The Department of Defence Support was created on 7 May 1982
(Commonwealth Gazette, No S94, 7 May 1982).  It assumed functions from the Department of Industry and Commerce [I] (CA 1956), the Department of Administrative Services [II] (CA 1964) and the Department of Defence [III] (CA 46).

In a media release dated 7 May 1982, the Prime Minister said that the new Defence Support Department was based on a recommendation from the Defence Review Committee, set up under the leadership of John Utz, which in an interim report on the issue of departmental organisation (dated 4 May 1982) concluded that there were disadvantages in the present large structure of the Department of Defence [III] (CA 46). It was recommended that the creation of a Department of Defence Support and the grouping of defence support activities under a separate Minister and Department would enable close co-operation with scientific and industrial organisations who were presently involved with the Department of Defence [III]. At the same time defence support effort could be integrated more closely with private sector industrial capacity and move towards increased self-reliance in industrial support.
 
The Prime Minister acticipated that there would be a close
relationshp between the new Department and the Department of Defence [III]. The Minister for Defence, Mr Sinclair, was to retain central responsibility for formulating defence policy and co-ordinating defence expenditure. The Minister for Defence Support, Mr Viner, was to be the Minister assisting the Minister for Defence. Mr Viner and the Secretary of his Department, Mr Taylor (Acting), later Mr Charles Halton were to be members of the Council of Defence and the
Department of Defence support was to be represented at various levels on defence co-ordinating bodies.
 
The Department of Defence Support took over the defence production factories previously under the Department of Industry and Commerce [I] (CA 1956); the naval dockyards at Garden Island and Williamstown other than the fleet-based activities at Garden Island,
administration of the major research and development laboratories of the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (viz. the Defence Engineering Laboratory, the Aeronautical Research Laboratories, the Electronic Research Laboratories, the Material Research Laboratories, and the Weapons Systems Research Laboratories); that part of the Defence purchasing now located in the Department of Administrative Serices [II]; and the Defence Industry Development functions of the Department of Defence [III].
 
The Department of Defence Support was listed in the Administrative Arrangements Orders of 7 May 1982 as having responsibility for the following matters:
 
. Within defence policies approved by the Minister for Defence the 
  following support for defence purposes -
 
 . Purchase of goods and services
 . Manufacture of goods and provision of services
 . Research and development
 . Development of Australian industry
 . Dockyard support.
 
The Department administered the following legislation:
 
. Cockatoo and Schnapper Islands Act 1949
. Naval Defence Act 1910, Part VI
. Supply and Development Act 1939.
 
The following information on the structure of the new Department was included in the Press Statement of 18 May 1982:
 
. Munitions Supply:
  Controller - G J Churcher (oversees the management of the
  Government Munitions Factories)
 
. Aircraft Guided Weapons and Electronics Supply:
  Controller - K D Johnson (manages the Government Aircraft
  Factories and responsible for defence capacity within the aerospace
  industry)
 
. Defence Research and Development Laboratories Naval Dockyard:  Head
  of Dockyard Secretariat - D F Bruce (administers the Garden Island,
  NSW and Williamstown, Victoria, dockyards)
 
. Industry Development:
  Assistant Secretary - G M Taylor (responsible for the participation
  of Australian Industry in the procurement and support of defence 
  equipment including the development of appropriate technologies)  

. Purchasing:
  Assistant Secretary, Major Projects - F B Long (responsible for 
  purchasing of material for the Defence Forces and major purchases 
  for the Australian Government)
 
. Marketing:
  Assistant Secretary - G Johnson (responsible for marketing overseas
  of defence and related products; administers the Australian Offsets
  Policy)
 
. Management:
  First Assistant Secretary - P G Gifford (provided administrative
  support for the Department).
 
Under the Administrative Arrangements Orders of 11 March 1983 the Department lost responsibility for the Defence Science Laboratories to the Department of Defence [III] (CA 46).
 
The Department of Defence Support was abolished on 13 December 1984 by Executive Council Meeting of 13 December 1984 (PSB Minute No 1984/80) (as notified in the Commonwealth Gazette, No S520, 13 December 1984). The majority of its functions were passed to the Department of Defence [III] (CA 46). However, the implicit functions of offsets were divided between the Department of Defence [III] (CA 46) and the Department of Industry, Technology and Commerce (CA 4132). In a Media Release of 11 December 1984, the Prime Minister commented as follows:
 
 "Responsibility for offsets policy, and administration of non- 
 Defence offsets will be transferred to the Department of Industry,
 Technology and Commerce (the precise split will be guided by the
 report of the current inquiry into offsets)."
 
Ministers for the Department of Defence Support were:
 
 7 May 1982 - 11 Mar 1983   : Hon Robert Ian Viner (CP 316)
11 Mar 1983 - 13 Dec 1984   : Hon Brian Leslie Howe.
 
Secretary to the Department was:
 
 7 May 1982 - 13 Dec 1984   : C C Halton.
 
 
Sources
 
1. Commonwealth Gazette Nos S91, S94 and S95 of 7 May 1982, Nos S45
   and S46 of 11 March 1983
2. Media Release: Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, 7 
   and 11 May 1982
3. The Australian Financial Review, 18 May 1982, p 16
4. Media Release: Department of Defence Support, No 1/82 of 17 May 
   1982
Historical agency address
Anzac Park West, Constitution Avenue, Reid ACT
Legislation administered
Creation: Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, No. S94, 7 May 1982 
Abolition: Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, No. S520, 13 December 1984