Frank Strahan


Frank Strahan was a senior Australian public servant. Between 1935 and 1949, he was Secretary of the Prime Minister's Department.

Life and career

Strahan was born in Fryerstown, Victoria on 2 July 1886.
In November 1935, Strahan was appointed Secretary of the Prime Minister's Department. In the role, he became the first member of the Commonwealth Public Service to attend Cabinet when he attended a meeting of the Third Menzies Ministry in July 1941.
In 1941 when the Department of External Territories was established, Strahan was named its Secretary. Strahan served in dual roles at the head of the Territories Department and the Prime Minister's Department until 1944, when J.R. Halligan was appointed to head the Department of External Territories.
Strahan retired in August 1949. He died on 4 May 1976 in Camberwell, and his body was cremated.

Awards

Whilst an Assistant Secretary at the Prime Minister's Department in June 1928, Strahan was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire. In April 1935 he was appointed a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order.