Chief Secretary of New South Wales

The Chief Secretary of New South Wales, known from 1821 to 1959 as the Colonial Secretary was a key political office in the colonial and state administration in New South Wales, from 1901 a state in the Commonwealth of Australia. Its role changed significantly from the time of its creation in 1821 to its final use in 1995, with various responsibilities changing hands. Nominally subordinate to the Governor of New South Wales from the early 19th century until the beginning of full self-government in 1856, he was effectively a government record-keeper and the officer with responsibility for the general administration of the colony. However, for most of its history the Chief Secretary was in charge of all matters relating to correspondence with government departments, naturalisation, the Great Seal, state security, censorship and classification laws, the arts (to 1975), Public Health (to 1934), Aboriginal welfare (to 1969), Lord Howe Island, and environmental protection and fisheries.[1]

Chief Secretary of New South Wales
StyleThe Honourable
AppointerGovernor of New South Wales
PrecursorColonial Secretary
Formation1 January 1821
First holderFrederick Goulburn
Abolished4 April 1995
The Chief Secretary's Building in Macquarie Street, Sydney.

Role and responsibilities

The office of Colonial Secretary was created in 1821 to succeed the previous office of Secretary to the Governor, which had been the primary deputy to the Governor, representing the change from the absolute rule of the governor to the beginnings of self-government not only in NSW but also Australia. Originally having the role of the secretary to the Governor as well as secretary of the Colony this office was at first known as the Colonial Secretary or Principal Secretary. In 1804, Governor of New South Wales Philip Gidley King wrote that the Colonial Secretary "has the custody of all official papers and records belonging to the colony; transcribes the public despatches; charged with making out all grants, leases and other public Colonial instruments; also the care of numerous indents or lists sent with convicts of their terms of conviction, and every other official transaction relating to the Colony and Government; and is a situation of much responsibility and confidence."[2][3] On 30 June 1820 Major Frederick Goulburn was commissioned as Colonial Secretary and Registrar of the Records of New South Wales, being sworn in on 1 January 1821.[1] The role was initially an administrative role, serving as primary record-keeper and revenue collector, but also being responsible for ensuring the effective operation of government departments, for the Governor's Council and on the Legislative Council, of which they were an ex officio member.[1]

After 1842 the Governor ceased to occupy a seat in the Legislative Council and thus the role of chief government spokesman and representative in the colonial legislature was taken up by the Colonial Secretary, thereby significantly increasing its role at a time prior to the development of the role of Premier. After the grant of full responsible government in 1856, this evolved to be a subordinate cabinet-level political position and not the role of a civil servant or government spokesman, although the office was generally held by the Premier until 1904.[lower-alpha 1] From 1904 the Colonial Secretary was thus a government minister and was basically equivalent to the British Home Secretary. From 1859 the Colonial Secretary was referred to as the "Colonial Secretary" or "Chief Secretary to the Government", signifying the gradual use of the tern 'Chief' rather than 'Colonial' Secretary although it would not be officially changed until 1 April 1959 under the Ministers of the Crown Act (1959).[1]

For most of the modern role of the Chief Secretary up to its penultimate abolition in 1975, the office had responsibilities for:

  • The protection and welfare of the Aboriginal population.
  • Lord Howe Island.
  • Gaming, racing, betting and poker machines.
  • Theatre regulation and licensing.
  • Censorship and regulation of literature, art, films and plays.
  • Custody of the Great Seal.
  • Electoral matters
  • Environmental protection and fisheries.

