Creation

On 14 April 1942, the Prime Minister, Mr Curtin, announced that the title of the Department of Defence Co-ordination was to be changed to the Department of Defence [III] as this was a more appropriate description of the functions of the Department in regard to defence policy and joint-service questions. It was envisaged that the functions would embrace a wider scope under the new organisation for the south-west Pacific area as the Prime Minister (who was initially the Minister for Defence) would be the link between the Government and the Supreme Commander, who would have the operational control of the Australian Forces placed at his disposal. The Prime Minister was also the channel of communication to and from the Australian representatives on the British War Cabinet and Pacific Councils in London and Washington. These communications were at the time mainly of a defence nature.

On 19 February 1945 the Prime Minister approved of the first step in the expansion of the joint-service and interdepartmental machinery of the Department, to ensure its adequacy to deal with the problems associated with the development of an effective post-war defence policy and the study and development of its relation to co-operation within the British Commonwealth and the World Security organisation (later the United Nations Organisation).

In the new organisation, provision was made for four main committees and various subordinate committees under the Defence Committee (CA 289) as part of the machinery of the Defence Department. The main committees were the Joint Planning Committee (CA 399), the Principal Administration Officers (maintenance and materials) Committee (CA 396), the Principal Administrative Officers (Personnel) Committee (CA 397) and the Defence Post-Hostilities Planning Committee (CA 463).

On 12 December 1945, the Joint Chiefs of Staff in Australia was set up within the Defence organisation to plan for and to control the British Commonwealth participation in the occupation of Japan as represented by the British Commonwealth Occupation Force.

In 1949, a Joint War Production Committee (CA 394) was established to report to the Minister for Defence and to advise the Defence Committee on aspects of the current material requirements of the Services and industrial potential. A Joint Intelligence Bureau was established as part of the Department of Defence Signals Branch to perform communication functions for certain inter-service purposes.

Function and purpose

In the Administrative Arrangements Orders of 14 March 1947, the Department of Defence [III] was listed as being responsible for the following matters:

Defence Policy
Higher Defence Organization
Matters on policy or principle and important Questions having a Joint Service or Inter-departmental defence aspect.

It was also responsible for administering the following legislation:

Defence Act 1903-1945 (in relation to the organization and control of the Naval, Military or Air Forces)
Defence (Transitional Provisions) Act 1946 in so far as it relates to the following Regulations:

National Security (Women's Services) Regulations
National Security (Supplementary) Regulations 48, 33
Defence (Visiting Forces) Act 1939
General Convention Act 1938
Telegraph Act 1909

In 1948 an officer was appointed to the Department of Defence to prepare a document along the lines of a Commonwealth War Book setting out the essential action to be taken in an emergency. In 1954, machinery was set up in the Department for conducting Industrial Mobilisation Courses.

The organisation of the Department changed slowly in the post war years but by 1951 the staff included a Deputy Secretary, First Assistant Secretary, three Assistant Secretaries, Secretary Joint War Production Committee, Commonwealth War Book Officer, Controller Joint Service Organisations and Scientific Assistant. A major re-organisation took place on 19 May 1958 in which the position of Deputy Secretary was abolished and two more first assistant Secretaries were created. The Director, Joint Intelligence Bureau and the Director, Defence Signals Branch became responsible directly to the Secretary.

Between 1955 and 1977 the Department of Defence provided the main administrative support for the Australian membership of SEATO. The South East Asia Treaty Organisation came into being following endorsement of the South East Asian Collective Defence Treaty also known as the Manila Pact. Article V of the Treaty provided for a Council empowered to consult on military and other planning. The Manila Treaty was ratified on 19 February 1955 and the first Council meeting took place in Bangkok from 23 to 25 February. The organisation was known as the South East Asia Collective Defence Treaty until 1956, when the name SEATO was adopted.

Each member country was obliged to maintain a registry. The Department of Defence provided the primary Australian SEATO registry and established sub-registries in Bangkok and Australia. The Defence registry held records of both the civil and military wings of SEATO. SEATO documents were maintained and registered by the central SEATO registry operated by the Secretariat to the Secretary-General. Copies of the these documents were subsequently distributed to all member country registries.

