The Department of Administrative Services [III], one of the new 'super ministries', was established on 24 July 1987 from elements of the following Departments abolished at the same time:
 
 Department of Local Government and Administrative Services     
  (CA 4137)
 Department of Resources and Energy (CA 3496)
 Department of Sport Recreation and Tourism (CA 3498)
 Department of Science [IIIl (CA 4136)
 Department of Territories [II] (CA 4135)
 Department of the Special Minister of State [II]
  (CA 3497)
 Department of Housing and Construction [111] (CA 3495)
 Department of Arts, Heritage and Environment (CA 4131).
 
The Administrative Arrangement Orders of 24 July 1987 (published in Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, No S183, 24 July 1987) stated that the Department would have responsibility for the administration of the following legislation:
 
 Archives Act 1983
 Australian Protective Service Act 1987
 Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918
 Commonwealth Grants Commission Act 1973
 Defence (Transitional Provisions) Act 1946 and Defence Transition
  (Residual Provisions) Act 1952, insofar as they relate to National
  Security (General) Regulations 54, 55AA, 55A, 60B, 60G and 60J to
  60M
 Flags Act 1953
 Lands Acquisition Act 1955
 Lands Acquisition (Defence) Act 1968
 Lands Acquisition (Northern Territory Pastoral Leases) Act
  1981 Members of Parliament (Staff) Act 1984
 Meteorology Act 1955
 Ministers of State Act 1952
 Northern Territory (Commonwealth Lands) Act 1980
 Northern Territory (Self-Government) Act 1978, sections 69 & 70
 Parliament House Construction Authority Act 1979
 Parliamentary Allowances Act 1952
 Procurement of Goods, Works and Services Act
 Public Accounts Committee Act 1951
 Public Works Committee Act 1969
 Referendum (Machinery Provisions) Act 1984
 Representation Act 1983.
 
In the same Administrative Arrangement Order the Department was to be responsible for the following principal matters:
 
 Acquisition, leasing, management and disposal of land and property
  in Australia and overseas
 Transport and storage services
 Co-ordination of purchasing policy and civil Purchasing
 Disposal of goods
 Provision of accommodation and catering
 Protective services at Commonwealth establishments
 Analytical laboratory services
 Meteorology
 Ionospheric prediction
 National Archives
 Valuation services
 Geodesy, mapping and surveying services
 Planning, execution and maintenance of Commonwealth Government works
 Design and maintenance of Government furniture, furnishings and
  fittings
 Information co-ordination and services within Australia, including
  printing, publishing and advertising
 Electoral matters
 Australian honours and symbols policy
 Provision of facilities for members of Parliament other than in
  Parliament House
 Administrative support for Royal Commissions and  certain Committees
  of Inquiry.
 
The new Department gained the transport and storage, land and property services, purchasing and disposals, accommodation and catering, valuation services and protective services functions from the abolished Department of Local Government and Administrative Services. The responsibility for Australian Archives came from the defunct Department of Arts, Heritage and Environment. It gained the
meteorology and ionospheric prediction functions from the Department of Science [II]. From the Department of Territories [II] it gained the responsibility for the Parliament House Construction Authority and from the Department of Sport, Recreation and Tourism the functions of information co-ordination and services. From the defunct Department of Resources and Energy it gained geodesy and mapping. The Department of Housing and Construction [III]'s architecture, engineering, civil programmes and operations functions were transferred to the new Department.
 
Initially, the Central Office of the Department of Administrative Services was organised into the following groups:
 
 Australian Property Group
 Overseas Property Group
 Transport and Storage Group
 Purchasing and Sales Group
 Parliamentary Services and Information Group
 Business Development Group
 Construction Group
 Surveying and Land Information Group.
 
In addition it was responsible for the following services:
 
 Corporate Services
 ADP Services
 Australian Protective Service.

On 6 February 1989 responsibility for information co-ordination and services within Australia, including advertising (but not printing and publishing), passed from Administrative Services to the Department of the Arts, Sport, the Environment, Tourism and Territories;  and on 27 June 1990 the function of meterology was also transferred to that Department.
 
