Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications

The Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications (DITRDC) is a department of the Australian Federal Government responsible for managing infrastructure and regional development policy, communicating policy and programs, cultural affairs, and arts.[4] The department was formed on 1 February 2020 from the Department of Communications and the Arts and the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Cities and Regional Development.[5] The announcement of the merger of the two departments was criticized, being seen as an attack on the arts.[6] The department still retains the portfolios relating to arts.[7]

Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications

Department overview
Formed	1 February 2020
Preceding agencies	Department of Communications and the Arts Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Cities and Regional Development
Jurisdiction	Commonwealth of Australia
Headquarters	Canberra
Ministers responsible	Michael McCormack, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development David Littleproud, Minister for Agriculture, Drought and Emergency Management Paul Fletcher, Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts Andrew Gee, Minister for Decentralisation and Regional Education[1]
Department executives	Simon Atkinson, Secretary[2] Pip Spence, Chief operating officer[3]
Child agencies	Australian Communications and Media Authority NBN Co Limited Digital Transformation Agency Australian Postal Corporation Special Broadcasting Service Corporation
Website	www.infrastructure.gov.au www.communications.gov.au www.bitre.gov.au

Ministers

As of January 2020, the ministers of state for the department were:[8]

• Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development: Michael McCormack (National) – also Deputy Prime Minister
• Minister for Agriculture, Drought and Emergency Management: David Littleproud (National)
• Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts: Paul Fletcher (Liberal)
• Minister for Regional Health, Regional Communications and Local Government: Mark Coulton (National)
• Minister for Decentralisation and Regional Education: Andrew Gee (National)
• Assistant Minister for Road Safety and Freight Transport: Scott Buchholz (National)
• Assistant Minister to the Deputy Prime Minister: Kevin Hogan (National)
• Assistant Minister for Regional Development and Territories: Nola Marino (Liberal)

References

1. Ministers for the Department of Infrastructure, Transport. "Ministers for the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications". Ministers for the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications. Retrieved 2020-05-04.
2. Atkinson, Simon. "Mr". Australian Government Directory. Australian Government. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
3. directory.user (2019-12-12). "Chief Operating Officer, Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications". www.directory.gov.au. Retrieved 2020-05-04.
4. Department of Infrastructure, Transport (2020-05-04). "Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications". www.communications.gov.au. Retrieved 2020-05-04.
5. "Comms Chief To Go As PM Takes Axe To Federal Departments – channelnews". Retrieved 2020-05-04.
6. "Industry furious as arts dropped from department title". Limelight. Retrieved 2020-05-04.
7. https://www.smh.com.au/culture/art-and-design/no-change-arts-minister-paul-fletcher-calls-for-calm-amid-industry-unrest-20191206-p53hme.html
8. "Ministers for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications". Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, and Communications. Retrieved 28 May 2020.