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In Australia, a departmental secretary is the most senior public servant of an Australian Government or state government department. They are typically responsible for the day-to-day actions of a department.

Role

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A departmental secretary is in theory, a non-political, non-elected public servant head (and "responsible officer") of government departments, who generally holds their position for a number of years. A departmental secretary works closely with the elected government minister that oversees the Commonwealth department or state government department in order to bring about policy and program initiatives that the government of day was elected to achieve. A departmental secretary works with other departments and agencies to ensure the delivery of services and programs within the nominated area of responsibility.

The secretary is also known as the chief executive of the department; the position is equivalent to the permanent secretary of a government department in the United Kingdom and is similar to the director general in some non-Commonwealth countries, or the chief executive officer (CEO) in a private company.

In the Australian government, secretaries are the responsible officers for departments. They are answerable to the Australian Parliament for ensuring that the department performs all the functions assigned to it and spends money appropriately, as granted by the Parliament. Secretaries are frequently called for questioning by the Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit, the House of Representatives committees and the Senate committees.

Appointment and termination

The Public Service Act 1999 requires the secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet to provide a report to the prime minister of the day about the suitability of potential candidates as departmental secretary. The report is prepared in conjunction with the public service commissioner. Appointments and terminations as departmental secretary are made by the governor-general on the advice of the prime minister under Sections 58 and 59 respectively of the Act.

Since removal of tenure under Prime Minister Paul Keating, departmental secretaries are generally aware that while dismissals are not common, following a change of government, failure to re-appoint a secretary is certainly a frequent occurrence. In the first Rudd government, secretaries were appointed for a five-year term; prior to this a term of three years was common. In 1999, the Howard government sought to remove Paul Barratt AO as the secretary of the Department of Defence after Barratt fell out of favour with his minister. Despite being offered a diplomatic post, Barratt refused to vacate the role and commenced legal action, claiming unfair dismissal and that the government had failed to follow due process. Barratt had a temporary stay, but was dismissed within 14 days, and subsequently lost, on appeal in the Federal Court.

The most senior Commonwealth public servant is the secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, currently Glyn Davis.

Current Australian Government secretaries

There are currently 16 secretaries within the Australian Government.

See also

• Australian Government
• Australian Public Service

References

1. corporateName=Commonwealth Parliament; address=Parliament House, Canberra. "Patrick Weller "The Australian Public Service: Still Anonymous, Neutral and a Career Service?*"". aph.gov.au. Retrieved 9 March 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
2. Rudd, Kevin (13 August 2009). "Departmental secretaries and statutory office-holders, Canberra". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (Press release). Commonwealth of Australia. Archived from the original on 10 November 2013. Retrieved 10 November 2013.
3. Public Service Act, 1999 (Cth) s 58
4. Public Service Act, 1999 (Cth) s 59
5. Podger, Andrew (20 September 2013). "Abbott and the public service: where now on department heads?". The Conversation. The Conversation Media Group. Retrieved 10 November 2013.
6. Howard, John (18 January 2002). "Senior appointments: Departmental secretaries". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (Press release). Commonwealth of Australia. Archived from the original on 10 November 2013. Retrieved 10 November 2013.
7. Waterford, Jack (September 1999). "Defence losing its moorings" (PDF). Eureka Street. 9 (7): 7. Retrieved 10 November 2013.
8. Colvin, Mark; Epstein, Rafael (6 August 1999). "Defence dismissal goes to court" (transcript). PM (ABC Radio). Australia. Retrieved 10 November 2013.
9. Barratt, Paul (19 August 1999). "Paul Barratt returns to work". 730 (Interview: transcript). Interviewed by Kerry O'Brien. ABC TV. Retrieved 10 November 2013.
10. Reynolds, Fiona (28 July 1999). "Defence head gains injunction" (transcript). AM (ABC Radio). Australia. Retrieved 10 November 2013.
11. Colvin, Mark; Reynolds, Fiona (31 August 1999). "Barratt sacked" (transcript). PM (ABC Radio). Australia. Retrieved 10 November 2013.
12. Colvin, Mark; Reynolds, Fiona (10 March 2000). "Barrett loses appeal against dismissal" (transcript). PM (ABC Radio). Australia. Retrieved 10 November 2013.
13. "Our Secretary". pmc.gov.au. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
14. "Secretary appointments to departments of state". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
15. "Appointment of new Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry". Prime Minister of Australia. 31 August 2023. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
16. "Secretary". Attorney-General's Department. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
17. ^ "Announcement of New Department Secretaries". Prime Minister of Australia. 22 June 2022. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
18. "Secretary of the Department of Defence". Defence Australia. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
19. "Appointment of new Secretary of the Department of Education". Prime Minister of Australia. 3 February 2023. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
20. "The Secretary". Department of Finance. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
21. "Biography of Secretary, Jan Adams AO PSM". Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
22. "Appointment of new Secretary of the Department of Health and Aged Care". Prime Minister of Australia. 13 June 2023. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
23. "Appointment of new Secretary of the Department of Home Affairs". Prime Minister of Australia. 28 November 2023. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
24. "Announcement of new Secretary of the Department of Industry, Science and Resources". Prime Minister of Australia. 5 August 2022. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
25. "Our Secretary". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
26. "Secretary". Department of Social Services. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
27. "Our Executive". The Treasury. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
28. "The Secretary". Department of Veterans' Affairs. Retrieved 4 December 2023.

• Politics of Australia
• Victoria State Government
• Government occupations
• Government of Australia