DPS is established as a department under the Parliamentary Service Act 1999 (PS Act). The PS Act provides that the department consists of a Secretary of the department, together with the Parliamentary Librarian and Parliamentary Service employees assisting the Secretary and the Parliamentary Librarian. The Secretary is the Accountable Authority and is the leader of DPS. DPS reports to the Presiding Officers of the Parliament (the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives).

The Parliamentary Librarian is the holder of a statutory office established by authority of the PS Act. The Parliamentary Librarian reports directly to the Presiding Officers—and to the Joint Standing Committee on the Parliamentary Library—in respect of her statutory functions.

Figure 2: Department of Parliamentary Services Organisation Chart (as at 30 June 2017)