Secretary of the Department of Health

Mr Martin Bowles PSM has advised me that he wishes to leave his position as Secretary of the Department of Health on September 1, 2017.  

In a public service career of almost four decades, Mr Bowles has built a well deserved reputation as a highly respected leader and driver of innovation.

Mr Bowles joined the Australian Public Service in 2006 as Deputy Secretary of the Department of Defence after a lengthy career in the Queensland and NSW public services. He transferred to the Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency in 2010 and was awarded the Public Service Medal in 2012, after delivering highly successful energy efficiency policies and remediating the Home Insulation Program.

He was appointed Secretary of the Department of Immigration and Citizenship in 2012, where he  oversaw the early stages of the significant transformation of the Department into the Department of Immigration and Border Protection.

Since coming to the role of Secretary of the Department of Health in 2014, Mr Bowles has played an integral role in changes across the sector including the significant recent reforms to government funding for public hospitals in Australia, which will lead to greater efficiency, safety and quality in our hospital system.

I thank Mr Bowles for his professionalism, dedication and significant contribution to the  public service and wish him all the very best for the future.

Mark Cormack, Deputy Secretary, will be acting Secretary pending the appointment of Mr Bowles’ successor.