Frederick Wheeler (public servant)


Sir Frederick Henry Wheeler was a senior Australian public servant. He was Secretary of the Department of the Treasury from 1971 to 1979.

Life and career

Frederick Wheeler was born on 9 January 1914. He was educated at Trinity Grammar School and Scotch College in Melbourne.
Wheeler began his Commonwealth public service career in 1939 in the Department of the Treasury. He rose to become Chairman of the Public Service Board, serving in the position for 10 years between 1961 and 1971. During his time at the Board, he reorganised its structure and put in a place a new, more professional qualification-based recruitment system.
He was appointed Secretary of the Treasury in November 1971.

Honours

Wheeler was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1952, and a Commander of the Order in 1962.
He was knighted in 1967. Sir Frederick Wheeler was made a Companion of the Order of Australia in January 1979.