The Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development

What The Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development does

The Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts (DITRDC, formerly the Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development) is an Australian Government federal department established under the Public Service Act 1999 and headquartered in Canberra, ACT. The department designs and implements policy, regulation, and grant programs across six portfolio areas — aviation, maritime, road vehicles, transport, communications, sport, and the arts — and additionally oversees Australian territories and regional development. It coordinates with portfolio agencies including the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), Airservices Australia, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB), and the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA), and partners with state, territory, and local governments on infrastructure delivery.

Its core "products" are policy frameworks, regulatory regimes, and grant programs rather than commercial goods. Notable initiatives include the Aviation White Paper (released August 2024, setting out 56 policy initiatives to 2050), the Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport (opening second half of 2026), the AUD 200 million per year Safer Local Roads Infrastructure Program (SLRIP), the AUD 10 million On Farm Connectivity Program, the Mobile Black Spot Program, NBN policy oversight, the ROVER online portal for road vehicle type approvals, the Revive Live arts program (AUD 25 million over two years), and the Indigenous Languages and Arts program supporting 22 First Nations language centres. The department is replacing its legacy SAP ECC6 ERP system with cloud-based Workday and ServiceNow solutions under a $38.8 million three-year Accenture contract running to mid-2029, with a stated roadmap to incorporate workflow automation, analytics, and AI-enabled features over time.

The department operates as a non-commercial public sector entity funded entirely through annual parliamentary appropriations, not commercial revenue. It does not charge fees for its policy or regulatory services, although certain grant programs publish funding caps (e.g., up to AUD 20,000 per applicant under On Farm Connectivity, up to $5 million per co-contribution under SLRIP). Its operational "customers" are the Australian public, state/territory/local governments, and specific beneficiary groups (farmers, First Nations language centres, arts institutions, aviation operators). Distribution occurs through direct grant application processes, ministerial communications, and formal coordination with portfolio agencies and other federal departments (Home Affairs, Defence, Bureau of Meteorology).

Name

The Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development

Legal name

Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts

Website

https://infrastructure.gov.au

Company type

Public

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

The Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts (DITRDC) is an Australian Government federal department that designs policy, regulation, and grant programs across aviation, maritime, road vehicles, communications, transport, sport, and arts, serving all Australians, state/territory/local governments, and partner portfolio agencies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government Infrastructure Policy

NAICS

Regulation and Administration of Transportation Programs (926120), Regulation and Administration of Communications, Electric, Gas, and Other Utilities (92613), Public Administration (92)

SIC

Transportation Services (4700)

akta.pro primary industry

Trade, Industry & Economic Development Administration (BPAIAAAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

State/Provincial Transportation, Roads & Public Works Administration (BPAIABAK)

Keywords

• Infrastructure policy
• Transport regulation
• Regional development
• Aviation safety
• Government grants

Headquarters

HQ city

Canberra

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: The department operates as a government agency funded through annual government appropriations and budget allocations. It does not generate commercial revenue.

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development (now operating as the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts) is an Australian Government department that designs and implements national policies, regulatory frameworks, and funding programs across infrastructure, transport, regional development, communications, sport, and arts. It administers legislation, delivers grant and subsidy programs, and coordinates major infrastructure projects including the Western Sydney International Airport.

Product overview

The Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts is a government department that provides policy advice and delivers programs, projects and services across multiple sectors. The portfolio includes: Aviation (with the Aviation White Paper, Aviation Consumer Ombuds Scheme, and Western Sydney International Airport project); Road Vehicle Standards administered through the ROVER online portal; Maritime; Communications (including NBN policy, Mobile Black Spot Program, Regional Connectivity Program, and the On Farm Connectivity Program); Transport (Roads via SLRIP, Rail, accessibility standards); Territories; Sport; and Arts (including Revive Live and Visions of Australia programs). The department does not offer a unified software product but rather administers various regulatory frameworks, grant programs, and policy initiatives across these sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Aviation Policy and Regulation
• Aviation Consumer Ombuds Scheme
• Road Vehicle Standards / ROVER
• Maritime Policy and Regulation
• National Broadband Network (NBN) Policy
• Mobile Black Spot Program
• Regional Connectivity Program
• On Farm Connectivity Program
• Safer Local Roads Infrastructure Program (SLRIP)
• Western Sydney International Airport Project
• Sport Programs
• Arts Programs

Quantifiable outcome

• Western Sydney International Airport on track to open in second half of 2026
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and supporting.

• AccenturemajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 23 July 2026Engaged for a three-year, $38.8 million contract to replace the department's legacy SAP ECC6 ERP system with cloud-based solutions built on Workday and ServiceNow. Contract runs until mid-2029 with option to extend to mid-2032.
• GooglemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 November 2025Google plans to build an AI datacentre on Christmas Island after signing a cloud deal with Australia's Department of Defence. The facility would support AI-enabled military command and monitor Chinese submarine activity.
• Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCASA is Australia's aviation safety regulator, responsible for licensing pilots, registering aircraft, certifying aerodromes, overseeing aviation safety and promoting safety awareness. Both agencies work together on aviation policy and regulation.
• Airservices AustraliacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAirservices Australia is a government-owned organisation responsible for the provision of air navigation services, including Air Traffic Control services, Aviation Rescue Fire Fighting Services (ARFFS), and Aircraft Noise and Complaints Service.
• Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerATSB is an independent investigator of aviation, marine and rail transport accidents and safety concerns, operating independently from the department.
• Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAMSA provides Search and Rescue Services and has maritime safety responsibilities that intersect with the department's maritime policy functions.
• Department of Home AffairsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDepartment responsible for transport security matters that coordinate with DITRDC on aviation and maritime security policy.
• Department of DefencemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDefence administers defence related aviation activities, including joint user facilities such as Darwin, Townsville and Williamtown Airports. Also signed cloud deal with Google for AI datacentre on Christmas Island.
• Bureau of MeteorologysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides meteorological services essential for aviation operations and transport planning.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• U.S. Department of Transportation: The U.S. DOT is the closest international analog — a federal cabinet-level department overseeing aviation, maritime, road, rail and surface transport policy. Both organisations administer legislation, run grant programs and set long-horizon transport strategy, though the U.S. DOT does not have the communications/sport/arts remit that DITRDC carries.
• European Commission DG MOVE: DG MOVE is the European Commission's directorate-general for mobility and transport, setting pan-European transport policy across aviation, maritime, road and rail. It is comparable as a multi-modal federal/supranational transport policy body, though it operates at the EU rather than national level.

Direct peers

• UK Department for Transport: The UK DfT is a directly comparable national transport department covering aviation, maritime, road and rail policy, administering grants and regulatory frameworks. It matches DITRDC's transport core mission, though it sits within a different constitutional structure.
• Transport Canada: Transport Canada is the federal Canadian department responsible for transportation policy and programs across aviation, marine, road and rail — directly comparable in mandate, governance structure and regulatory role to DITRDC's transport portfolio.
• New Zealand Ministry of Transport: The NZ Ministry of Transport is a near-twin counterpart as a small, advanced-economy Anglosphere transport policy ministry with aviation, maritime and surface transport functions. Comparable scope, governance structure and policy tools, though smaller in budget and headcount.
• Infrastructure Australia: Infrastructure Australia is the statutory advisory body within the Australian infrastructure ecosystem that produces the national Infrastructure Plan and audits the national pipeline. It is a direct peer within the same Australian federal system, though it focuses on strategy and prioritisation rather than direct program delivery.

Emerging players

• UK Department for Culture, Media and Sport: DCMS is the UK federal counterpart for DITRDC's arts, sport and parts of its communications portfolio. It is relevant as a peer for the cultural/sport portfolio functions, though structurally separate from the UK transport department rather than combined as in Australia.
• U.S. Federal Aviation Administration: The FAA is the U.S. federal agency responsible for civil aviation safety regulation — a partial peer for DITRDC's aviation policy, regulatory framework and consumer protection functions. CASA sits under DITRDC's portfolio, making the FAA a structural counterpart.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/DeptCommsAu/featured
• Facebookinfrastructure.gov.au/department/social-media
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/infrastructureau
• Instagraminfrastructure.gov.au/department/social-media

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development