IPAA’s
History
Arthur Webb Pettit c. 1884–1940.
Credit: State Library of South Australia
YOUR IPAA 
The history of the Institute of Public Administration Australia mirrors that of Australia’s federation: just as six British colonies came together on 1 January 1901 as the Commonwealth of Australia, so too did eight Australian regional groups of the Institute of Public Administration unite as an independent national organisation on 1 January 1980.
The first Australian regional group of the London-based Institute of Public Administration formed in South Australia on Wednesday 28 October 1927. The moving spirit behind the group was its first secretary, Mr Arthur W. Pettit.
Regional groups of the Institute of Public Administration were subsequently established in Victoria (1929), New South Wales (1935), Western Australia (1945), Queensland (1951–2012; 2017), Papua and New Guinea (1952–1968), Australian Capital Territory (1953), Tasmania (1953), and the Northern Territory (1954–1968; 1985).
These groups eventually cut their ties with London’s Institute of Public Administration and joined together in a confederation that became known as the Institute of Public Administration Australia (IPAA).
The history of IPAA from its earliest days, through to its establishment as a national organisation, and its growth and development over a forty year period, are told in ‘A History of the Institute of Public Administration, 1980–2020’ which is available to download in either high resolution [24 MB] or low resolution [2MB].
IPAA’s first National President was Duncan R Steele Craik OBE CBE FIPAA. Dr Gordon de Brouwer PSM FIPAA is its 15th National President.
An honour board of National Presidents is presented below.
IPAA’s
National Presidents
ANDREW METCALFE AO FIPAA
October 2023 onwards
PROFESSOR RENÉE LEON PSM FIPAA
1 July 2022 until October 2023
Dr Gordon de Brouwer PSM FIPAA
26 September 2021 to June 2022
Professor Peter Shergold AC FIPAA
14 November 2017 to 25 September 2019
Penny Armytage FIPAA
13 October 2015 to
14 November 2017
Terry F Moran AC FIPAA
17 September 2012 to
13 October 2015
Professor Percy Allan AM FIPAA
May 2010 to
17 September 2012
Professor Andrew S Podger AO FIPAA
10 November 2004 to
May 2010
Sue S Vardon AO FIPAA
28 November 2000 to
10 November 2004
Credit: Nine (Fairfax Media)
Tony Ayers AO FIPAA
24 November 1998 to
28 November 2000
Credit: National Library of Australia
Dr Michael S Keating AC FIPAA
19 November 1996 to
24 November 1998
Elizabeth Proust AO FIPAA
22 November 1994 to
19 November 1996
Alison Gaines
acting, 4 March 1993 to
22 November 1994
Richard G Humphry AO FIPAA
5 February 1990 to
4 March 1994
Credit: HuiHai Xie | National Portrait Gallery
Hedley R Bachmann AM FIPAA
11 November 1986 to
5 February 1990
The Hon. Mr Justice Rae Else-Mitchell CMG FIPAA
16 November 1982 to
11 November 1986
Duncan R Steele Craik CB OBE FIPAA
1 January 1980 to
16 November 1982
Credit: The Canberra Times