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.