Andrew Metcalfe

Andrew Edgar Francis Metcalfe AO Order of Australia (born 1959) is a senior Australian public servant and policymaker currently appointed as the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment and Australia's Director of Biosecurity. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Public Administration Australia and Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management. He was a Partner at Ernst and Young, Canberra in its Government and Public Sector team from 2014-19.[1][2]

Andrew Metcalfe AO
Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment (Australia)
Incumbent
Assumed office 1 February 2020
Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
In office 29 January 2013 – 18 September 2013
Secretary of the Department of Immigration and Citizenship
In office 30 January 2007 – 28 January 2013
Secretary of the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs
In office 27 January 2006 – 30 January 2007
Secretary of the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs
In office 16 July 2005 – 27 January 2006
Personal details
Born	Andrew Edgar Francis Metcalfe 13 October 1959 Toowoomba, Queensland
Nationality	Australian
Spouse(s)	Jenny

Background and early life

Andrew Metcalfe was born and raised in Toowoomba, Queensland.[3][4] He attended Rangeville State School and Toowoomba Grammar School and was dux of Toowoomba Grammar in 1976.[4][2] He then earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1980, and a Bachelor of Laws in 1985 from the University of Queensland.[5]

Public service career

Andrew Metcalfe joined the Australian Public Service as an Administrative Trainee in 1980, assigned to the Public Service Board, in Canberra. In 1981, he transferred to the Department of Immigration and Ethnic Affairs where he undertook a variety of roles in Canberra, Brisbane and Melbourne, primarily involved in the direct provision of client services.[6] He remained there until 1989 when in September, he was appointed Regional Director for Immigration, and Consul, Australian Consulate-General, Hong Kong where his diplomatic posting continued until May 1993.[7]

Upon his return to Canberra, he was appointed Assistant Secretary, Legal Branch at the Department of Immigration and Ethnic Affairs where he remained until April 1996.[8] He was asked to serve as the Chief of Staff to the then Minister for Immigration, the Hon Philip Ruddock MP in April, and stayed in that role until December 1997,[8] whereupon he returned to the department as a First Assistant Secretary.[9] Following this he was promoted to Deputy Secretary, a role in which he remained until 2002.[10] He was appointed Deputy Secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet in August 2002, with specific responsibilities for the coordination of policy advice to the Prime Minister on international affairs, national security and machinery of government issues.[11] He was the inaugural chair of the Commonwealth/State/Territory National Counter Terrorism Committee.[12]

John Howard appointed Andrew Metcalfe Secretary of the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs in July 2005.[13] Metcalfe stayed on as the Department transitioned, first becoming the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs and later the Department of Immigration and Citizenship. He defended the often-criticised Gillard Government Malaysia Solution during his time in the Department of Immigration and Citizenship.[14] During his time as Secretary of Immigration, he was also Chair of the Commonwealth/State/Territory Standing Committee on Immigration and Multicultural Affairs (2005–12) and of the Five Countries (Australia, New Zealand, United States, Canada and the UK) Conference (2007, 2011).[15]

Metcalfe was appointed Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, beginning January 2013.[16] He was one of three public service heads relieved of their commissions by the Abbott Government after the 2013 federal election.[17][18][19]

He was reappointed Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment on 5 December, 2019 with effect from 1 February 2020.

At the time of the Prime Minister’s announcement that Metcalfe would return, Mr Morrison said: “Andrew Metcalfe will be returning to the ranks of the Australian Public Service. Andrew will take up the position of Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment. As you know, and as I recall very well too, Mr Metcalfe was Secretary of the Department of Immigration and Citizenship from 2005 to 2012, and he was Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry in 2013. Since then, he has been a partner at EY, and I know he will bring considerable public policy leadership experience and strength to this Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment and to the Secretaries board itself."[20]

Honours and awards

Metcalfe was named the 2010 "Federal Government Leader of the Year", awarded by the Australian Institute of Chartered Accountants.[21]

In January 2012 Metcalfe was appointed as an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in the Australia Day Honours List for "distinguished service to public sector leadership through contributions to Australia's international relations and to major public policy development and implementation in the areas of immigration, Australian citizenship, cultural diversity, and national security; and to the community".[12][16]

In September 2012 Metcalfe was made a Fellow of the Institute of Public Administration Australia.[1] He is also a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management.[2] Also in 2012 he was selected to attend the International Directors Program, INSEAD, at Fontainebleau in France.[22]

