The Department of Parliament Services (DPS) is established under the Parliamentary Service Act 1999 (PS Act) and is part of the Parliamentary Service. The Act states that the ‘Parliamentary Service serves the Parliament by providing professional support, advice and facilities to each House of the Parliament, to parliamentary committees and to senators and members of the House of Representatives, independently of the Executive Government of the Commonwealth’.

The Secretary is the principal adviser to the Presiding Officers on matters relating to DPS and, as its leader, provides stewardship in the department and, in partnership with other department heads, across the Parliamentary Service.

The Presiding Officers act jointly in exercising their responsibilities in relation to DPS under the PS Act. The Presiding Officers also have responsibilities under the Parliamentary Precincts Act 1988.