The Chief Secretary of New South Wales, known from 1821 to 1959 as the Colonial Secretary, was a key political office in state administration in New South Wales, and from 1901, a state in the Commonwealth of Australia. During much of the 19th century, the Colonial Secretary was the pre-eminent figure in public life. The role of the Chief Secretary 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.

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."Historical Records of Australia, Volume 1, Series 4, p.538 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. 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.

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. 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).

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.

The correspondence of the Colonial Secretary has become one of the most valuable sources of information on all aspects of the history of New South Wales and the early British settlement of Australia. Various indexes to the correspondence have been compiled, and that relating to the Moreton Bay Penal Settlement (Brisbane) and Queensland to 1860, has been developed by the State Library of Queensland.

List of Colonial and Chief Secretaries of New South Wales

Ordinal Minister Party Title Term start Term end Time in office Notes 1 Prior to responsible government Colonial Secretary 1 January 1821 7 January 1826

2 8 January 1826 2 January 1837

3 2 January 1837 6 June 1856

4 No party 6 June 1856 25 August 1856

5 26 August 1856 2 October 1856

6 3 October 1856 7 September 1857

7 September 1857 26 October 1859

7 27 October 1859 8 March 1860

9 March 1860 15 October 1863

16 October 1863 2 February 1865

3 February 1865 21 January 1866

8 22 January 1866 17 September 1868

9 28 September 1868 26 October 1868

10 27 October 1868 12 January 1870

13 January 1870 15 December 1870

16 December 1870 13 May 1872

14 May 1872 8 February 1875

9 February 1875 21 March 1877

22 March 1877 16 August 1877

17 August 1877 17 December 1877

11 18 December 1877 20 December 1878

21 December 1878 4 January 1883

12 5 January 1883 6 October 1885

13 7 October 1885 9 October 1885

14 10 October 1885 21 December 1885

22 December 1885 22 February 1886

26 February 1886 19 January 1887

25 January 1887 16 January 1889

17 January 1889 7 March 1889

8 March 1889 23 October 1891

23 October 1891 2 August 1894

15

3 August 1894 13 September 1899

16  

14 September 1899 28 March 1901

28 March 1901 14 June 1904 17 15 June 1904 29 August 1904

18

29 August 1904 13 May 1907

19 14 May 1907 1 October 1907

20 2 October 1907 20 October 1910

21

21 October 1910 26 October 1911

22 7 November 1911 26 November 1911

23 27 November 1911 29 June 1913

24 30 June 1913 29 January 1914

25 29 January 1914 15 March 1915

26 15 March 1915 15 November 1916

27

15 November 1916 12 April 1920

28

21 April 1920 20 December 1921

29

20 December 1921 a.m. 20 December 1921 p.m. 7 hours

20 December 1921 13 April 1922

13 April 1922 17 June 1925

30

17 June 1925 26 May 1927

31 27 May 1927 18 October 1927

32

18 October 1927 31 January 1929

33 1 February 1929 15 April 1929

34 16 April 1929 3 November 1930

16 May 1932

16 May 1932 13 April 1938

35 13 April 1938 16 August 1939

36 16 August 1939 16 May 1941

37

16 May 1941 8 September 1949

38 8 September 1949 21 September 1949

39 21 September 1949 30 June 1950

40 30 June 1950 2 April 1952

41 3 April 1952 1 April 1959

Chief Secretary 1 April 1959 13 May 1965 42

13 May 1965 19 June 1972

43 19 June 1972 3 January 1975

44

Chief Secretary 23 January 1976 14 May 1976

45

Chief Secretary 25 March 1988 24 July 1990

46 24 July 1990 6 June 1991

47

6 June 1991 4 April 1995

Notes

External links Colonial Secretary's papers 1822-1877, State Library of Queensland. Colonial Secretary's letters received relating to Moreton Bay and Queensland 1822-1860. State Library of Queensland.

References