Following the formation of the Burke administration in February 1983, the Premier's Department was restructured and retitled as the Department of the Premier and Cabinet. The title of the Permanent Head of the Department was upgraded from Under Secretary to Director General. The Department comprised three divisions: Policy; Administrative Services, and; Ceremonial and Hospitality. Each division was headed by an Executive Director who reported to the Deputy Director General and the Director General.

As well as providing executive and administrative support to the Premier and the Cabinet, the Department was responsible for the Government Media Office and the Agent General's Office in London. The Department was also responsible for Royal and other Commissions of Inquiry and for various advisory bodies such as the Equal Opportunity Commission and the Women's Advisory Council. In September 1987 the Department was renamed the Ministry of the Premier and Cabinet.

The Ministry of the Premier and Cabinet [1] was renamed from the Department of the Premier and Cabinet following restructuring within the Department and to more accurately reflect its methods of operation. Two sub-departments within the Ministry were created at the same time - the Department of the Premier and the Department of the Cabinet. The Ministry was abolished on 2 May 1989 and two new Departments were created as part of the Premier's four year plan for reform in the public service.

Following the accession of Carmen Lawrence to the Premiership, the Ministry of the Premier and State Administration and the Ministry of Cabinet and Public Sector Management were abolished on 1 March 1990 and the Ministry of Premier and Cabinet [2] created on the same day. Also created were two sub-departments within the Ministry - the Department of the Premier to provide corporate services for the Ministry and the Department of the Cabinet to provide policy and co-ordination and to report direct to the Premier. On 1 September 1992, the Department of the Cabinet was given full departmental status. Following its abolition on 1 July 1993,a new sub-department, the Policy Office, was created within the Ministry. The Department of the Premier was abolished in August 1993 and its functions assumed by the Office of the Premier and a new sub-department the Office of State Administration.

On the 1 July 2001, the Ministry of Premier and Cabinet [2] reverted to the title of the Department of Premier and Cabinet.