The role was revived briefly for the period of the Willis Ministry from January to May 1976, and was revived for the last time for the period of the Liberal/National Coalition government from 1988 to 1995.[4]

List of Colonial and Chief Secretaries of New South Wales
OrdinalMinister [4]PartyTitleTerm startTerm endTime in officeNotes
1 Frederick Goulburn Prior to responsible government Colonial Secretary 1 January 1821 7 January 1826 5 years, 6 days [5]
2 Alexander Macleay 8 January 1826 2 January 1837 10 years, 360 days [6]
3 Edward Deas Thomson 2 January 1837 6 June 1856 19 years, 156 days [7]
4 Stuart Donaldson [lower-alpha 2] No party 6 June 1856 25 August 1856 80 days
5 Charles Cowper [lower-alpha 2] 26 August 1856 2 October 1856 37 days
6 Henry Parker [lower-alpha 2] 3 October 1856 7 September 1857 339 days
(5) Charles Cowper [lower-alpha 2] 7 September 1857 26 October 1859 2 years, 49 days
7 William Forster [lower-alpha 2] 27 October 1859 8 March 1860 133 days [8]
(5) Charles Cowper [lower-alpha 3] 9 March 1860 15 October 1863 3 years, 220 days
(7) William Forster 16 October 1863 2 February 1865 1 year, 109 days [8]
(5) Charles Cowper [lower-alpha 2] 3 February 1865 21 January 1866 352 days
8 Henry Parkes 22 January 1866 17 September 1868 2 years, 239 days [9]
9 Joseph Docker 28 September 1868 26 October 1868 28 days
10 John Robertson [lower-alpha 2] 27 October 1868 12 January 1870 1 year, 77 days [10]
(5) Charles Cowper [lower-alpha 2] 13 January 1870 15 December 1870 336 days
(10) John Robertson 16 December 1870 13 May 1872 1 year, 149 days [10]
8) Henry Parkes [lower-alpha 2] 14 May 1872 8 February 1875 2 years, 270 days [9]
(10) John Robertson [lower-alpha 2] 9 February 1875 21 March 1877 2 years, 40 days [10]
(8) Henry Parkes [lower-alpha 2] 22 March 1877 16 August 1877 147 days [9]
(10) Sir John Robertson [lower-alpha 2] 17 August 1877 17 December 1877 122 days [10]
11 Michael Fitzpatrick 18 December 1877 20 December 1878 1 year, 2 days
(8) Sir Henry Parkes [lower-alpha 2] 21 December 1878 4 January 1883 4 years, 14 days [9]
12 Alexander Stuart [lower-alpha 2] 5 January 1883 6 October 1885 2 years, 274 days
13 George Dibbs [lower-alpha 2] 7 October 1885 9 October 1885 2 days
14 Sir Patrick Jennings 10 October 1885 21 December 1885 72 days
(10) Sir John Robertson [lower-alpha 2] 22 December 1885 22 February 1886 62 days [10]
(14) Sir Patrick Jennings [lower-alpha 2] 26 February 1886 19 January 1887 327 days
(8) Sir Henry Parkes [lower-alpha 2]   Free Trade 25 January 1887 16 January 1889 1 year, 357 days [9]
(13) George Dibbs [lower-alpha 2]   Protectionist 17 January 1889 7 March 1889 49 days
(8) Sir Henry Parkes [lower-alpha 2]   Free Trade 8 March 1889 23 October 1891 2 years, 229 days [9]
(13) George Dibbs [lower-alpha 2]   Protectionist 23 October 1891 2 August 1894 2 years, 283 days
15 James Brunker   Free Trade 3 August 1894 13 September 1899 5 years, 41 days [11]
16 John See [lower-alpha 2]   Protectionist 14 September 1899 28 March 1901 4 years, 274 days
  Progressive 28 March 1901 14 June 1904
17 John Perry 15 June 1904 29 August 1904 75 days
18 James Hogue   Liberal Reform 29 August 1904 13 May 1907 2 years, 257 days
19 Thomas Waddell 14 May 1907 1 October 1907 140 days
20 William Wood 2 October 1907 20 October 1910 3 years, 18 days
21 Donald Macdonell   Labor 21 October 1910 26 October 1911 1 year, 5 days
22 Frederick Flowers 7 November 1911 26 November 1911 19 days
23 James McGowen [lower-alpha 2] 27 November 1911 29 June 1913 1 year, 214 days
24 William Holman [lower-alpha 2] 30 June 1913 29 January 1914 213 days
25 John Cann 29 January 1914 15 March 1915 1 year, 45 days
26 George Black 15 March 1915 15 November 1916 1 year, 245 days
27 George Fuller   Nationalist 15 November 1916 12 April 1920 3 years, 149 days
28 James Dooley [lower-alpha 4]   Labor 21 April 1920 20 December 1921 1 year, 243 days
29 Charles Oakes   Nationalist 20 December 1921 20 December 1921 0 days
(28) James Dooley [lower-alpha 2]   Labor 20 December 1921 13 April 1922 114 days
(29) Charles Oakes   Nationalist 13 April 1922 17 June 1925 3 years, 65 days
30 Carlo Lazzarini   Labor 17 June 1925 26 May 1927 1 year, 343 days
31 Mark Gosling 27 May 1927 18 October 1927 144 days
32 Albert Bruntnell   Nationalist 18 October 1927 31 January 1929 1 year, 105 days
33 Thomas Bavin 1 February 1929 15 April 1929 73 days
34 Frank Chaffey 16 April 1929 3 November 1930 1 year, 201 days
(31) Mark Gosling   Labor 4 November 1930 15 October 1931 1 year, 194 days
  Labor (NSW) 15 October 1931 16 May 1932
(34) Frank Chaffey   United Australia 16 May 1932 13 April 1938 5 years, 332 days
35 George Gollan 13 April 1938 16 August 1939 1 year, 125 days
36 Alwyn Tonking 16 August 1939 16 May 1941 1 year, 273 days
37 Jack Baddeley   Labor 16 May 1941 8 September 1949 8 years, 115 days
38 James McGirr 8 September 1949 21 September 1949 13 days
39 Claude Matthews 21 September 1949 30 June 1950 282 days
40 Clive Evatt 30 June 1950 2 April 1952 1 year, 277 days
41 Gus Kelly 3 April 1952 1 April 1959 13 years, 40 days
Chief Secretary 1 April 1959 13 May 1965
42 Eric Willis   Liberal 13 May 1965 19 June 1972 7 years, 37 days
43 Ian Griffith 19 June 1972 3 January 1975 2 years, 198 days
44 Peter Coleman   Liberal Chief Secretary 23 January 1976 14 May 1976 112 days
45 Garry West   National Chief Secretary 25 March 1988 24 July 1990 2 years, 121 days
46 Ian Causley 24 July 1990 6 June 1991 317 days
47 Anne Cohen   Liberal 6 June 1991 4 April 1995 3 years, 302 days

