David Miller (public servant)

Colonel David Miller CMG ISO (1857 – 1934) was a senior Australian Commonwealth Public Servant, appointed in the year of Federation to head the Department of Home Affairs.

Colonel David Miller CMG ISO
Secretary of the Department of Home Affairs
In office 19 November 1901 – 14 November 1916
Secretary of the Department of Works and Railways
In office 14 November 1916 – 31 August 1917
Personal details
Born	27 March 1857 Glebe, Sydney, New South Wales
Died	27 November 1934 (aged 77) Glen Innes, New South Wales
Nationality	Australian
Spouse(s)	Emily Eliza Langdon (m. 1878–1883; her death) Mary Elizabeth Thompson (m. 1890–1934; his death)
Occupation	Public servant

Life and career

David Miller was born in Glebe, Sydney on 27 March 1857.[1]

He joined the NSW Public Service in 1875.[2] His military career started ten years later when he was appointed a 2nd Lieutenant in the New South Wales Militia.[2]

In 1901, Miller was appointed Secretary of the Department of Home Affairs.[3]

He was made Administrator of the Federal Capital Territory in 1912, occupying dual positions,[4] and transferring to Canberra.[5] His residency was the first permanent building in Canberra and he was responsible for conducting an international design competition for establishing the national capital.[5] Miller was not a fan of the Walter Burley Griffin design selected for Canberra, believing it to be too expensive to be realised.[5]

Miller retired officially from Canberra in his final position as Secretary of the Department of Works and Railways in August 1917.[1] He died on 27 November 1934 at Glen Innes.[1]

Awards

Miller was awarded an Imperial Service Order in February 1904, as Secretary of the Home Affairs Department.[6] In June 1913 he was appointed a Companions of the Order of St Michael and St George.[7]

In 2009, a street in the Canberra suburb of Casey was named David Miller Crescent in Miller's honour.[5]

References

1. Harrison, Peter (1986), "Miller, David (1857–1934)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, Australian National University, archived from the original on 6 November 2013
2. CP 278: Brigadier-General David MILLER CMG, ISO, VD, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 18 April 2014
3. CA 8: Department of Home Affairs [I], Central Office, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 18 April 2014
4. "Administrator of the Federal Capital". The Brisbane Courier. 22 August 1912. p. 4.
5. David Miller Street, ACT Government Environment and Sustainable Development Directorate, archived from the original on 27 February 2014
6. Search Australian Honours: MILLER, David, Australian Government, archived from the original on 18 April 2014
7. Search Australian Honours: MILLER, David, Australian Government, archived from the original on 18 April 2014