David John Tune (born 1954) is a retired senior Australian public servant. Between 2009 and 2014 he was Secretary of the Australian Government Finance Department.

Life and career

Tune joined the

Australian Public Service The Australian Public Service (APS) is the federal civil service of the Commonwealth of Australia responsible for the public administration, public policy, and public services of the departments and executive and statutory agencies of the G ...

in 1976. Between 1986 and 1988 he worked on a secondment in the British Cabinet Office. In August 2009, Tune was appointed

Secretary A secretary, administrative professional, administrative assistant, executive assistant, administrative officer, administrative support specialist, clerk, military assistant, management assistant, office secretary, or personal assistant is a w ...

of the

Department of Finance and Deregulation The Australian Department of Finance and Deregulation was a Federal Government department that existed between December 2007 and September 2013. Its role was to help the Australian Government achieve its policy objectives by contributing ...

. While Secretary of that Department in 2013, Tune was forced to sign off controversial tax-funded advertising intended to deter asylum seekers from making the journey to Australia by boat, during the care-taker period before an election. Tune announced his retirement from the public service in May 2014, with his last day as Finance Secretary announced for 27 June. Tune served 38 years in public service. In August 2015, Tune was appointed to co-chair a review into parliamentary entitlements, following intense scrutiny on the spending habits of politicians, and the resignation of

Bronwyn Bishop Bronwyn Kathleen Bishop (née Setright; born 19 October 1942) is an Australian former politician. She was a member of federal parliament for almost 30 years, the longest period of service by a woman. A member of the Liberal Party, she was a mi ...

as Speaker over her use of entitlements. In the review, Tune and his colleague John Conde proposed a new "principles-based" system and recommended the language of "entitlements" be renamed "work expenses".

Awards

Tune was awarded the Public Service Medal in 2009 for outstanding public service in the development of significant economic and social policy reforms in a way that models whole-of-government service. Six years later at the

2015 Australia Day Honours The 2015 Australia Day Honours were announced on 26 January 2015 by the Governor General of Australia, Sir Peter Cosgrove. The Australia Day Honours are the first of the two major annual honours lists, announced on Australia Day (26 January), with ...

, Tune was appointed an Officer of the

Order of Australia The Order of Australia is an honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. It was established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, on the advice of the Australian Gove ...

for distinguished service to public administration through leadership of finance, budget and social policy initiatives, as an adviser to government, and through disaster recovery coordination and liaison.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tune, David Living people 1954 births Officers of the Order of Australia Recipients of the Public Service Medal (Australia) Secretaries of the Australian Department of Finance Date of birth missing (living people) Place of birth missing (living people)