Mark Anthony Sullivan, is a former senior Australian public servant and policymaker.

Background and early life

Sullivan studied economics and accounting at

University of Sydney The University of Sydney (USYD), also known as Sydney University, or informally Sydney Uni, is a public research university located in Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and is one of the country's si ...

. Before graduating in 1973 the

Australian Taxation Office The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) is an Australian statutory agency and the principal revenue collection body for the Australian Government. The ATO has responsibility for administering the Australian federal taxation system, superannuati ...

offered him a cadetship, allowing him to finish his studies on pay.

Career

After graduating, Sullivan joined the Tax Office, working in offices in Sydney, Parramatta and Canberra. He went on to work in the

Department of Social Security The Department of Social Security (DSS) was a governmental agency in the United Kingdom from 1988 to 2001. The old abbreviation is still often used informally. Advertisements for rented accommodation used to describe prospective tenants who wou ...

, SBS and the

Department of Immigration, Local Government and Ethnic Affairs The Department of Immigration, Local Government and Ethnic Affairs was an Australian government department that existed between July 1987 and March 1993. Scope Information about the department's functions and/or government funding all ...

(later Immigration and Ethnic Affairs and then Immigration and Multicultural Affairs. In the immigration department, he was engaged in managing boat people arrivals in 1989 and 1990. Between 1999 and 2002 Sullivan was the Chief Executive Officer of the

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC) (1990–2005) was the Australian Government body through which Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islanders were formally involved in the processes of government affecting ...

. Then, in 2002, Sullivan 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 Family and Community Services. In 2004, the Howard government rotated Sullivan from FaCS to the

Department of Veterans' Affairs Veterans' affairs is an area of public policy concerned with relations between a government and its communities of military veterans. Some jurisdictions have a designated government agency or department, a Department of Veterans' Affairs, Minist ...

. In 2008 Sullivan left his role at Veterans' Affairs to join the ACTEW Corporation as managing director. During his time at ACTEW, Sullivan led major water projects, including the

Cotter Dam The Cotter Dam is a concrete gravity and rockfill embankment dam across the Cotter River, located in the Australian Capital Territory, Australia. Both the dam and river are named after early settler in the area Garrett Cotter. The impounded Cot ...

expansion project, with the aim to "drought-proof" Canberra. Sullivan announced his retirement from the ACTEW Corporation in February 2014, collecting a $690,000 termination payment on his departure.

Awards

In 2008 Sullivan was made 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 service as Secretary of FaCS.

References

References and further reading

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Sullivan, Mark Australian public servants Living people Year of birth missing (living people) Officers of the Order of Australia University of Sydney alumni Secretaries of the Australian Government Veterans' Affairs Department