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.
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] 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.