Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications

The Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications was an Australian Public Service department of the Government of Australia that existed between February 2020 and June 2022, responsible for transport infrastructure, transport policy, local government, external territories administration, rural and regional development, communications and the arts.

Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications

The building at 62 Northbourne Avenue in Canberra, which housed part of the department.
Department overview
Formed	1 February 2020
Preceding agencies	Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Cities and Regional Development Department of Communications and the Arts
Dissolved	30 June 2022
Superseding agency	Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts
Jurisdiction	Commonwealth Government
Minister responsible	Catherine King, Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government
Department executive	Simon Atkinson, Secretary

Formation and succession

The department was formed on 1 February 2020 from the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Cities and Regional Development and the Department of Communications and the Arts.^[1][2] The announcement of the merger of the two departments, and specifically not including the word 'Arts' in the new department's title, was criticised by some in the arts industry, being seen as an attack on the arts.^[3] The department retained portfolio responsibilities to arts.^[4]

After the 2022 election, the newly elected Albanese government decided to replace the department with the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts.^[5][6]

Location

The department was headquartered in the Canberra central business district at Infrastructure House and the neighbouring building to Infrastructure House.^[7]

Structure and audit of expenditure

The department was administered by a senior executive, comprising a Secretary (Simon Atkinson) and several Deputy Secretaries, and was accountable to several ministers, including Catherine King.^{[8]: p. 26} The department was accountable to several ministers.^{[8]: p. 20}

The department's financial statements were audited by the Australian National Audit Office.^{[8]: p. 37}

References

1. Hendry, Justin (5 December 2019). "Communications dept abolished in APS restructure". IT News. Retrieved 1 July 2023.
2. "Comms Chief To Go As PM Takes Axe To Federal Departments – channelnews". Retrieved 4 May 2020.
3. . Limelight. Archived from the original on 24 March 2023. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
4. Dye, Josh (6 December 2019). "'No change': Arts minister Paul Fletcher calls for calm amid industry unrest". The Sydney Morning Herald.
5. Johnstone, Richard (6 June 2022). "Australia reorganises departments to reflect new government's priorities". Global Government Forum.
6. Gallagher, Katy; Albanese, Anthony (1 June 2022). "Delivering a Better Government" (Press release). Australian Government.
7. Brookfield (2012). "Brookfield Office Properties: Infrastructure House". Brookfield. Retrieved 13 October 2012.
8. Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications (October 2022). "Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communicatoins Annual Report 2021-22" (PDF). Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communicatoins.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)