On 19 February 1990 a reorganisation of the Department took effect. The functions were divided into 4 programs:
 
 Property Services Program
  Australian Property Group
  Australian Construction Services
  Australian Survey and Land Information Group
  Australian Valuation Office
 
 Sales and Services Program
  Australian Government Publishing Service
  Transport and Storage Group
  Purchasing and Sales Group
  Australian Protective Service
  Purchasing Reform Group
  Australian Government Analytical Laboratories
 
 Government and Corporate Services Program
  Corporate Centre
  Corporate Servicing
  Overseas Property Group
  Parliamentary and Ministerial Services Group
  Ionospheric Prediction Service
  Australian Archives
 
 Bureau of Meteorology
  Monitoring and Prediction
  Scientific Development
  Meteorology and Hydrology Services
  International Activities.
 
In February 1990 the following information was released about the structure of the executive management of DAS:
 
The DAS Board of Management is the Secretary's chief advisory body and generally meets monthly. It deals with the strategic and critical tactical issues facing the Department and its constituent programs. It focuses on the financial and business activities of the Department. The Board is chaired by the Secretary and has four other Executive Members. External Members include a client representative, a private sector representative and two union representatives. The Department's Financial Controller attends meetings in an advisory capacity. The Board has a secretariat which provides full support services.  

Whereas the Board is the Secretary's chief strategic advisory body, the DAS Executive Committee (EXCOM) is the Department's top management decision making body. EXCOM consists of the Secretary as Chairman, the three EGMs, and the Director of the Bureau of Meteorology. Meeting weekly, it determines the Department's short term priorities, particularly in relation to the Department's responsibilities to the Minister and Parliament. It also makes key decisions on the general management of the Department in those areas which are not of a strategic nature requiring the Board of Management's consideration.  

Other key corporate committees in DAS included the:
     
 Audit Committee
 Staff Development Committee
 Information Technology Advisory Committee; and
 DAS Staff Awards Committee.
 
The Administrative Arrangements Order of 27 June 1990 (published in Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, No S182, 3 July 1990) recorded the transfer of the Bureau of Meteorology (CA 1835) to the Department of Arts, Sport, the Environment, Tourism and Territories, Central Office (CA 5984).
 
In the Administrative Arrangements Order of 31 January 1992 (Commonwealth of Australia Gazette No S37, 5 February 1992) the Procurement of Goods, Works and Services Act 1981 was repealed by the Administrative Services Legislation Amendment Act 1990.
 
In the Administrative Arrangements Order of 30 June 1992 (Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, No GN27, 8 July 1992) the function of 'Protective services at Commonwealth establishments and diplomatic and consular premises in Australia' and the Australian Protective Service Act 1987 were taken from the Department of Administrative Services [III] (CA 5983) and became the responsibility of the Attorney-General's Department (CA 5).  

During the latter part of 1992 the Department underwent extensive restructuring, particularly at the top level of management. As at 15 February 1993 the new structure was as follows:
 
The Secretary or Chief Executive Officer (N Tanzer) had the DAS Board as his chief strategic advisory body and this board consisted of the Secretary as Chairman, three representatives from the private sector, two union representatives, one client representative and three of the DAS Executive General Managers.
 
The DAS Executive Committee (EXCOM) was the Department's top management decision making body and consisted of the Secretary as Chairman with the four DAS Executive General Managers.
 
The activities of the Department are divided into four main areas, each under the control of an Executive General Manager. The four areas were:  
 
 Commercial
 Business Development
 Government
 Corporate.
 
The Department of Administrative Services [III] was abolished on 24 March 1993 pursuant to the Administrative Arrangements Order of that date. All of its functions passed to the new Department of the Arts and Administrative Services (CA 7663).
 
 
Ministers of the Department were:
 
24 Jul 1987 -  3 Apr 1990  : Hon Stewart John West
 4 Apr 1990 - 24 Mar 1993  : Senator the Hon Nick Bolkus
 
There was also initially a junior Minister, Senator Robert Francis Ray who was the Minister for Home Affairs. Senator Ray became the Minister for Immigration, Local Government and Ethnic Affairs and later became the Minister for Defence.
 
Secretaries of the Department were:
 
24 Jul 1987 -  1 Mar 1989  : G G Glenn
 1 Mar 1989 - 24 Mar 1993  : N J Tanzer
Historical agency address
111 Alinga Street, Canberra
Legislation administered
Creation: Commonwealth of Australia Gazette No. S 183, 24 July 1987
Abolition: Commonwealth of Australia Gazette No. S 91, 24 March 1993