The twentieth SEATO Council meeting on 24 September 1975 in New York reviewed the role of SEATO and decided that it should be phased out. The Council did not meet again and SEATO was dissolved by 30 June 1977.

In December 1972 a re-organisation of the Defence group of departments began and because of the heavy burden of defence policy which was to fall on the Defence minister (then Lance Barnard), the Minister for Repatriation, Senator Bishop, was assigned to be Minister Assisting the Minister for Defence in respect of the Defence Forces. Senator Bishop exercised on behalf of the Minister for Defence many of the functions formerly conferred on the Ministers for the Navy, the Army, Air and Supply, which did not involve matters of defence policy. In the first stage of the re-organisation, the Department of Defence was given greater authority in its direction of the execution of defence policy and approved defence objectives by each of the three Service Boards and by the defence production, procurement and scientific areas of the Department of Supply. In the second stage, more direct lines of control were established over the activities of the Services and of defence production, procurement and defence science. This involved the merging of the three Service Departments into the Department of Defence on 30 November 1973.

On 28 January 1975, the Department of Defence [III] was re-structured into functional groupings supporting the three Services. On 9 February in the same year, the Government gave legal status to its Chief Military Adviser (the chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee) by retitling the office, Chief of Defence Force Staff, with command of the Defence Force, subject to ministerial direction, and authority over the Chief of Naval Staff, Chief of the General Staff, and Chief of Air Staff. Provision was made for the

administration of the Defence Force to be the joint responsibility of the Chief of Defence Force Staff and the Secretary of the Department, and to be delegated as necessary to individual Services. Provision was also made for the Chiefs of staff of the Army, Navy and Air Force to exercise command of the respective Services under the Chief of the Defence Force Staff and for all Chiefs of Staff and the Chief of the Defence Force Staff to have direct access to the Minister in relation to their professional responsibilities. These changes were brought into effect by the Defence Force Re-organisation Act of 1975.

On 9 February 1976, the newly created Council of Defence met for the first time to consider the re-organisation of the forces. The function of the Council was to allow consultation with the Minister on any aspect of the control and administration of the Defence Force and of the respective arms of the Defence Force, referred to the Council by the Minister.

In the administrative changes of 5 October 1976, the War Graves function (Defence Act 1903, paragraph 124 (1) (qba)) was passed to the Department of Veterans' Affairs (CA 2107) and the Government Paint Committee was passed to the Department of Science [II] (CA 1962). The Department of Defence [III] gained responsibility for industrial security from the Department of Administrative Services [II] (CA 1964). In this Administrative Arrangements Order, the Department was listed as being responsible for the following legislation:

Air Force Act 1923-1975
Approved Defence Projects Protection Act 1947-1973
Cockatoo and SchnapperIslands Act 1949-1973
Control of Naval Waters Act 1918-1973
Defence Act 1 3-1975 other than Sections 40A, 61, 61A, 61B, 61C and 118A
Defence Forces Re-organisation Act 1975
Defence Forces Retirement and Death Benefits Act 1973-1974
Defence Forces (Papua New Guinea) Retirement Benefits Act 1973-1975
Defence Forces Retirement Benefits (Pension Increases) Act 1974
Defence Forces Retirement and Death Benefits (Pension Increases) Act 1974
Defence (Parliamentary Candidates) Act 1969-1975
Defence (Special Undertakings) Act 1952-1973
Defence (Visiting Forces) Act 1963-1973, other than Part II
Geneva Conventions Act 1957, Part IV
Naval Defence Act 1910
Royal Australian Air Force Veterans' Residences Act 1953
Services Trust Funds Act 1947
War Precautions Act Repeal Act 1920, other than paragraph 22(c) War Services Estates Act 1942.

