Frank Strahan (2 July 18864 May 1976) was a senior Australian public servant. Between 1935 and 1949, he was
Secretary
A secretary, administrative assistant, executive assistant, personal secretary, or other similar titles is an individual whose work consists of supporting management, including executives, using a variety of project management, program evalu ...
of the
Prime Minister's Department.
Life and career
Strahan was born in Fryerstown, Victoria on 2 July 1886.
In November 1935, Strahan was appointed Secretary of the Prime Minister's Department.
In the role, he became the first member of the
Commonwealth Public Service
The Australian Public Service (APS) is the federal civil service of the Commonwealth of Australia responsible for the public administration, public policy, and public services of the departments and executive and statutory agencies of the Gov ...
to attend Cabinet when he attended a meeting of the
Third Menzies Ministry in July 1941.
[
In 1941 when the Department of External Territories was established (it was previously an office in the Prime Minister's Department), Strahan was named its Secretary.][ He died on 4 May 1976 in Camberwell, and his body was cremated.][
]
Awards
Whilst an Assistant Secretary at the Prime Minister's Department in June 1928, Strahan was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire. In April 1935 he was appointed a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order () is a dynastic order of knighthood established in 1896 by Queen Victoria. It recognises distinguished personal service to the monarch, members of the royal family, or to any viceroy or senior representative of the m ...
.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Strahan, Frank
1886 births
1976 deaths
Australian Commanders of the Order of the British Empire
Secretaries of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
20th-century Australian public servants