Malcolm John Hazell CVO AM is an Australian public servant. He was the Official Secretary to two Governors-General of Australia, Peter Hollingworth (2003) and Major-General Michael Jeffery (2003-2008).

Biography

Malcolm Hazell had over 30 years experience in the Australian Public Service. He joined the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (PM&C) in 1974, holding policy advising positions. He worked on parliamentary and government matters and international relations. As Head of the Office of Ceremonial and Hospitality, he supervised many arrangements, including the Australian Bicentenary celebrations in 1988, and he was the Commonwealth Director of Royal Visits to Australia. He was the Head of the Cabinet Secretariat from 1996 to 1998.

He was seconded to the position of Senior Government Adviser in the office of the Prime Minister John Howard. In 2003, he became Official Secretary to the Governor-General of Australia, Peter Hollingworth. That position also entails being Secretary of the Order of Australia. On Hollingworth's resignation later that year, he continued to serve his successor Major-General Michael Jeffery.

In August 2008, there was considerable media comment when it was revealed that Major-General Jeffery’s successor-in-waiting, Ms Quentin Bryce, had decided that she would appoint Stephen Brady as her Official Secretary when she took office on 5 September. This meant that Hazell’s job would be ending, and although he made no public comment, he was reported to be "distraught" when informed of the matter three weeks earlier by the Secretary of PM&C, Terry Moran. It was reported that Major-General Jeffery confronted Ms Bryce about the matter when they met in Brisbane. Stephen Brady is a long time personal friend of the Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, and Brady's partner Peter Stephens is employed on Rudd’s personal staff. However, Rudd stated that neither he nor his office played any part in Ms Bryce's decision, and he also described Malcolm Hazell's service to two governors-general as "exemplary". At the same time, he defended Ms Bryce's right to decide who her official secretary should be, and said that Malcolm Hazell would be offered another position within the public service. Mr Hazell is considered "resolutely non-partisan" by his senior colleagues.

Honours

On 10 May 1988, Queen Elizabeth II invested Malcolm Hazell as a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order for his services during the 1988 Royal Visit.

In 2008, Mr Hazell was made a Knight of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.

On 8 June 2009, Mr Hazell was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia "For service to the community and to successive Australian Governments through senior positions in the Australian Public Service, and as Official Secretary to the Governor-General of Australia." He received the insignia of the award from the current Governor-General, Ms Quentin Bryce, at an investiture at Government House, Canberra on 7 September 2009.

Personal

Malcolm Hazell is married with two sons. From 1994 to 2006 he served on the Board of Canberra Grammar School, as Chair of the Education Committee and also as Deputy Chairman of the Board. He is also involved in community education activities with the Anglican Church.

References

1. Steve Lewis, Steady on Governor-General Quentin Bryce, staff in uproar, Herald Sun, 1 August 2008
2. news.com.au, Next GG dumps senior adviser, 1 August 2008
3. news.com.au, Governor-general 'can pick own staff', 1 August 2008
4. It’s an Honour: CVO
5. http://www.ema.gov.au/portal/govgazonline.nsf/4D27CDCFD482B95ECA25750C0005AE18/$file/S253.pdf
6. http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au/honours/honour_roll/search.cfm?aus_award_id=1140844&search_type=quick&showInd=true
7. Headmaster’s Address, Canberra Grammar School Speech Night 2006
8. Presentation to the Order of Australia Association

Sources

• Edited transcript of a presentation to the ACT Branch of the Order of Australia Association, 23 March 2004