On 6 April 1977 the Minister for Defence said that since the abolition of individual Service Boards in February 1976 the Service Chiefs were Commanders of their respective Services under the Chief of Defence Force Staff who commanded the Defence Force. This had added new dimensions to their individual responsibilities. He had therefore created two new senior positions, of Rear Admiral and of Air Vice Marshal, to strengthen the top level structure of the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. These positions would provide the two Service Chiefs with true deputies.

In the 1982 Commonwealth Government Directory the functions of the Department of Defence were listed as:

Strategic appreciations, national intelligence assessments and strategic intelligence reports;
Formulation of Defence policy objectives;
Defence planning and the deployment of the Defence Force;
Provision of collective military advice to the Minister for Defence through the Chief of Defence Force Staff;
Policy for organisation, training, administration and control of the Navy, Army and Air Force;
Planning and control of Joint Military operations;
Defence programming and disposition of resources to manning equipment, supplies and works for the Defence Force;
Supervision of estimates, allocation of funds and control of Defence expenditure;
Scientific advice and formulation of Defence research and development policy;
Formulation of Defence policies relating to Defence industry and to material procurement and reserves;
Nationalisation of service activities and co-ordination of their policies;
Review of implementation by services of Defence policies;
Financial and other common conditions of service in the Defence Force;
Higher appointments to the Defence Force;
Defence and services representation aboard;
General policy and technical direction of services electronic data processing project, development and application of E.D.P.;
Management of Joint Services and inter-departmental machinery engaged in above matters;
Administration of the National Disaster Organisation.

As outlined earlier, the Secretary jointly administers the Department of Defence with the Chief of Defence Forces Staff who is assisted in his responsibilities by an assistant Chief who is in turn aided by a Chief of Joint Operations and Plans. A Policy Co-ordination Division provides advice to both the civilian and Military Heads. In 1981 the structure of the remainder of the Department was arranged by functional groupings. Strategic Policies and Force Development consisted of three Divisions: Strategic and International Policy, Force Development and Analysis and Programs and Budgets and also the Chiefs of Navy material, Army material and Air force material who co-ordinated the development of new Service proposals for major equipment for their respective Services. Supply and Support consisted of two divisions: Supply and Quality Assurance and Engineering Resources Policy together with the Chief of Naval Technical Services, the Director-General, Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, and the Chief of Air Force Technical Services. Manpower and Financial Services consisted of four divisions: Personnel Administration and Policy, Industrial, Establishments, Financial Services and Internal Audit Division; and the Manpower Policy, Industrial, Establishments Branch. There were four divisions covering management and infrastructure services: Defence Industry and Material Policy; Defence Facilities; Computing Services; Defence Communications System.

The Defence Science and Technology Organisation consisted of a Chief Defence Scientist; three divisions for Programs and Administration, Projects and Analytical Studies and Service Laboratories and Trials; Laboratories for material Research, Aeronautical Research, Advanced Engineering, Electronics Research and Weapons Systems Research as well as the Defence Research Centre at Salisbury and the Australian Ordnance Council. Other organisations in the Department included the Joint Intelligence Organisation, the Defence Signals Directorate and a Natural Disaster Organisation. Each Service also had an office within the organisational structure headed by the Chief of Naval Staff, the Chief of General staff, or the Chief of Air Staff, each responsible for the divisions within his office. Defence Regional Offices under the control of regional Secretaries were established in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Hobart, Adelaide and Perth. A sub-office under a Deputy Regional Secretary was established in Darwin.

In 1981, the Committee of Review into Commonwealth Functions, headed by Sir Phillip Lynch, made a number of recommendations on the Department of Defence including a reduction in direct Commonwealth involvement in defence science, research and development; the greater use of private sector and government factories to meet quality control requirements together with the establishment of a single Defence Quality Assurance Service; the transfer of the Defence Printing Establishment, Brunswick, to the Australian Government Printing Service within twelve months; and a major review of the Defence organisation to be conducted and to report by mid 1982.

