On 7 May 1982 the Prime Minister announced that the department of Transport [III] (CA 1492) had been abolished as part of a general reorganisation of Commonwealth departments and ministerial
responsibilities. This change was formally notified in Commonwealth Gazette, No S94, 7 May 1982, which also notified the abolition of the Department of Housing and Construction [II] (CA 2747) and the creation of the new Department of Aviation (CA 3253) and Transport and Construction (CA 3257). In his Press Release of 7 May 1982 the Prime Minister described these changes saying that:
 
 "the functions of the Department of Transport will be divided 
 between the two new Departments of Aviation and of Transport and 
 Construction. The re-establishment of an Aviation Department 
 recognises the the importance of civil aviation to the economy and 
 to the community at large. It is a distinct area which presents 
 particular issues of its own and its importance warrants individual 
 ministerial attention.
 
 The new Department of Transport and Construction will carry out 
 functions relating to road, rail and sea transport and assume 
 responsibility for the Commonwealth construction activities of the 
 (abolished) Department of Housing and Construction."
 
The Administrative Arrangements Orders of 7 May 1982 (published in Commonwealth Gazette, No S91, 7 May 1982) stated that the following functions were dealt with by the Department of Transport and
Construction:
 
. Shipping and marine navigation (including lighthouses lightships, 
  beacons and buoys)
. Land transport
. Planning, execution and maintenance of Commonwealth Government
  works
. Design and maintenance of furniture, furnishings and fittings for 
  the Commonwealth Government.
 
The same Administrative Arrangements Orders listed the legislation administered by the Minister for Transport and Construction as follows:
 
. Appropriation (Urban Public Transport) Acts
. Australian Coastal Shipping Agreement Act 1956
. Australian National Railways Act 1917
. Australian Shipping Commission Act 1956
. Beaches, Fishing Grounds and Sea Routes Protection Act 1932, except
  section 3
. Commonwealth Aid Roads Act 1969
. Explosives Act 1961
. Inter-State Commission Act 1975
. King Island Harbour Agreement Act 1973
. King Island Shipping Service Agreement Act 1974
. Lighthouses Act 1911
. National Roads Act 1974
. National Railway Network (Financial Assistance) Act 1979
. Navigation Act 1912
. Northern Territory Railway Extension Act 1971
. Pollution of the Sea by Oil Act 1960
. Pollution of the Sea by Oil (Shipping Levy) Act 1972
. Pollution of the Sea by Oil (Shipping Levy Collection) Act 1972 
. Port Augusta to Whyalla Railway Act 1970
. Port Statistics Act 1977
. Protection of the Sea (Civil Liability) Act 1981
. Protection of the Sea (Discharge of Oil from Ships) Act 1981 
. Protection of the Sea (Powers of Intervention) Act 1981
. Protection of the Sea (Shipping Levy) Act 1981
. Protection of the Sea (Powers of Intervention) Act 1981
. Protection of the Sea (Shipping Levy) Act 1981
. Protection of the Sea (Shipping Levy Collection) Act 1981
. Queensland Beef Cattle Roads Agreement Act 1962
. Railway Agreement (Adelaide to Crystal Brook Railway) Act 1980 
. Railway Agreement (New South Wales and South Australia) Act 1968 
. Railway Agreement (Queensland) Acts
. Railway Agreement (Tasmania) Act 1971
. Railway Agreement (Western Australia) Act 1961
. Railway Equipment Agreement (South Australia) Act 1961
. Railway Standardization (New South Wales and Victoria) Agreement 
  Act 1958
. Railway Standardization (South Australia) Agreement Act 1949  
. Railways Agreement (South Australia) Act 1975
. Railways (South Australia) Agreement Act 1926
. Railways (Tasmania) Act 1975
. Roads Acts Amendment Acts
. Roads Grants Acts
. Sea-Carriage of Goods Act 1924
. Seat of Government Railway Act 1928
. Shipping Registration Act 1981
. Snowy Mountains Engineering Corporation Act 1970
. States Grants (Beef Cattle Roads) Act 1968
. States Grants (Roads) Act 1977
. States Grants (Roads Interim Assistance) Act 1977
. States Grants (Urban Public Transport) Acts
. Submarine Cables and Pipelines Protection Act 1963
. Tarcoola to Alice Springs Railway Act 1974
. Trade Practices Act 1974, Part X and sections 150 to 154 inclusive . Transport (Planning and Research) Act 1974
. Transport Planning and Research (Financial Assistance) Act 1977 
. Urban Public Transport (Research and Planning) Act 1974.
 
On 11 March 1983 the Department of Transport and Construction was renamed the Department of Transport [IV] (CA 3501). Construction functions (planning, execution and maintenance of Commmonwealth Government Works and design and maintenance of furniture, furnishings and fittings for the Government) were passed to the new Department of Housing and Construction [II] (CA 3495).
 
Minister for the Department of Transport and Construction was:  

 7 May 1982 - 11 Mar 1983   : Hon Ralph James Dunnett Hunt (CP 311).  
Secretaries to the Department were:
 
 7 May 1982 - 11 May 1982   : C C Halton (acting)
11 May 1982 - 11 Mar 1983   : R M Taylor
Historical agency address
May 1982-Nov 1982: Civic Permanent Centre, Allara Street, Canberra
Legislation administered
Creation: Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, No. S94, 7 May 1982 
Abolition: Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, No. S46, 11 March 1983