The Chief Secretary of South Australia (since 1856) or Colonial Secretary of South Australia (1836–1856) was a key role in the governance of the Colony of South Australia (1836–1900) and State of South Australia (from 1901) until it was abolished in 1989. It was the main executive and coordinating authority of government administration. It was the official channel of communication to the Governor of South Australia from government departments and the general public.
The Premier's Department was created in 1965, and over time assumed the functions of the Chief Secretary's Office.
List of Colonial and Chief Secretaries of South Australia
Colonial Secretaries 1836–1856OrdinalColonial SecretaryPeriod Robert Gouger 1836–1837 Thomas Bewes Strangways 1837–1838 George Milner Stephen 1838–1839 Robert Gouger 1839–1841 George Hall acting July–October 1840 J. Alexander Jackson 1841–1843 Alfred Miller Mundy 1843–1849 Boyle Travers Finnisspro tem May–Oct 1849 Charles Sturt 1849–1851 Boyle Travers Finniss 1852–1856 Oliver K. Richardson acting 21 Dec. 1854–8 June 1855Chief Secretaries 1856–1989 Boyle Travers Finniss 1856–1857 John Baker 1857 Robert Richard Torrens 1857 William Younghusband 1857–1860 George Marsden Waterhouse 1860–1861 John Morphett 1861 George Marsden Waterhouse 1861–1863 John Hart 1863 Henry Ayers 1863–1865 John Hart 1865–1866 Arthur Blyth 1866–1867 Henry Ayers 1867–1868 John Hart 1868 Henry Ayers 1868 John Tuthill Bagot 1868–1870 Augustine Stow 1870 William Milne 1870–1872 Henry Ayers 1872–1873 Arthur Blyth 1873–1875 William Morgan 1875–1876 George Charles Hawker 1876 Henry Ayers 1876–1877 William Morgan 1877–1881 John Cox Bray 1881–1884 James Garden Ramsay 1884 John Colton 1884–1885 John Brodie Spence 1885 John Cox Bray 1885–1886 John Brodie Spence 1886 David Murray 1886–1887 James Garden Ramsay 1887–1889 John Alexander Cockburn 1889–1890 John Cox Bray 1890–1892 Charles Cameron Kingston 1892 John Alexander Cockburn 1892 John William Downer 1892–1893 William Copley 1893 John Hannah Gordon 1893–1896 James O'Loghlin 1896–1899 John Lancelot Stirling 1899 John Greeley Jenkins 1899–1905 Joseph Vardon 1905 Andrew Alexander Kirkpatrick 1905–1909 Frederick Samuel Wallis 1909 John George Bice 1909–1910 Frederick Samuel Wallis 1910–1912 John George Bice 1912–1915 Alfred William Styles 1915–1917 Archibald Peake 1917–1919 John George Bice 1919–1923 Thomas Pascoe 1923–1924 James Jelley 1924–1927 Henry Tassie 1927–1930 James Jelley 1930 Stanley Whitford 1930–1933 George Ritchie 1933–1939 Lyell McEwin 1939–1965 Bert Shard 1965–1968 Ren DeGaris 1968–1970 Bert Shard 1970–1973 Alfred Kneebone 1973–1975 Don Banfield 1975–1977 Don Simmons 1977–1979 Allan Rodda 1979–1982 John Olsen 1982 Gavin Keneally 1982–1984 Jack Wright 1984–1985 Don Hopgood 1985–1989 Bob Gregory 1989
References
See also Chief Secretary - a generic description of the role in British colonies