IPAA’s
History

Arthur Webb Pettit c. 1884–1940.
Credit: State Library of South Australia

The history of the Institute of Public Administration Australia mirrors that of Australia’s federation: just as six British colonies came together on 1 January 1901 as the Commonwealth of Australia, so too did eight Australian regional groups of the Institute of Public Administration unite as an independent national organisation on 1 January 1980.

The first Australian regional group of the London-based Institute of Public Administration formed in South Australia on Wednesday 28 October 1927. The moving spirit behind the group was its first secretary, Mr Arthur W. Pettit.

Regional groups of the Institute of Public Administration were subsequently established in Victoria (1929), New South Wales (1935), Queensland (1951–2012; 2017), Papua and New Guinea (1952–1968), Australian Capital Territory (1953), Tasmania (1953), Western Australia (1954) and the Northern Territory (1954–1968; 1985).

These groups eventually cut their ties with London’s Institute of Public Administration and joined together in a confederation that became known as the Institute of Public Administration Australia (IPAA).

The history of IPAA from its earliest days, through to its establishment as a national organisation, and its growth and development over a forty year period, are told in ‘A History of the Institute of Public Administration, 1980–2020’ which is available to download in either high resolution [24 MB] or low resolution [2MB].

IPAA’s first National President was Duncan R Steele Craik OBE CBE FIPAA. Dr Gordon de Brouwer PSM FIPAA is its 15th National President.

An honour board of National Presidents is presented below.

IPAA’s
National Presidents

ANDREW METCALFE AO FIPAA

October 2023 onwards

Dr Gordon de Brouwer PSM

PROFESSOR RENÉE LEON PSM FIPAA

1 July 2022 until October 2023

 

Dr Gordon de Brouwer PSM

Dr Gordon de Brouwer PSM FIPAA

26 September 2021 to June 2022

 

Professor Peter Shergold AC

Professor Peter Shergold AC FIPAA

14 November 2017 to 25 September 2019

 

Ms Penny Armytage

Penny Armytage FIPAA

13 October 2015 to
14 November 2017

 

Mr Terry F. Moran AC

Terry F Moran AC FIPAA

17 September 2012 to
13 October 2015

 

Professor Percy Allan AM

Professor Percy Allan AM FIPAA

18 November 2009 to
17 September 2012

 

Mr Andrew S. Podger AO

Professor Andrew S Podger AO FIPAA

10 November 2004 to
18 November 2009

 

 

Ms Sue S. Vardon AO

Sue S Vardon AO FIPAA

28 November 2000 to
10 November 2004

Credit: Nine (Fairfax Media)

 

Tony Ayers

Tony Ayers AO FIPAA

24 November 1998 to
28 November 2000

Credit: National Library of Australia

 

 

Michael S Keating

Dr Michael S Keating AC FIPAA

19 November 1996 to
24 November 1998

 

 

Ms Elizabeth Proust AO

Elizabeth Proust AO FIPAA

22 November 1994 to
19 November 1996

 

 

 

Alison Gaines

Alison Gaines

acting, 4 March 1993 to
22 November 1994

 

 

 

Richard Humphry

Richard G Humphry AO FIPAA

5 February 1990 to
4 March 1994

Credit: HuiHai Xie | National Portrait Gallery

 

 

 

Hedley Bachmann

Hedley R Bachmann AM FIPAA

11 November 1986 to
5 February 1990

 

 

 

The Hon. Mr Justice Rae Else-Mitchell CMG

The Hon. Mr Justice Rae Else-Mitchell CMG FIPAA

16 November 1982 to
11 November 1986

 

 

 

 

Duncan Steele Craik

Duncan R Steele Craik CB OBE FIPAA

1 January 1980 to
16 November 1982

Credit: The Canberra Times