Public service leadership

Metcalfe is a highly experienced public administrator and public policy expert, strongly committed to public service. His Australian Public Service career spans 33 years, the last eight as Secretary (CEO), leading two very large departments, each with thousands of staff, national and global operations, and with budgets in excess of $1 billion.[23][24]

He has a strong record of getting positive results in complex and often contentious policy areas, by establishing a clear vision for success, displaying strong strategic planning skills, building committed and cohesive teams and partnerships, and through his excellent communication skills, persistence, courage and resilience. He is renowned for re-shaping and re-invigorating the then-Department of Immigration, Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs following his appointment in 2005 to the Secretary's role in the wake of the Cornelia Rau and Vivian Alvarez scandals. He was instrumental in successfully and positively reforming its culture and operations.[25][26]

Throughout his immigration service, he was involved in helping shape many aspects of Australia's refugee and immigration policy, working closely with Prime Ministers, immigration ministers and their staff, and a wide range of departments and stakeholders addressing refugee and humanitarian arrangements; refugee settlement policies; measures to prevent people trafficking and irregular travel; skilled migration schemes; overseas students and tourist visas; multicultural policies; and Australian citizenship.[24][27]

He has worked extensively on the international stage, particularly with the immigration authorities in many countries in Asia; and with Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States when he chaired the Five Countries Conference of immigration authorities in 2007 and 2011.[15][28]

During his time as Deputy Secretary in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, he led the coordination of all policy advice to the Prime Minister on international affairs, national security, and machinery of government matters, as well as being the inaugural chair of the National Counter Terrorism Committee, comprising Federal and State deputy police commissioners and deputy heads of Premiers’ and Chief Ministers’ departments; and senior representatives from ASIO, the Special Operations Command of the Department of Defence, and other Commonwealth departments.

He was also a member of several government boards, most notably as a member of the National Australia Day Council (2002-2012); the Administrative Review Council (2002-2012); and the Council of the Order of Australia (2002-2005). He was the longest-serving President of the Institute of Public Administration (ACT),[29] a White Ribbon Ambassador,[30] the Patron of Expand (a public sector organisation for Executive Assistants), Patron of the Gundaroo Bush Festival, and a volunteer technical official for Swimming NSW/ACT. Metcalfe was appointed as a Partner with Ernst & Young in their Canberra operation on February 6, 2014,[31] joining its Government and Public Sector team. Ernst & Young's Canberra managing Partner, Lucille Halloran described Metcalfe, in her announcement, as "an inspirational leader with in-depth knowledge of the Australian and international public sectors (who) brings extensive experience and insights about the important relationship between business, the community and governments".

Board and Council memberships

• Chair (and briefly Deputy Chair) of the National Youth Science Forum 2015-20
• National Australia Day Council 2002–12[32]
• Administrative Review Council 2002–12[33]
• Australian Multicultural Council since 2011[34]
• Council of the Order of Australia 2002–05[35]
• DesignGov 2013[36]
• Strategic Centre for Leadership, Learning and Development 2013[34]
• President of the Institute of Public Administration (ACT) 2009–13[29]
• National Drought and North Queensland Flood Response and Recovery Advisory Board 2020[37]

