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An Unlikely Secretary – Mark Sullivan
Concluding Remarks
Terry Moran, Secretary, Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet
Having heard from both Lynelle Briggs with a precis of Mark’s career, and then from Mark himself—so eloquently reflecting on his time in the public service—it only remains for me to make a few concluding comments.
I haven’t worked with Mark as closely as have some of you, but our paths have crossed over the years—plus I have some very good sources.
Although Mark somewhat inexplicably started his career as a cadet taxation officer in 1972, he soon saw the sense of moving into social policy.
He has made forays into television and selling computers, but realised that while it was good for the bank balance, it did not provide him with the challenges and stimulation that he needed.
It was in the public service that he saw opportunities to make the greatest contribution, and he returned to the public service in the early 80s at Immigration, remaining there for the next ten years.
As a Division Head then Deputy Secretary of Immigration, Mark was closely associated with the Government response to unauthorised arrivals. Part of his role was to forge relationships with countries in the region that were either ports of departure or transit for these boats. China was one of these countries, and the immigration relationship between Australia and China was at that stage in its infancy.
On one of his first visits to China, Mark was recently back from holidays, still strongly suntanned, and having had his head all but shaved to raise funds for cancer. His fairly swarthy and rough appearance took the senior Chinese leadership by surprise, and he was openly asked in a formal meeting if he could trace his ancestry back to ‘the horsemen of the plains of Mongolia’. It will never be known whether Mark’s possible ancestry was a factor in his being assigned by the Ministry of Public Security a close personal security contingent that accompanied him on a 24 hour basis every time he was in China.
And then there was the trip to Cuba, the purpose of which has never been revealed.
Over time, the employment of Mark’s consummate diplomatic skills in the region was a significant factor in the reduction in boat arrivals. His employers scarcely understood the sacrifices Mark made—the eating of silk worms, cockroaches and other insects might seem mundane, but Mark’s capacity to convince his hosts that these were his favourite dishes was remarkable. He also showed real enthusiasm for some alternative treatments for bad backs, the benefits of which often weren’t immediately apparent.
In fact, in the nicest possible way, Mark was perceived by so many people to be ‘one of them’. In an early meeting with Aboriginal elders as CEO of ATSIC, he was asked, again a commentary on his suntanned appearance, ‘Are you one of us, brother?’ His reply, I have been told, was along the lines of ‘No, but I did marry a Black’—a reference to his wife Bronwyn’s maiden name.
His time as CEO of ATSIC also saw him place his trust in others, by leaping into the Arafura sea, off the coast of the Gulf of Carpentaria, and allowing the current to carry him a mere 7km to the opposite headland.
Mark is remembered at Immigration for his silver tongue. He had the capacity to talk his way out of any situation, no matter how desperate. Former colleagues remember a particular Parliamentary inquiry about the migration of business people to Australia where trial by media had already virtually convicted the Department. Mark single-handedly talked the committee round despite a less than promising opening.
Mark’s interpersonal skills are also well known and he enjoyed wandering off and talking to people directly about an issue. Unfortunately this wasn’t always easy to manage, especially in a dispersed set of buildings such as the Tuggeranong Office Park. During his time as Secretary of FaCSIA, the scramble to find him through urgent phone calls and runners sent in all directions remains a vivid memory for those who worked with him.
Mark’s career in the public service has been in areas generally considered by the broad Australian community to be of the utmost importance. He has worked on issues that directly affected people’s lives—immigration, indigenous issues, families and communities, veterans’ affairs. These are areas not without controversy, which Mark navigated with aplomb. And in each of these roles, Mark’s obvious interest in people and the issues that affected their lives, served him, and the Australian people, well.
To conclude, may I say how delighted I am to have this opportunity before such a distinguished audience, to acknowledge Mark publicly for his contribution. He has been an outstanding people person, an excellent manager and a fine public servant. His career is one of the key ideal models for a public servant—broad involvement in meeting the needs of the people in our community.
For all his efforts, we thank him and wish him well. I know he will be missed but not out of reach.
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