On 7 May 1981, the Minister for Defence and the Prime Minister announced that the Defence Review Committee would be chaired by John Utz, Chairman and Chief Executive of Wormald International, and would review the organisation of the higher Defence machinery in the light of experience since the Defence re-organisation of 9 February 1976. It was not to be run on the lines of a public inquiry even though interested parties could make submissions to the committee.

In July 1981, an independent review of the Defence Science and Technology Organisation was finalised. The report was highly

critical of the organisation and recommended that it should be given specific obligations for the provision of scientific support to the Defence Department and the Defence Forces. It also recommended that the Defence Science and Technology Organisation be responsible for providing direct advice to the Minister for Defence. However, an internal review of the same organisation disagreed with the independent study. Both reviews were referred to the Defence Review Committee for consideration.

On 7 May 1982 the Department of Defence lost the functions of defence-industry development, naval dockyards (except fleet-based activities at GardenIsland) and the research and development laboratories of the Defence Science and Technology Organization to the new Department of Defence Support (CA 3254). These changes were made as a result of the recommendations in the interim report of the Defence Review Committee submitted in May 1982.

Under the Administrative Arrangements Orders of 11 March 1983, Defence science research and development establishments were passed back to the responsibility of the Minister for Defence from the Department of Defence Support (CA 3254). In the Administrative Arrangements Orders of 1 March 1984, two acts no longer appeared on the lists for the Defence portfolio. These were the Defence Force (Papua New Guinea) Retirement Benefits Act 1973 and the Defence (Visiting Forces) Act 1963 other than part II which was the responsibility of the Attorney-General's Department.

On 10 April 1984 the Minister for Defence announced that the Government had accepted the final report of the Defence Review Committee chaired by John Utz. The final report was presented in October 1982 but a decision on it had not been made before the Liberal Government left office. The Minister said that the report had endorsed the present distribution of authority between the Department and the Defence Force. It also stressed the need for close consultation and collaboration between the Department and the Defence Forces. The Minister said that the Government endorsed the Committee's recommendations for strengthening the position of the Chief of Defence Force Staff and legislation to effect a change in title would be brought before Parliament later in 1984.

Under the Administrative Arrangement Order of 13 December 1984, the Department of Defence [III] gained responsibility for defence production and defence purchasing, including offsets for defence purposes from the Department of Defence Support (CA 3254) on its abolition. The following acts, previously with the Department of Defence Support, are now administered by the Department of Defence [III]:

Cockatoo and Schnapper Island Act 1949
Naval Defence Act 1910 Part VI
Supply and Development Act 1939

In a Media Release of 11 December 1984, the Prime Minister spoke of the integration of the Defence portfolios as follows:

"The experience of the Government's first term suggests that the needs of Defence policy making, and of the Defence Industries, will be better served if all related responsibilities are brought together within the one portfolio. It has, therefore been decided to transfer most of the functions of Defence Support into Defence, under the supervision of a very senior officer working to the Minister and Secretary for Defence. The close working relationship developed by the Minister for Defence Support with the defence industry will be continued under the new arrangements."

In the Administrative Arrangements Order of 30 July 1985 (Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, No S 320, 1 August 1985) the remaining provisions of the Defence Amendment Act 1979 and the Defence Force Re-organisation Act 1978 were proclaimed and were all incorporated into the Defence Act 1903. At the same time the War Precaution Act Repeal Act 1920, other than paragraph 22(a) went to the Department of Veterans' Affairs (CA 2107).

In the Administrative Arrangements Order of 31 January 1992 (Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, No S 37, 5 February 1992) the following new Acts became the responsibility of the Department:

Commonwealth and State Housing Agreement (Service Personnel) Act 1990
Defence Force (Home Loans Assistance) Act 1990
Military Superannuation and Benefits Act 1991.

In the Administrative Arrangements Order of 25 March 1994 (Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, No. GN13, 6 April 1994) the Department of Veterans' Affairs (CA 2107) became part of the Defence Portfolio.

In the Administrative Arrangements Order of 11 March 1996 (Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, No. S93, 11 March 1996) the matters dealt with by the Department were rewritten as follows:

'Defence, including -

international defence relations and defence co-operation
defence scientific research and development
defence procurement and purchasing, including offsets for defence purposes
defence industry development and co-operation
Commonwealth emergency management, including civil defence'.