Notes

1. "Public servants honoured at prestigious awards ceremony" (PDF) (Press release). Institute of Public Administration Australia. 19 September 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 May 2013.
2. 2013 Australian Cherry Industry Conference (PDF), New South Wales Cherry Growers Association, 2013, p. 3, archived from the original (PDF) on 30 January 2014
3. Metcalfe, Andrew. "FTA interview with Andrew Metcalfe AO Secretary (Designate) Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF)". FTA Interviews (Interview). Interviewed by Paul Zalai. Archived from the original on 21 April 2013.
4. Malone 2006, p. 56.
5. UQ Business School (11 April 2011), MBA students meet leader with the toughest job in Australia, University of Queensland, archived from the original on 1 February 2014
6. Malone 2006, p. 51, 56–58.
7. Malone 2006, p. 57–58.
8. Malone 2006, p. 58.
9. Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs Annual Report 1998-99, Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs, 1999, archived from the original on 8 October 2013, retrieved 30 January 2014
10. Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs Annual Report 1999-00, Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs, 2000, archived from the original on 8 October 2013, retrieved 30 January 2014
11. Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet Annual Report 2002-03 (PDF), Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, October 2003, p. 23, ISBN 0 642 51906 4, archived from the original (PDF) on 19 April 2013
12. Kerr, Christian (26 January 2012). "Immigration department head Andrew Metcalfe thrilled by award". The Australian.
13. Howard, John (10 July 2005). "New Senior Appointments" (Press release). Archived from the original on 19 December 2013.
14. Porritt, Alan (23 September 2013). "Immigration Department secretary Andrew Metcalfe". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. AAP. Archived from the original on 17 January 2014.
15. "Secretary's Review", Department of Immigration and Citizenship Annual Report 2010–11, p. 9
16. Gillard, Julia (28 September 2012). "Appointment of Secretaries" (Press release). Archived from the original on 19 December 2013.
17. Towell, Noel (18 September 2013). "Three public service department heads sacked by the Abbott government". The Canberra Times. Fairfax Media. Archived from the original on 25 September 2013.
18. Bettles, Colin (18 September 2013), Metcalfe sacked from DAFF, Farm Weekly, archived from the original on 10 November 2013
19. Vidot, Anna (19 September 2013). "Agriculture Dep't boss sacked as ministry sworn in". Australian Broadcasting Commission. Archived from the original on 28 December 2013.
20. "Press Conference - Parliament House, ACT | Prime Minister of Australia". www.pm.gov.au. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
21. "Andrew Metcalfe named 2010 Federal Government Leader of the Year" (Press release). 28 September 2010. Archived from the original on 18 August 2011.
22. List of Participants of the International Directors Programme who have earned the INSEAD Certificate in Corporate Governance (PDF), September 2013, archived from the original (PDF) on 1 February 2014
23. Malone 2006.
24. Department of Immigration and Citizenship Annual Report 2010–11
25. Metcalfe, Andrew, "Chapter 12: The overhaul of Australian immigration practices, 2005–2010", in Lindquist, Evert A.; Vincent, Vincent; Wanna, John (eds.), Delivering Policy Reform: Anchoring Significant Reforms in Turbulent Times, pp. 131–143
26. "Proust report on immigration reform progress" (Press release). 5 December 2008. Archived from the original on 1 February 2014.
27. Metcalfe, Andrew (October–December 2010), "Administration Of Immigration: Past, Present And Future" (PDF), Public Administration Today (24): 8–17, archived from the original (PDF) on 13 May 2012
28. Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs (15 November 2006). "ASEAN-Australia Immigration Consultations" (Press release). Archived from the original on 1 February 2014.
29. IPAA ACT Presidents, Institute of Public Administration ACT, 17 December 2011, archived from the original on 1 February 2014, retrieved 30 January 2014
30. Department of Immigration and Citizenship; Federation of Ethnic Communities' Councils of Australia (25 November 2010). "DIAC and FECCA speak out on violence against women" (Press release). Archived from the original on 1 February 2014.
31. http://www.ey.com/AU/en/Newsroom/News-releases/EY-appoints-Andrew-Metcalfe-AO-as-a-Canberra-Partner Archived 21 February 2014 at the Wayback Machine. or Press release Ernst & Young
32. National Australia Day Council Annual Report 2011-2012 (PDF), 2012, p. 17, archived from the original (PDF) on 1 February 2014
33. ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW COUNCIL THIRTY-THIRD ANNUAL REPORT: 2008–09 (PDF), Administrative Review Council, 2009, p. 3, ISBN 978-1-921241-90-1
34. Bowen, Chris (26 January 2012). "Congratulations to Secretary Andrew Metcalfe on Order of Australia award" (Press release). Archived from the original on 19 April 2013. Retrieved 1 February 2014.
35. "Senior Executives", Department of Immigration and Citizenship Annual Report 2009-10, 2010, archived from the original on 8 October 2013
36. about, Australian Government, archived from the original on 19 June 2013
37. "Expanded Advisory Board to support the National Drought and North Queensland Flood Response and Recovery Agency | Drought and Flood Response & Recovery". www.droughtandflood.gov.au. Retrieved 17 February 2020.

References and further reading

• Malone, Paul (2006), "Chapter 9: The 'New' Old Broom – Andrew Metcalfe, Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs", Australian department heads under Howard : career paths and practice (PDF), Canberra, Australia: The Australian National University, pp. 51–58, ISBN 1-920942-83-1, archived from the original (PDF) on 6 November 2013
• Burgess, Verona (27 November 2013). "Banks Lament policy failures". Australian Financial Review. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 10 February 2014.