Department of Transport and Communications
{{Short description|Australian government department, 1987–1993}}
{{Use Australian English|date=November 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2023}}
{{Infobox government agency
|agency_name = Department of Transport and Communications
|logo =
|logo_width = 200 px
|logo_caption =
|seal =
|seal_width =
|seal_caption =
|preceding1 = Department of Communications (I)
|superseding = Department of Transport (V)
Department of Communications (II)
|type = Department
|jurisdiction = Commonwealth of Australia
|employees =
|budget =
|minister1_name = Gareth Evans
|minister1_pfo = Minister (1987–1988)
|minister2_name = Ralph Willis
|minister2_pfo = Minister (1988–1990)
|minister3_name = Kim Beazley
|minister3_pfo = Minister (1990–1991)
|minister4_name = John Kerin
|minister4_pfo = Minister (1991)
|minister5_name = Graham Richardson
|minister5_pfo = Minister (1991–1992)
|minister6_name = Bob Collins
|minister6_pfo = Minister (1992–1993)
| chief1_name = Peter Wilenski
| chief1_position = Secretary (1987–1988){{Cite Australian Dictionary of Biography|first=Chad|last=Mitcham|title=Peter Stephen Wilenski (1939–1994)|id2=wilenski-peter-stephen-29978}}
| chief2_name = Graham Evans
| chief2_position = Secretary (1988–1993)
}}
The Department of Transport and Communications was an Australian government department that existed between July 1987 and December 1993.
History
The Department of Transport and Communications was one of 16 "super-ministries" announced as part of a major restructuring of the administration and economy by Prime Minister Bob Hawke in July 1987.{{citation|title=CA 3253: Department of Aviation, Central Office|publisher=National Archives of Australia|accessdate=27 November 2013|url=http://naa12.naa.gov.au/scripts/SearchOld.asp?Number=CA+3253|archive-date=29 June 2013|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130629090020/http://naa12.naa.gov.au/scripts/SearchOld.asp?Number=CA+3253|url-status=dead}}
The Department oversaw the development of a third runway at Kingsford Smith Airport, achieved new industry structures for aviation and reform of the shipping and waterfront sectors, progressed Australia towards a national railway system and uniform national road regulation, introduced new regulatory arrangements for telecommunications, broadcasting and radio communications and arranged for sale of communications licences for more than a billion dollars.{{cite press release|url=http://pmtranscripts.dpmc.gov.au/browse.php?did=9093|title=STATEMENT BY THE PRIME MINISTER, THE HON P J KEATING, MP MINISTERIAL APPOINTMENTS|date=23 December 1993|first=Paul|last=Keating|author-link=Paul Keating|archivedate=6 December 2013|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131206050937/http://pmtranscripts.dpmc.gov.au/browse.php?did=9093}}
Scope
Information about the department's functions and government funding allocation could be found in the Administrative Arrangements Orders, the annual Portfolio Budget Statements and in the Department's annual reports.
According to the Administrative Arrangements Order made on 24 July 1997, the Department dealt with:{{citation|url=http://www.naa.gov.au/Images/AAO_1987_24_July_tcm16-45238.pdf|title=Administrative Arrangements Order issued 27 July 1987|date=27 July 1987|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130427215659/http://www.naa.gov.au/Images/AAO_1987_24_July_tcm16-45238.pdf|archivedate=27 April 2013|publisher=National Archives of Australia|page=15}}
- Shipping and marine navigation
- Land transport (including road safety)
- Civil aviation and air navigation
- Aviation security
- Postal and telecommunications services
- Management of the electromagnetic spectrum
- Television and radio
Structure
The Department was an Australian Public Service department responsible to the Minister of the day. Department officials were headed by a Secretary, initially Peter Wilenski (until September 1988) and then G.C. Evans (from October 1988).{{cite press release|url=http://pmtranscripts.dpmc.gov.au/browse.php?did=7330|first=Bob|last=Hawke|author-link=Bob Hawke|date=2 June 1988|title=Prime Minister: For Media|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131110145443/http://pmtranscripts.dpmc.gov.au/browse.php?did=7330|archivedate=10 November 2013}}