Cabinet Secretary

Cabinet Secretary is a ministerial portfolio within the Australian federal government. It has existed in three periods, from 2007 to 2013, from 2015 to 2017, and since 2022. The minister is responsible for assisting the Prime Minister of Australia in managing the day-to-day procedural and operational matters of the Cabinet and any Cabinet committees. The Cabinet Secretary's portfolio falls within the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. The Cabinet Secretary should not be confused with the Secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, which is the senior Australian Public Service departmental secretary, or other Cabinet Secretary positions in other Westminster systems. The UK's Minister for the Cabinet Office has similar but not analogous functions. History From 1959 to 1968 the duties of the Cabinet Secretary were handled by the Secretary of the Prime Minister's Department. From 1968 to 1971, the Department of the Cabinet Office existed led by the Secretary to the Cabinet, a senior Australian Public Service departmental secretary From 1971 to 1996, the duties of the Cabinet Secretary were handed by the Secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. From 1996 to 2007, Prime Minister John Howard appointed a political staffer to the position of Cabinet Secretary, under the Member of Parliament (Staffing) Act 1984, to head the new Cabinet Policy Unit. Howard also appointed junior ministerial positions of Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet) to the Prime Minister held by Chris Miles MP and Parliamentary Secretary to the Cabinet held by Senator Bill Heffernan. Howard's Cabinet Secretary practice was resumed by Prime Minister Tony Abbott from 2013 to 2015.