Blair Comley department secretary

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has appointed Blair Comley as secretary of the Department of Health and Aged Care.

Mr Comley comes to the role with a long-established career across the Commonwealth and New South Wales public sectors.

Between 2011 and 2013, Mr Comley was secretary of the Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism and the Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency. He then led the New South Wales Department of Premier and Cabinet as secretary between 2014 and 2017.

Mr Comley replaces Professor Brendan Murphy who has held the role as department secretary for the past three years.

“On behalf of my government, I thank Professor Brendan Murphy AC for his service to Australia’s health sector, as chief medical officer since 2016 and as secretary of the Department of Health since 2020,” said Mr Albanese in a statement. “Professor Murphy’s service during the Covid-19 global pandemic kept Australians safe. I wish him well as he embarks on his well-deserved retirement.”

In a separate statement, Minister for Health and Aged Care Mark Butler welcomed Mr Comley’s appointment saying, “Mr Comley has a wealth of experience and a record of proven leadership navigating complex issues.”

Mr Comley’s five-year appointment begins from 17 July 2023.

Main image: Blair Comley

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