Summary heading

Atlee Arthur Hunt, born 7 November 1864 in Queensland. Educated at Balmain Public School and Sydney grammar School. Joined NSW Department of Lands as junior clerk in 1879. Later studied law while working as part-time tutor at SGS. Admitted to NSW bar March 1892. Married his second cousin, Lilian Hunt, in 1897.

He died in Perth on 19 September 1935.

The National Library holds a collection of Atlee Hunt’s papers, both official and non-official at MS 52.

Career within Commonwealth

Atlee Arthur Hunt became Secretary of NSW Federal Association when it formed in 1898 and in 1899 General Secretary of the Federal League of Australia. Assisted with Edmund Barton’s Federal campaign and as his private secretary managed Barton's electoral campaign in 1901. Edmund Barton, (CP 710) who was Minister for External Affairs as well as Prime Minister, appointed Hunt secretary and Permanent Head of the Department of External Affairs (CA 7) on 1 May 1901. The Prime Minister’s Office was located within his department until 1911. Hunt presided over the early years of Commonwealth involvement with territories, including the acquisition of responsibility for the Northern Territory in 1907 and the Federal Capital Territory in 1911.

He visited British New Guinea in 1905 and was instrumental in getting the various pieces of legislation passed that provided for administrative and economic development in Australian-controlled Papua. He awarded the South Pacific mail contract to Burns Philip and Co. and took considerable interest in New Hebrides. He attended both the 1907 and 1911 Imperial Conferences with the Prime Minister and became CMG in 1910.

When the Department of External Affairs was abolished on 14 November 1916, Atlee Hunt became Secretary of the new Department of Home and Territories (CA 15). In this capacity, he presided over Australia’s acquisition of the mandated territories of New Guinea and Nauru. He was member of the Royal Commission of 1919 that reported on the administration of ex-German colonies in the Pacific.

When he was replaced as Secretary of Home and Territories in February 1921, he was appointed the first Public Service Arbitrator under the Public Service Arbitration Act of 1920. This position he retained until his retirement on 31 May 1930, despite continuing disagreements with the Public Service Board established in 1923.

Links to other Commonwealth Persons

Publications

End notes

Sources

Australian Dictionary of Biography 1891-1939, volume 9, pp 403-404