Australian appointment - Deputy Secretary-General Commonwealth Secretariat
I welcome the Australian appointment to the position of Deputy Secretary-General (Corporate Affairs) at the Commonwealth of Nations Secretariat in London. Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma has announced Mr Gary Dunn to the position, the most senior ever held by an Australian.
Mr Dunn is a distinguished public servant with a proven track record in organisational change, corporate governance and strategic management. He is currently a Deputy Secretary in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).
Mr Dunn has wide experience across the Australian Public Service including a number of senior executive positions in the Department of Human Services (2011-12), Medicare (2010) and Centrelink (2005-10). Prior to joining DFAT, Mr Dunn was Chief Operating Officer for AusAID (2012-13). Mr Dunn is a graduate of Macquarie University and a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management.
Australia is a founding member of the modern Commonwealth of Nations and is the third-largest contributor to the Commonwealth budget. The Government strongly supports the key objectives of the Charter of the Commonwealth to promote human rights, democratic norms and good governance. These are the building blocks of stable governments and necessary for greater peace and prosperity within the Commonwealth and in our region.
The work of the Commonwealth is administered by the Commonwealth Secretariat based in London. Mr Dunn will be responsible for advising the Secretary-General in the effective management of the Secretariat. Australia views this role as central to ensuring the Commonwealth becomes a more effective organisation capable of tackling the global challenges of the 21st century.
Mr Dunn is expected to take up his appointment in May.