| Agency Name: | Department of the Special Minister of State |
| Formed: | 11 March 1983 |
| Preceding1: | Department of Administrative Services (II)[1] |
| Dissolved: | 24 July 1987 |
| Superseding: | Department of Industrial Relations (II) - for the Judicial and Statutory Officers Remuneration and Allowances Act, 1984 Department of Administrative Services (III) - for honours and symbols policy, parliamentary facilities, support for Royal Commissions, the Electoral Act and the Grants Commission Department of Industry, Technology and Commerce - for elements of the Customs Act 1901 Attorney-General's Department - for law enforcement function |
| Type: | Department |
| Jurisdiction: | Commonwealth of Australia |
| Minister1 Name: | Mick Young |
| Minister1 Pfo: | Minister (1983 and 1984‑87) |
| Minister2 Name: | Kim Beazley |
| Minister2 Pfo: | Minister (1983‑84) |
| Chief1 Name: | John Menadue[2] |
| Chief1 Position: | Secretary (1983‑84) |
| Chief2 Name: | Darcy McGaurr |
| Chief2 Position: | Secretary (1984‑87) |
The Department of the Special Minister of State was an Australian government department that existed between March 1983 and July 1987. It was the second so-named Australian government department.
The Department was one of three new Departments established by the Hawke government in March 1983,[3] to ensure the priorities of the Labor government could be given effect to readily following the federal election of that month.
The Department was dissolved in July 1987 as part of a large overhaul of the Public Service that reduced the number of departments from 28 to 17.[4] Its functions were dispersed between several departments, and the department's Secretary, Darcy McGaurr, was appointed an Associate Secretary in the Department of Primary Industries and Energy.[5]
Information about the department's functions and government funding allocation could be found in the Administrative Arrangements Orders, the annual Portfolio Budget Statements and in the Department's annual reports.
The functions of the Department at its creation were:[6]
The Department was a Commonwealth Public Service department, staffed by officials who were responsible to the Special Minister of State.