Herbert Charles Brown (18741940) was a senior Australian public servant best known for his time as Commonwealth Auditor-General in the late 1930s.

Life and career

Brown was born in 1874, and joined the New South Wales public service in 1891. Brown served for 12-years in the

Postmaster-General's Department The Postmaster-General's Department (PMG) was a department of the Australian federal government, established at Federation in 1901, whose responsibilities included the provision of postal and telegraphic services throughout Australia. It was ...

, before joining the

Department of Home Affairs An interior ministry (sometimes called a ministry of internal affairs or ministry of home affairs) is a government department that is responsible for internal affairs. Lists of current ministries of internal affairs Named "ministry" * Ministry ...

. He then became an Assistant Secretary in the

Department of Works and Railways The Department of Works and Railways was an Australian government department that existed between November 1916 and April 1932. At its abolition, its functions were absorbed into the Department of the Interior. Scope Information abou ...

, then a chief clerk and accountant in the

Prime Minister's Department A cabinet department or prime minister's department is a department or other government agency that directly supports the work of the government's central executive office, usually the cabinet and/or prime minister, rather than specific ministe ...

. In 1928, Brown 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 Markets. He became Secretary of the expanded Department of Markets and Transport at the end of that year. Brown was Secretary of the

Department of Transport The Department for Transport (DfT) is a department of His Majesty's Government responsible for the English transport network and a limited number of transport matters in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland that have not been devolved. The d ...

between 1930 and 1932. His salary was initially set at £1,100 per year, and his responsibilities included Commonwealth railways, assisted Migration from Britain, and lighthouses, light ships, beacons and buoys. When the

Department of the Interior The United States Department of the Interior (DOI) is one of the executive departments of the U.S. federal government headquartered at the Main Interior Building, located at 1849 C Street NW in Washington, D.C. It is responsible for the mana ...

was created in 1932, amalgamating the Departments of Home Affairs, Transport and Works and Railways, Brown was appointed to be its head. Having served as head of the Department of the Interior for over three years, Brown was appointed Commonwealth Auditor-General in November 1935. Brown died on 16 July 1940, aged 67. His death was at home after a short illness.

Awards

Brown was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in June 1933 whilst Secretary of the Department of the Interior.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Brown, Herbert Charles 1874 births 1940 deaths Australian public servants Australian Commanders of the Order of the British Empire