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Phil Gaetjens

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(Redirected from Philip Gaetjens) Former Australian public servant

Phil Gaetjens
Secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
In office
2 September 2019 – 23 May 2022
Prime MinisterScott Morrison
Preceded byMartin Parkinson
Succeeded byGlyn Davis
Secretary of the Department of the Treasury
In office
1 August 2018 – 2 September 2019
Preceded byJohn Fraser
Succeeded bySteven Kennedy
Personal details
BornPhilip Gaetjens
EducationFlinders University (BA)
University of Canberra (GrDip)

Phil Gaetjens is an Australian public servant and former Liberal Party staffer, who served as the Secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet from 2019 to 2022.

Education

Gaetjens earned a Bachelor of Arts from Flinders University and Graduate Diploma in Accounting from the University of Canberra.

Career

Gaetjens began his career in government in 1977 as an Assistant Research Officer in the Bureau of Transport Economics. He moved to the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet in 1991 before becoming a Senior Adviser to Infrastructure Australia 1993. In 1994, he served as a Parliamentary Liaison Officer in the Australian Senate. He joined the South Australian Department of Treasury and Finance as Assistant Under Treasurer for State Enterprises in 1995. From 1997 to 2007, Gaetjens served as Chief of Staff to then-Treasurer Peter Costello. In 2008, Gaetjens became Chief Adviser in the Competition and Consumer Policy Division in the Treasury Department. Gaetjens later became Director of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Policy Support Unit before returning to Australia in 2010.

From 2015 to 2018, Gaetjens served as Chief of Staff to Scott Morrison. From 1 August 2018 to 2 September 2019, he served as Secretary of the Department of the Treasury. Gaetjens's nomination was criticised as an example of the politicisation of traditionally-nonpartisan government offices. He became Secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet on 2 September 2019, succeeding Martin Parkinson.

He was succeeded as Secretary by Professor Glyn Davis after the 2022 Australian federal election.

Gaetjens was criticised for his role in the Scott Morrison ministerial positions controversy. On 25 November 2022, the Bell Inquiry concluded that it was troubling that Gaetjens did not take up the issue of the secrecy surrounding the appointments with Mr Morrison and firmly argue for their disclosure.

References

  1. "Why Phil Gaetjens should not lead Treasury". Crikey. 13 July 2018. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  2. Karp, Paul (25 July 2019). "Scott Morrison's former chief of staff Phil Gaetjens handed top public service role". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  3. Burgess, Katie (5 February 2020). "Phil Gaetjens accused of being Scott Morrison's 'butler'". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  4. "Can former political staffers turn into impartial public servants?". The Mandarin. 14 November 2018. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  5. "Australia's 10 most covertly powerful people". Australian Financial Review. 3 October 2019. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
  6. "Appointment of Professor Glyn Davis AC as Secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet | Prime Minister of Australia". www.pm.gov.au.
  7. Bell, Virginia (25 November 2022). "Report of the Inquiry into the Appointment of the Former Prime Minister to Administer Multiple Departments" (PDF). Retrieved 19 February 2023.
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