# Chief Secretary of South Australia

The Chief Secretary of South Australia (since 1856) or Colonial Secretary of South Australia (1836–1856) was a key role in the governance of the Colony of South Australia (1836–1900) and State of South Australia (from 1901) until it was abolished in 1989. It was the main executive and coordinating authority of government administration. It was the official channel of communication to the Governor of South Australia from government departments and the general public.
The Premier's Department was created in 1965, and over time assumed the functions of the Chief Secretary's Office.

## List of Colonial and Chief Secretaries of South Australia

Colonial Secretaries 1836–1856 :
| Ordinal | Colonial Secretary | Period |
| | Robert Gouger | 1836–1837 |
| | Thomas Bewes Strangways | 1837–1838 |
| | George Milner Stephen | 1838–1839 |
| | Robert Gouger | 1839–1841 |
| | George Hall | acting July–October 1840 |
| | J. Alexander Jackson | 1841–1843 |
| | Alfred Miller Mundy | 1843–1849 |
| | Boyle Travers Finniss | pro tem May–Oct 1849 |
| | Charles Sturt | 1849–1851 |
| | Boyle Travers Finniss | 1852–1856 |
| | Oliver K. Richardson | acting 21 Dec. 1854–8 June 1855 |
| Chief Secretaries 1856–1989 |||
| | Boyle Travers Finniss | 1856–1857 |
| | John Baker | 1857 |
| | Robert Richard Torrens | 1857 |
| | William Younghusband | 1857–1860 |
| | George Marsden Waterhouse | 1860–1861 |
| | John Morphett | 1861 |
| | George Marsden Waterhouse | 1861–1863 |
| | John Hart | 1863 |
| | Henry Ayers | 1863–1865 |
| | John Hart | 1865–1866 |
| | Arthur Blyth | 1866–1867 |
| | Henry Ayers | 1867–1868 |
| | John Hart | 1868 |
| | Henry Ayers | 1868 |
| | John Tuthill Bagot | 1868–1870 |
| | Augustine Stow | 1870 |
| | William Milne | 1870–1872 |
| | Henry Ayers | 1872–1873 |
| | Arthur Blyth | 1873–1875 |
| | William Morgan | 1875–1876 |
| | George Charles Hawker | 1876 |
| | Henry Ayers | 1876–1877 |
| | William Morgan | 1877–1881 |
| | John Cox Bray | 1881–1884 |
| | James Garden Ramsay | 1884 |
| | John Colton | 1884–1885 |
| | John Brodie Spence | 1885 |
| | John Cox Bray | 1885–1886 |
| | John Brodie Spence | 1886 |
| | David Murray | 1886–1887 |
| | James Garden Ramsay | 1887–1889 |
| | John Alexander Cockburn | 1889–1890 |
| | John Cox Bray | 1890–1892 |
| | Charles Cameron Kingston | 1892 |
| | John Alexander Cockburn | 1892 |
| | John William Downer | 1892–1893 |
| | William Copley | 1893 |
| | John Hannah Gordon | 1893–1896 |
| | James O'Loghlin | 1896–1899 |
| | John Lancelot Stirling | 1899 |
| | John Greeley Jenkins | 1899–1905 |
| | Joseph Vardon | 1905 |
| | Andrew Alexander Kirkpatrick | 1905–1909 |
| | Frederick Samuel Wallis | 1909 |
| | John George Bice | 1909–1910 |
| | Frederick Samuel Wallis | 1910–1912 |
| | John George Bice | 1912–1915 |
| | Alfred William Styles | 1915–1917 |
| | Archibald Peake | 1917–1919 |
| | John George Bice | 1919–1923 |
| | Thomas Pascoe | 1923–1924 |
| | James Jelley | 1924–1927 |
| | Henry Tassie | 1927–1930 |
| | James Jelley | 1930 |
| | Stanley Whitford | 1930–1933 |
| | George Ritchie | 1933–1939 |
| | Lyell McEwin | 1939–1965 |
| | Bert Shard | 1965–1968 |
| | Ren DeGaris | 1968–1970 |
| | Bert Shard | 1970–1973 |
| | Alfred Kneebone | 1973–1975 |
| | Don Banfield | 1975–1977 |
| | Don Simmons | 1977–1979 |
| | Allan Rodda | 1979–1982 |
| | John Olsen | 1982 |
| | Gavin Keneally | 1982–1984 |
| | Jack Wright | 1984–1985 |
| | Don Hopgood | 1985–1989 |
| | Bob Gregory | 1989 |