In the same administrative change, the Department gained the new Weapons of Mass Destruction (Prevention of Proliferation) Act 1995.

A major review commenced in October 1996 known as the Defence Efficiency Review.On 11 April 1997, the Minister for Defence, Mr Ian McLachlan announced the 'Defence Reform Program', based on the Review's 70 recommendations.Key initiatives of the Program included:

. increased support for combat elements of the defence forces
. staffing cuts to the Defence Headquarters
. increased responsibility to the Chiefs of the Navy, Army And Air Force in overall policy development
. acquisition functions to be reorganised into groups focussing on common industry sectors or equipment types rather than divided by Service
. support functions to be consolidated and duplication cut.

On 30 June 1997, the Chief of the ADF and the Secretary of the Department announced a new 14 program structure, to take effect from 1 July 1997.

In the Amending Administrative Arrangement Order of 26 November 2001, (Commonwealth of Australia Special Gazette No. S 468, 26 November 2001), the function of ‘Defence – Commonwealth emergency management, including civil defence’ was omitted from the list of matters dealt with by the Department.

In the same administrative order the following legislation was listed as that administered by the Department:

Air Force Act 1923
Approved Defence Projects Protection Act 1947
Cockatoo and SchnapperIslands Act 1949
Commonwealth and State Housing Agreement (Service Personnel) Act 1990
Control of Naval Waters Act 1918
Defence Act 1903, other than sections 58F to 58Q, 61, 61A, 61B, 61C, 118A and 118B and paragraph 124(1)(qba)
Defence Force Discipline Act 1982
Defence Force (Home Loans Assistance) Act 1990
Defence Force Retirement and Death Benefits Act 1973
Defence Forces Retirement and Death Benefits (Pension Increases) Acts
Defence Forces Retirement Benefits Acts
Defence Forces Retirement Benefits Fund (Distribution of Surplus to Pensioners) Act 1976
Defence Forces Retirement Benefits (Pension Increases) Acts
Defence Forces Special Retirement Benefits Act 1960
Defence Housing Authority Act 1987
Defence Reserve Service (Protection) Act 2001
Defence (Parliamentary Candidates) Act 1969
Defence (Special Undertakings) Act 1952
Geneva Conventions Act 1957, Part IV
Military Superannuation and Benefits Act 1991
Naval Defence Act 1910, Part VI
Royal Australian Air Force Veterans’ Residences Act 1953
Services Trust Fund Act 1947
War Services Estates Act 1942
Weapons of Mass Destruction (Prevention of Proliferation) Act 1995
Williamstown Dockyard Employees Act 1987

In the Administrative Arrangement Order of 16 December 2004, the following legislation was added to those administered by the Department:

Explosives Act 1961
Intelligence Services Act 2001, insofar as it relates to that part of the Department of Defence known as the Defence Signals Directorate
Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004, Chapter 3, in relation to rehabilitation of serving members of the Australian Defence Force; and Chapter 6, in relation to treatment for injuries and diseases of serving members of the Australian Defence Force

In amendments dated 29 June 2010 to the Administrative Arrangements Order of 6 May 2010, the following amendment was made to the legislation administered by the department:

"Defence Act 1903, except to the extent administered by the Prime Minister and the Attorney-General and other than section 58F to 58Q, 61, 61A, 61B, 61C, 118A and 118B and paragraph 124(1)(qba)"

was replaced by:

"Defence Act 1903, except to the extent administered by the Prime Minister and the Attorney-General and paragraph 124(1)(qba)"

In the Administrative Arrangements Order of 14 September 2010 the matter of ‘defence procurement and purchasing, including offsets for defence purposes’ was amended in title to, ‘defence capability plan acquisitions and sustainment’. In the subsequent Administrative Arrangements Order of 14 October 2010 this matter was again amended to read ‘defence procurement and purchasing’.

