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Australia`s prime ministerial confidante resigns
Canberra, Dec 17: Australia`s most senior public servant and trusted confidante to Prime Minister John Howard announced his resignation today to work in the private sector.
Canberra, Dec 17: Australia's most senior public servant and trusted confidante to Prime Minister John Howard announced his resignation today to work in the private sector.
Max Moore-Wilton will step down from his position as secretary of the department of Prime Minister and cabinet on Friday to take up a board position in an unnamed company.
On winning government in 1996, Howard recruited Moore-Wilton - who had spent most of his career working in state and federal bureaucracies - from a senior position at the Australian Stock Exchange. After 13 years of labor government, Howard wanted to ensure the federal bureaucracy would be responsive to his conservative administration and Moore-Wilton was the man he appointed to achieve it.
"I'm very sorry that he's going," Howard said today. "He's been a fantastic departmental secretary. He's served Australia and the government very well." Howard in 1996 also wanted to cut the size of the public service, and Moore-Wilton was quickly dubbed "max the ax" by critics because of the thousands of jobs he cut from federal government departments.
"It will take a long time for the public service to recover from Mr Moore-Wilton's tenure," said senior opposition labor legislator Bob Mcmullan of the resignation. A senior public servant will act in Moore-Wilton's position until a successor is named.
Bureau Report
On winning government in 1996, Howard recruited Moore-Wilton - who had spent most of his career working in state and federal bureaucracies - from a senior position at the Australian Stock Exchange. After 13 years of labor government, Howard wanted to ensure the federal bureaucracy would be responsive to his conservative administration and Moore-Wilton was the man he appointed to achieve it.
"I'm very sorry that he's going," Howard said today. "He's been a fantastic departmental secretary. He's served Australia and the government very well." Howard in 1996 also wanted to cut the size of the public service, and Moore-Wilton was quickly dubbed "max the ax" by critics because of the thousands of jobs he cut from federal government departments.
"It will take a long time for the public service to recover from Mr Moore-Wilton's tenure," said senior opposition labor legislator Bob Mcmullan of the resignation. A senior public servant will act in Moore-Wilton's position until a successor is named.
Bureau Report