Chief Secretary of South Australia explained

The Chief Secretary of South Australia (since 1856) or Colonial Secretary of South Australia (1836–1856) was a key role in the governance of the Colony of South Australia (1836–1900) and State of South Australia (from 1901) until it was abolished in 1989. It was the main executive and coordinating authority of government administration. It was the official channel of communication to the Governor of South Australia from government departments and the general public.^[1]

The Premier's Department was created in 1965, and over time assumed the functions of the Chief Secretary's Office.

List of Colonial and Chief Secretaries of South Australia

Colonial Secretaries 1836–1856
Ordinal	Colonial Secretary	Period
		1836–1837
		1837–1838
		1838–1839
		1839–1841
		acting July–October 1840
		1841–1843
		1843–1849
	Boyle Travers Finniss	pro tem May–Oct 1849
		1849–1851
	Boyle Travers Finniss	1852–1856
		acting 21 Dec. 1854–8 June 1855
Chief Secretaries 1856–1989
		1856–1857
		1857
		1857
		1857–1860
		1860–1861
		1861
		1861–1863
		1863
		1863–1865
		1865–1866
		1866–1867
		1867–1868
		1868
		1868
		1868–1870
		1870
		1870–1872
		1872–1873
		1873–1875
		1875–1876
		1876
		1876–1877
		1877–1881
		1881–1884
		1884
		1884–1885
		1885
		1885–1886
		1886
		1886–1887
		1887–1889
		1889–1890
		1890–1892
		1892
		1892
		1892–1893
		1893
		1893–1896
		1896–1899
		1899
		1899–1905
		1905
		1905–1909
		1909
		1909–1910
		1910–1912
		1912–1915
		1915–1917
		1917–1919
		1919–1923
		1923–1924
		1924–1927
		1927–1930
		1930
		1930–1933
		1933–1939
		1939–1965
		1965–1968
		1968–1970
		1970–1973
		1973–1975
		1975–1977
		1977–1979
		1979–1982
		1982
		1982–1984
		1984–1985
		1985–1989
		1989

See also

• Chief Secretary - a generic description of the role in British colonies

Notes and References

1. Web site: Chief Secretary's Office . State Records of South Australia, Government of South Australia . 7 February 2016.