In the Administrative Arrangement Orders coming into force on 1 July 2022 the functions of the department were listed as:

Defence, including -

international defence relations and defence co-operation

defence scientific research and development

defence procurement and purchasing

defence industry development and co-operation

The same AAO listed the legislations administered by the Minister as:

Australian Defence Force Cover Act 2015

Australian Defence Force Superannuation Act 2015

Cockatoo and Schnapper Islands Act 1949

Control of Naval Waters Act 1918

Defence Act 1903, except to the extent administered by the Prime Minister or the Attorney-General and paragraph 124(1)(qba)

Defence Force Discipline Act 1982

Defence Force (Home Loans Assistance) Act 1990

Defence Force Retirement and Death Benefits Act 1973

Defence Force Retirement and Death Benefits (Pension Increases) Acts

Defence Forces Retirement Benefits Act 1948

Defence Forces Retirement Benefits (Pension Increases) Acts

Defence Forces Special Retirement Benefits Act 1960

Defence Home Ownership Assistance Scheme Act 2008

Defence Housing Australia Act 1987

Defence (Parliamentary Candidates) Act 1969

Defence Reserve Service (Protection) Act 2001

Defence (Road Transport Legislation Exemption) Act 2006

Defence (Special Undertakings) Act 1952

Defence Trade Controls Act 2012

Explosives Act 1961

Geneva Conventions Act 1957, Part IV

Intelligence Services Act 2001, insofar as it relates to the Australian Signals Directorate and that part of the Department of Defence known as the Australian Geospatial-Intelligence Organisation and the Defence Intelligence Organisation

Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004, Chapter 3, in relation to rehabilitation of serving members of the Australian Defence Force; and Chapter 6, in relation to treatment for injuries and diseases of serving members of the Australian Defence Force

Military Superannuation and Benefits Act 1991

Royal Australian Air Force Veterans' Residences Act 1953

Services Trust Funds Act 1947

War Gratuity Act 1945

Weapons of Mass Destruction (Prevention of Proliferation) Act 1995

Administration

Ministers for the Department of Defence [III] have been:

14 Apr 1942 – 6 Jul 1945 : Rt Hon. John Curtin (CP 258)
6 Jul 1945 – 15 Aug 1946 : Rt Hon. John Albert Beasley (CP 84)
15 Aug 1946 – 1 Nov 1946 : Rt Hon. Francis Michael Forde (CP 81)
1 Nov 1946 – 19 Dec 1949 : Hon. John J Dedman
19 Dec 1949 – 24 Oct 1950 : Hon. Eric John Harrison
24 Oct 1950 – 18 Dec 1958 : Hon. Sir Phillip Albert Martin McBride KCMG
18 Dec 1958 – 18 Dec 1963 : Hon. Athol Gordon Townley
18 Dec 1963 – 24 Apr 1964 : Hon. Paul Meernaa Caedwalla Hasluck (CP 115)
24 Apr 1964 – 19 Jan 1966 : Senator the Hon. Sir Shane Paltridge
26 Jan 1966 – 12 Nov 1969 : Hon. Sir Allen Fairhall KBE (CP 37)
12 Nov 1969 – 8 Mar 1971 : Rt Hon. John Malcolm Fraser (CP 51)
13 Aug 1971 – 5 Dec 1972 : Hon. Sir David Eric Fairbairn KBE (CP 124)
5 Dec 1972 – 11 Nov 1975 : Hon. Lance Barnard (CP 94)
11 Nov 1975 – 7 May 1982 : Hon. Sir Denis James Killen (CP 46)
7 May 1982 – 11 Mar 1983 : Rt Hon. Ian McCahon Sinclair (CP 426)
11 Mar 1983 – 13 Dec 1984 : Hon. Gordon Glen Denton Scholes (CP 306)
13 Dec 1984 – 4 Apr 1990 : Hon. Kin Christian Beazley (CP 337)
4 Apr 1990 – 11 Mar 1996 : Senator the Hon. Robert Ray
11 Mar 1996 – 21 Oct 1998 : Hon. Ian McLachlan AO
21 Oct 1998 – 30 Jan 2001 : Hon. John Moore
30 Jan 2001 – 26 Nov 2001 : Hon. Peter Reith (CP 590)
26 Nov 2001 - 27 Jan 2006 : Senator the Hon. Robert Hill
27 Jan 2006 - 3 Dec 2007 : Hon. Brendan Nelson
3 Dec 2007 – 24 June 2009 : Hon. Joel Fitzgibbon
24 June 2009 - 14 Sept 2010 : Hon. John Faulkner
14 Sept 2010 - 18 Sep 2013 : Hon. Stephen Smith
18 Sep 2013 - 23 Dec 2014 : Hon. David Johnston
23 Dec 2014 - 21 Sep 2015 : Hon. Kevin Andrews
21 Sep 2015 - 28 Aug 2018 : Sen the Hon Marise Payne
28 Aug 2018 - 26 May 2019 : Hon Christopher Pyne
29 May 2019 - 30 Mar 2021 : Sen the Hon Linda Reynolds
30 Mar 2021 - 23 May 2022 : Hon Peter Dutton
1 Jun 2022 - : Hon Richard Marles

