 3 July 2013.
  18. 1 2 "Infrastructure and Transport Portfolio Budget Statements 2013-14" (PDF). Australian Government Budget 2013-14. Australian Government. Retrieved 2 July 2013.
  19. ↑ Packham, Ben (18 September 2013). "Tony Abbott puts broom through bureaucracy". The Australian. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
  20. ↑ Tony Abbott (18 September 2013). "The Coalition will restore strong, stable and accountable government". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (Press release). Canberra, Australia: Commonwealth of Australia. Retrieved 20 September 2013.
  21. ↑ Wilson, Lauren (19 September 2013). "Coalition carves up the public service". The Australian. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
  22. ↑ CA 14: Department of Works and Railways, Central Office, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 18 June 2013
  23. ↑ CA 23: Department of Markets and Transport, Central Office, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 18 June 2013
  24. ↑ CA 26: Department of Transport [I], Central Office, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 18 June 2013
  25. ↑ CA 29: Department of Civil Aviation, Central Office, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 18 June 2013
  26. ↑ CA 44: Department of Transport [II], Central Office, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 18 June 2013
  27. ↑ CA 47: Department of Supply and Shipping, Central Office, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 18 June 2013
  28. ↑ CA 53: Department of Shipping and Fuel, Central Office, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 18 June 2013
  29. ↑ CA 55: Department of Fuel, Shipping and Transport, Central Office, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 18 June 2013
  30. ↑ CA 59: Department of Shipping and Transport, Central Office, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 28 June 2013
  31. ↑ CA 1492: Department of Transport [III], Head Office/ (from 1975) Central Office, Canberra and Melbourne, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 28 June 2013
  32. 1 2 "Department of Transport and Communications (1987 - 1993)". Encyclopedia of Australian Science. Retrieved 15 March 2013.
  33. ↑ CA 3253: Department of Aviation, Central Office, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 28 June 2013
  34. ↑ CA 3257: Department of Transport and Construction, Central Office, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 18 June 2013
  35. ↑ CA 3501: Department of Transport [IV], Central Office, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 28 June 2013
  36. ↑ National Library of Australia (2000). "Australia. Department of Transport and Communications.". Retrieved 15 March 2013.
  37. ↑ CA 5992: Department of Transport and Communications, Central Office, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 28 June 2013
  38. ↑ CA 7854: Department of Transport [V], Central Office, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 28 June 2013
  39. 1 2 CA 8248: Department of Transport and Regional Development, Central Office, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 28 June 2013
  40. 1 2 Department of Transport and Regional Services. "Department of Transport and Regional Services Annual Report 1998-99". Department of Infrastructure and Transport. Retrieved 13 October 2012.
  41. 1 2 CA 8618: Department of Transport and Regional Services, Central Office, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 28 June 2013
  42. 1 2 CA 9188: The Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 18 June 2013
  43. 1 2 Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government (30 October 2008). "Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Annual Report 2007-08". Department of Infrastructure and Transport. Retrieved 13 October 2012.
  44. ↑ CA 9333: Department of Infrastructure and Transport, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 18 September 2013
  45. ↑ CA 56: Department of National Development [I], Central Office, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 18 September 2013
  46. ↑ CA 2475: Department of National Development [II], Central Office, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 18 September 2013
  47. ↑ CA 2979: Department of National Development and Energy, Central Office, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 18 September 2013
  48. ↑ CA 3499: Department of Territories and Local Government, Central Office, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 18 September 2013
  49. ↑ CA 4137: Department of Local Government and Administrative Services, Central Office, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 18 September 2013
  50. ↑ CA 5988: Department of Immigration, Local Government and Ethnic Affairs, Central Office, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 18 September 2013
  51. ↑ CA 7660: Department of Health, Housing, Local Government and Community Services, Central Office, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 18 September 2013
  52. ↑ CA 7659: Department of Industry, Technology and Regional Development, Central Office, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 18 September 2013
  53. ↑ CA 7901: Department of Housing and Regional Development, Central Office, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 18 September 2013
  54. ↑ CA 9331: The Department of Regional Australia, Regional Development and Local Government, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 18 September 2013
  55. ↑ CA 9380: The Department of Regional Australia, Local Government, Arts and Sport, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 18 September 2013
  56. ↑ Towell, Noel (18 September 2013). "Three public service department heads sacked by Abbott government". The Canberra Times (Fairfax Media). Retrieved 20 September 2013.
  57. ↑ Abbott, Tony (18 September 2013). "The Coalition will restore strong, stable and accountable government" (Press release). Canberra, Australia: Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Archived from the original on 20 September 2013. Retrieved 20 September 2013.

External links

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