Secretary appointments to departments of state

The Governor-General appoints the secretary of a department on the recommendation of the Prime Minister. Appointments are made by written instrument.

The secretary of a department is a full-time public servant. Their roles and responsibilities are specified in section 57 of the Act.

The roles include:

• principal official policy adviser to the minister
• manager, ensuring delivery of government programs and collaboration to achieve outcomes within the minister's portfolio and, with other secretaries, across the whole of government
• leader, providing stewardship within the department and, in partnership with the Secretaries Board, across the APS.

The responsibilities are to:

• manage the affairs of the department efficiently, effectively, economically and ethically
• advise the minister about matters relating to the department
• implement measures directed at ensuring that the department complies with the law
• provide leadership, strategic direction and a focus on results for the department
• maintain clear lines of communication within the minister's portfolio, as negotiated between the secretary and the other agency heads in the portfolio
• engage with stakeholders, particularly in relation to the core activities of the department
• manage the affairs of the department in a way that is not inconsistent with the policies of the Commonwealth and the interests of the APS as a whole
• ensure that the minister's portfolio has a strong strategic policy capability that can consider complex, whole‑of‑government issues
• assist the minister to fulfil the minister's accountability obligations to the Parliament to provide factual information, as required by the Parliament, in relation to the operation and administration of the department.

The secretary of a department is usually appointed for 5 years, but that period can be shorter. The Act also provides that a secretary can be reappointed. Section 58(5) of the Act provides that a secretary holds office on a full-time basis.

Current appointments of secretaries of departments of state