Department of Defence (Australia)

This article is about the civilian department of the Australian Public Service which supports the Australian Defence Force. For the military force itself, see Australian Defence Force.

Department of Defence

Logo of the Department of Defence
Department overview
Formed	14 April 1942 (1942-04-14)
Preceding department	Department of Defence Co-ordination
Jurisdiction	Australia
Headquarters	Canberra
Employees	16,272 (2020)
Annual budget	A$37.82 billion (2019–20)
Minister responsible	Richard Marles, Minister for Defence
Department executive	Meghan Quinn PSM, Secretary of the Department of Defence
Child agencies	Defence Intelligence Organisation Australian Geospatial-Intelligence Organisation Australian Signals Directorate Australian Submarine Agency
Website	defence.gov.au

The Department of Defence is the department of the Australian Government responsible for national defence policy, supporting the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and ensuring the overall defence of Australia and its national interests. Along with the ADF and other agencies, it forms part of the Australian Defence Organisation (ADO). The Department is accountable to the Parliament of Australia, on behalf of the Australian people, for its spending of public funds and implementation of government policy. Defence staff are primarily based out of the Russell Offices and Campbell Park Offices in Canberra, in the Australian Capital Territory.

The executive head of the department, who leads it on a day-to-day basis, independent of a change in government, is the Secretary of the Department of Defence (SECDEF), currently Meghan Quinn PSM. SECDEF reports to the Minister for Defence, currently Richard Marles.