David Miller (public servant)
Colonel David Miller CMG ISO (1857 – 1934) was a senior Australian Commonwealth Public Servant, appointed in the year of Federation to head the Department of Home Affairs.
Colonel David Miller CMG ISO | |
|---|---|
| Secretary of the Department of Home Affairs | |
| In office 19 November 1901 – 14 November 1916 | |
| Secretary of the Department of Works and Railways | |
| In office 14 November 1916 – 31 August 1917 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 27 March 1857 Glebe, Sydney, New South Wales |
| Died | 27 November 1934 (aged 77) Glen Innes, New South Wales |
| Nationality | .svg.png.webp){kind=small} Australian |
| Spouse(s) | Emily Eliza Langdon (m. 1878–1883; her death) Mary Elizabeth Thompson (m. 1890–1934; his death) |
| Occupation | Public servant |
Life and career
David Miller was born in Glebe, Sydney on 27 March 1857.[1]
He joined the NSW Public Service in 1875.[2] His military career started ten years later when he was appointed a 2nd Lieutenant in the New South Wales Militia.[2]
In 1901, Miller was appointed Secretary of the Department of Home Affairs.[3]
He was made Administrator of the Federal Capital Territory in 1912, occupying dual positions,[4] and transferring to Canberra.[5] His residency was the first permanent building in Canberra and he was responsible for conducting an international design competition for establishing the national capital.[5] Miller was not a fan of the Walter Burley Griffin design selected for Canberra, believing it to be too expensive to be realised.[5]
Miller retired officially from Canberra in his final position as Secretary of the Department of Works and Railways in August 1917.[1] He died on 27 November 1934 at Glen Innes.[1]
Awards
Miller was awarded an Imperial Service Order in February 1904, as Secretary of the Home Affairs Department.[6] In June 1913 he was appointed a Companions of the Order of St Michael and St George.[7]
In 2009, a street in the Canberra suburb of Casey was named David Miller Crescent in Miller's honour.[5]
References
- Harrison, Peter (1986), "Miller, David (1857–1934)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, Australian National University, archived from the original on 6 November 2013
- CP 278: Brigadier-General David MILLER CMG, ISO, VD, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 18 April 2014
- CA 8: Department of Home Affairs [I], Central Office, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 18 April 2014
- "Administrator of the Federal Capital". The Brisbane Courier. 22 August 1912. p. 4.
- David Miller Street, ACT Government Environment and Sustainable Development Directorate, archived from the original on 27 February 2014
- Search Australian Honours: MILLER, David, Australian Government, archived from the original on 18 April 2014
- Search Australian Honours: MILLER, David, Australian Government, archived from the original on 18 April 2014
| Government offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| New title Department established |
Secretary of the Department of Home Affairs 1901 – 1916 |
Succeeded by Himself as Secretary of the Department of Works and Railways |
| Succeeded by Atlee Hunt as Secretary of the Department of Home and Territories | ||
| Preceded by Himself as Secretary of Home Affairs |
Secretary of the Department of Works and Railways 1916 – 1917 |
Succeeded by Walter Bingle |
Authority control  |
|---|