Secretaries to the Department of Defence [III] have been:

13 Apr 1942 – 28 Oct 1956: Sir Frederick Shedden KCMG (CP 320)
28 Oct 1956 – 5 Jan 1968: Sir Edwin Hicks CBE
8 Jan 1968 – 1 Mar 1970: Sir Henry Bland CBE (CP 392)
2 Mar 1970 – 16 Aug 1979: Sir Arthur Tange CBE (CP 229)
16 Aug 1979 – 6 Feb 1984: W B Pritchett
6 Feb 1984 – 15 Oct 1986: Sir William Cole
14 Nov 1986 – 31 Jul 1988: A J Woods AO
1 Aug 1988 – 5 Feb 1998: A J Ayers AC
5 Feb 1998 – 31 Oct 1999: P H Barratt
21 Oct 1999 – 20 Oct 2002: Dr Allan Hawke
11 Nov 2002 – 3 Dec 2006 : Dr Richard Smith
4 Dec 2006 – 13 August 2009 : Nicholas Warner
13 Aug 2009 - 5 Sep 2011: Dr Ian Watt
5 Sep 2011 - 18 Oct 2012: Maj. Gen. Duncan Lewis
18 Oct 2012 - 12 May 2017 : Dennis Richardson
4 Sept 2017 - : Greg Moriarty

Sources:

The New Government, Title of Portfolio Altered, 14 April 1942, Part 1 in Commonwealth Digest of Decisions and Announcements, No. 25, 5-22 April 1942, p.22
Commonwealth of Australia Gazette No. 113, 14 April 1942, p.1
Committee of Review – Civil Staffing of Wartime Activities Report on the Department of Defence, 10 January 1946, Part 1
Commonwealth of Australia Gazette No. S 175, 5 October 1976, p. 5
Department of Defence, Press Release No. 22/76. Part 1
Department of Defence, Press Release No. 70/77. Part 1
Defence Department – A Historical Summary Background papers
Commonwealth Government Directory 1982, pp.133-153
Commonwealth of Australia Gazette No. S 91, 7 May 1982, p.5 No.S 45, 11 March 1983
New Release, Department of Defence, No.61/84, 10 April 1984
Commonwealth of Australia Gazette No. S 520, 13 December 1984
Commonwealth of Australia Gazette No. PS 2, 15 January 1998
Commonwealth of Australia Gazette No. S 512, 21 October 1998
Commonwealth of Australia Gazette No. S 514, 22 October 1998
Commonwealth of Australia Special Gazette No. S 41, 31 January 2001
Commonwealth of Australia Special Gazette No. S 468, 26 November 2001

Historical agency address:

1942 – by 1962: Victoria Barracks, Melbourne VIC
By 1962 – 1965: Administrative Offices, Parkes, Canberra ACT
1965 - : Russell Offices, Canberra ACT