Notes
  1. The exceptions were James Martin, who took the office of Attorney General in all 3 of his ministries, John Robertson who took the role of Secretary for Lands in his first ministry, James Farnell who was Secretary for Lands in his ministry, George Dibbs who was Colonial Treasurer in his first ministry and George Reid who was Colonial Treasurer in his ministry.
  2. Concurrently Premier of New South Wales.
  3. Premier of New South Wales from 10 January 1861.
  4. Premier of New South Wales from 5 October 1921.

References
  1. "AGY-16 Colonial Secretary, Chief Secretary". NSW State Archives & Records. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
  2. "AGY-1861 Secretary to the Governor". NSW State Archives & Records. Retrieved 28 January 2021.
  3. Historical Records of Australia, Volume 1, Series 4, p.538
  4. "Part 6 Ministries since 1856" (PDF). NSW Parliamentary Record. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 19 November 2020.
  5. "Mr Frederick Goulburn (1788-1837)". Former Members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 18 April 2019.
  6. "Mr Alexander Macleay (1767-1848)". Former Members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 12 April 2019.
  7. "Sir Edward Deas Thomson, KCMG, CB (1804-1859)". Former Members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  8. "Mr William Forster (1818–1882)". Former Members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
  9. "Sir Henry Parkes (1815–1896)". Former Members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 5 April 2019.
  10. "Sir John Robertson (1816–1891)". Former Members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 18 April 2019.
  11. "Mr James Nixon Brunker (1832-1910)". Former Members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 9 June 2019.
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