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  3. Governance and committees
  4. Honorary Appointments
  5. Honorary Degree Holders Profiles
  6. Harmer, Jeffrey

Jeffrey Harmer

Stephen Parker, Jeffrey Harmer and Tom Calma

L-R: Vice-Chancellor Stephen Parker, honorary doctorate recipient Jeffrey Harmer and Deputy Chancellor Tom Calma. Photo Michelle McAulay

With a career in the public service spanning 33 years, Dr Jeff Harmer has occupied a range of executive positions across a number of Commonwealth Departments, playing a pivotal role in numerous significant reforms made under the Howard, Rudd and Gillard governments.

Jeff began his public service career in 1978 following five years as a doctoral scholar and tutor in Economic Geography at the University of New South Wales (UNSW). In 1994 he was appointed to the role of Deputy Secretary of the Department of Housing and Regional Development. In 1996 he was promoted to the position of Deputy Secretary of the Social Security Department, and two years later appointed as Managing Director of the Health Insurance Commission (now Medicare Australia).

In 2003, Jeff was again promoted, this time to Secretary of the Department of Education, Science and Training, before taking on the role of Secretary of the then Department of Family and Community Services in 2004, a position he held until his retirement in 2011. During these seven years as Secretary, Jeff led the Department through the changes arising from the addition of the Office of Indigenous Policy Coordination to it in 2006 and the post 2007 election changes resulting in the department being renamed as the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA).

In 2008, Dr Harmer led a review of the adequacy of the Aged Pension and Disability Support Pension in Australia. Following that, he was appointed as a member of the panel, chaired by Dr Ken Henry, to review Australia's Future Tax System.
In 2009, Dr Harmer was voted the inaugural Australian Government Leader of the Year by a panel established by the Australian Institute of Chartered Accountants. 

Dr Harmer is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management (FAIM) and the Institute of Public Administration Australia (FIPAA). He has also held a range of board appointments including the CSIRO (2003 & 2004) and the Health Insurance Commission (1998–2003).

Currently, Dr Harmer is Chair of the Advisory Group for the Australian National Disability Insurance Scheme, Chair of the Advisory Committee for the Reform of the Australian Government's Housing Assistance Programs and a member of the Australian Government's Social Inclusion Board. He is also a board member of a number of not-for-profit organisations.

Dr Harmer was awarded a Centenary Medal in 2003 for his leadership and strategic vision empowering and encouraging people. In 2010, he was made an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in the Australia Day Honours List, for the significant achievements in his public service career, particularly his leadership of key policy initiatives such as programs for housing assistance, child support, mental health, the disabled, health insurance reform and initiatives for Indigenous Australians.

It is in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the public service that Dr Jeffrey Allan Harmer AO was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the University of Canberra.