The Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications was an Australian Public Service department of the Australian Government 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.
[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.
[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] The department was headquartered in the Canberra central business district at Infrastructure House and the neighbouring building to Infrastructure House.
[7] 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.