The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (PM&C) is a department of the Australian Government with broad-ranging responsibilities; notably, intergovernmental and whole of government policy coordination and assisting the prime minister of Australia in managing the Federal Cabinet.

[7] The Prime Minister of the day, William McMahon, told the media that the former system with separate departments was inefficient.

[10] In February 2014, The Canberra Times examined pay conditions and staffing records and found that PM&C is one of the public service's best-paid departments and among its least culturally diverse.

The Group also coordinates the foreign affairs, trade and national security aspects of the Australian federal budget.

The Group was formerly led by the post of National Security Adviser (NSA) which was established in December 2008 by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and disbanded in 2013 by Prime Minister Tony Abbott with responsibilities transferred back to the Deputy Secretary of the National Security and International Policy Group.

The group delivers the department's enabling and support functions and also oversees the implementation and ongoing delivery of key Government programmes, policies and initiatives.