Official Secretary to the Governor-General of Australia
Official Secretary to the Governor-General of Australia | |
---|---|
Office of the Official Secretary to the Governor-General | |
Appointer | Governor-General-in-Council |
Term length | at the governor's pleasure |
Inaugural holder | Sir George Steward |
Formation | 1903 |
The official secretary to the governor-general of Australia and staff provide support to the
Duties
The support provided by the Office of the Official Secretary includes the organisation of, and advice relating to, their duties, hospitality for
The Office also manages and maintains the official properties and associated heritage buildings and grounds, and opens the properties to members of the public for events sponsored by charitable institutions. The official secretary is supported in his or her role by program managers responsible for Executive Support, Household and Property, Organisation Services, and by the Director of the Honours Secretariat.
History
The best known official secretary is Sir
Well may we say "God save the Queen" because nothing will save the Governor-General. The proclamation you have just heard read by the Governor-General's Official Secretary was countersigned "Malcolm Fraser", who will undoubtedly go down in Australian history from Remembrance Day 1975 as Kerr's Cur.
Whitlam chose those words to highlight the fact that his government (since winning the double dissolution election of 1974) had abolished use of the words "God Save The Queen" at the end of all official proclamations. Its reinstatement by Smith was an autocratic act taken entirely on his own part;[4] indeed, the newly minted "caretaker" Fraser government was not empowered to make such changes. At that time, the official secretary was an officer of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, on secondment to Government House. The department held and processed all Government House's personnel and financial records. This lack of formal independence led some to criticise Smith in 1976 for having failed to keep Whitlam and his departmental head informed of Kerr's thinking in the period leading up to Whitlam's dismissal.[citation needed] Smith subsequently resolved to secure more formal independent power for himself, his office and staff.[citation needed] Sir John Kerr, Sir Zelman Cowen and Sir Ninian Stephen all agreed with him but urged a cautious delay. [citation needed] The right time finally arrived in 1984 under the Hawke government.
The 1984 amendment to the Governor-General Act 1974 provided for the establishment of a statutory office of official secretary, to be appointed by the governor-general-in-council, to employ the necessary staff, and to hold office at the governor-general's pleasure. All personnel and financial records were transferred to Government House.[citation needed] Since 1985, an annual report of the official secretary is presented to both houses of parliament.[5]
Some earlier official secretaries played significant political roles in their own right.
In 1916, George Steward, official secretary to
The longest serving official secretary was Sir Murray Tyrrell, who served six governors-general over 26 years, 1947–1973.
The current official secretary is Paul Singer, who began duty on 18 August 2018.[8]
List of official secretaries
The following list show the appointed secretaries and acting secretaries in order of appointment. The honours shown were held at the time of appointment.
Portrait | Official Secretary | Post nominals |
Period | Governors-general served | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Major Sir George Steward | CMG
|
27 March 1903 – 28 February 1919 | Dudley, Denman, Munro Ferguson
|
[9][10][11][12] | |
John Starling | OBE
|
12 June 1919 – 15 March 1928 | Munro Ferguson, Forster, Stonehaven | The position of official secretary was abolished in 1928 but Starling continued as Secretary to the Federal Executive Council.[1][13][2] | |
Rear Admiral Sir Leighton Bracegirdle | DSO, RAN
|
1931 – March 1947[14] | Isaacs, Gowrie, Gloucester, McKell | ||
Sir Murray Tyrrell | CBE
|
25 March 1947 – 30 January 1973 | McKell, Slim, Dunrossil, De L'Isle, Casey, Hasluck | ||
William Heseltine (acting) | MVO
|
May–August 1962 | De L'Isle | Later served as Private Secretary to the Sovereign and appointed a GCB, GCVO, AC, QSO | |
Sir David Smith | AO
|
30 January 1973 – 1 September 1990 | Hasluck, Kerr, Cowen, Stephen, Hayden | ||
Douglas Sturkey | AM
|
1 September 1990 – 14 July 1998[15] | Hayden, Deane | [16] | |
Martin Bonsey | CVO
|
15 July 1998 – 9 May 2003[17] | Deane, Hollingworth | [18][19][20] | |
Malcolm Hazell | AM
|
9 May 2003 – 4 September 2008 | Hollingworth, Jeffery
|
Later appointed an Extra Equerry to Queen Elizabeth II.[21] Later appointed an AO. | |
Stephen Brady | CVO
|
5 September 2008 – 26 June 2014 | Bryce, Cosgrove | Later served as the Australian Ambassador to France and appointed an AO. | |
Mark Fraser | OAM
|
27 June 2014 – 17 August 2018 | Cosgrove | Later appointed an AO and CVO. | |
Lieutenant Paul Singer | MVO, RANR
|
18 August 2018 – 1 July 2024 | Cosgrove, Hurley | ||
Gerard Martin | PSM | 1 July 2024 – present | Mostyn |
See also
- Official Secretary to the Governor-General of New Zealand
- Secretary to the Governor General of Canada
References
- ^ a b Australian Dictionary of Biography: John Henry Starling CMG OBE
- ^ a b "OFFICES ABOLISHED, CREATED, ETC". Commonwealth of Australia Gazette (National : 1901 - 1973). 15 March 1928. p. 492. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
- ^ "Appointment of Official Secretary to the Governor-General". Office of the Official Secretary to the Governor-General. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
- ^ Smith, D., Head of State, p. 252-4
- ^ Odgers: House of Representatives Practice
- ^ Brian Carroll: Australia's Governors General
- ^ ADB: Sir George Steward
- ^ [1] gg.gov.au. 18 August 2018. Retrieved 26 October 2018
- ^ "Government Gazette Appointments and Employment". Commonwealth of Australia Gazette (National : 1901 - 1973). 4 April 1903. p. 181. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
- ^ "Commonwealth public service". Commonwealth of Australia Gazette (National : 1901 - 1973). 27 February 1919. p. 354. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
- ^ It's an Honour: George Steward: CMG
- ^ It's an Honour: Sir George Steward KBE
- ^ "COMMONWEALTH PUBLIC SERVICE". Commonwealth of Australia Gazette (National : 1901 - 1973). 12 June 1919. p. 1000. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
- ^ Christopher Cunneen: William John McKell
- ^ Resignation of Douglas Sturkey and appointment of Martin Bonsey
- ^ It's an Honour: Douglas Sturkey CVO
- ^ Political Storm faces PM
- ^ It's an Honour: Martin Bonsey LVO
- ^ It's an Honour: Martin Bonsey CVO
- ^ It's an Honour: Martin Bonsey AO
- ^ It's an Honour: Malcolm Hazell CVO