The Colonial Secretary of Western Australia was one of the most important and powerful public offices in
Western Australia, in the time when Western Australia was a British
colony. The Colonial Secretary was the representative of the British
Colonial Office in Western Australia, and was usually appointed from Britain. He was responsible for all official correspondence between the colony and the Colonial Office. He was at all times a member of the
Western Australian Legislative Council and the
Western Australian Executive Council.
After Western Australia gained
responsible government
Responsible government is a conception of a system of government that embodies the principle of parliamentary accountability, the foundation of the Westminster system of parliamentary democracy. Governments (the equivalent of the executive bran ...
in 1890, the office of Colonial Secretary became a
ministerial portfolio. The responsibilities of the office changed substantially, and it was no longer such an important role. Colebatch (2004) described the office of Colonial Secretary in 1917 as
:
Since Western Australia was no longer a British colony after 1901, the office of Colonial Secretary was misnamed after this date. In 1924, the office was renamed to Chief Secretary.
List of colonial secretaries of Western Australia
The following is a list of colonial secretaries of Western Australia:
Notes
References
* Colebatch, H. G. P. (2004). Steadfast Knight: A Life of Sir Hal Colebatch.
Fremantle Arts Centre Press, Fremantle, Western Australia. .
Further reading
*
Battye, J. S. (1912) ''The
Cyclopedia of Western Australia'' Perth : Cyclopedia Co., 1912.
: Entry as: ''Colonial Secretary's Department : list of gentlemen who have held the position of Colonial Secretary for Western Australia from 1890 to 1911''. Vol. 1, p. 502
:Facsimile edition: (1985) ''The Cyclopedia of Western Australia : an historical and commercial review : descriptive and biographical facts, figures and illustrations : an epitome of progress'' Carlisle, W.A : Hesperian Press. (set) (vol. 2) {{ISBN, 0-85905-073-4 (vol. 1)
*