Arrangements for the drafting of Commonwealth legislation were put in place at the very beginning of Australia’s federation as a nation in 1901. Initially drafting was a function of the Attorney-General’s Department, with the Secretary of that Department acting as the Parliamentary Draftsman. The Office of Commonwealth Parliamentary Draftsman was made a separate office within the Department on 8 July 1948.
The Office of Parliamentary Counsel, headed by First Parliamentary Counsel, was established on 12 June 1970.
 | Fitting the Bill—A History of Commonwealth Parliamentary DraftingA history of OPC, and of Commonwealth Parliamentary drafting generally was published in 2012. Find the electronic copy here, otherwise please contact us if you would like us to post a copy to you. |
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Peter Alan Quiggin PSM, KCOn 14 May 2004, the Attorney-General announced the appointment of Peter Quiggin as First Parliamentary Counsel. This appointment was extended on 30 March 2011 for a further 7 years. A further 5 year extension commenced on 14 May 2018. Mr Quiggin was awarded a Public Service Medal in the Australia Day 2008 Honours. Mr Quiggin was appointed as a Commonwealth Queen's Counsel on 15 October 2020 and retired from the position of First Parliamentary Counsel in April 2021. |
2004 | to 2021 |
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Hilary Penfold PSM, KC, Centenary MedalThe Honourable Hilary Penfold joined OPC in 1977 and was appointed as First Parliamentary Counsel in 1993. She was awarded a Public Service Medal in 2001 and was appointed a Commonwealth Queen’s Counsel in 2001. In 2004 she was appointed Secretary of the Commonwealth Department of Parliamentary Services. In 2008 she was appointed as a judge of the ACT Supreme Court and retired from that position in 2018. |
1993 | to 2004 |
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Ian Maclean Lindsay Turnbull QCIan Turnbull joined the Attorney-General’s Department in 1968, following a number of years of drafting and other legal work overseas. He was appointed as First Parliamentary Counsel in 1986 and appointed a Queen’s Counsel for the Australian Capital Territory in 1989. He retired as First Parliamentary Counsel in 1993. |
1986 | to 1993 |
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Geoff Kolterman Kolts OBE, KCGeoff Kolts joined the Attorney-General’s Department in 1955. He was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1978. He was appointed as First Parliamentary Counsel in 1981 and appointed a Queen’s Counsel for the Australian Capital Territory in 1982. After retiring as First Parliamentary Counsel in 1986, he was the Commonwealth Ombudsman until he retired from that position in 1987. |
1981 | to 1986 |
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Bronte Clucas Quayle CB, OBE, QC, Star of PakistanBronte Quayle joined the Attorney-General’s Department in 1950. In 1962, he was awarded the Star of Pakistan by the Government of Pakistan. He was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1969. He was appointed as First Parliamentary Counsel in 1977 and appointed a Queen’s Counsel for the Australian Capital Territory in 1978. He was made a Companion of the Order of the Bath in 1979. He retired as First Parliamentary Counsel in 1981. |
1977 | to 1981 |
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Charles Kennedy Comans CBE, OBE, QCCharles Comans joined the Attorney-General’s Department in 1938. He was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1965. He was appointed as First Parliamentary Counsel in 1972 and appointed a Commonwealth Queen’s Counsel in 1974. After retiring as First Parliamentary Counsel in 1977, he was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire. |
1972 | to 1977 |
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John Qualtrough Ewens CMG, CBE, OBE, QCJohn Ewens joined the Attorney-General’s Department in 1933 and was appointed as Parliamentary Draftsman in 1949. He was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1955, a Commander of that Order in 1959 and a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George in 1971. He was appointed as the inaugural First Parliamentary Counsel in 1970 before retiring as First Parliamentary Counsel in 1972. He was appointed a Queen’s Counsel for the Australian Capital Territory in 1984. |
1949 | to 1972 |
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Martin Charles Boniwell CBEMartin Boniwell joined the Attorney-General’s Department in 1912. He was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1936 and was appointed as Public Service Arbitrator in 1939. He acted as Parliamentary Draftsman from 1946 and was appointed to the position in 1948. He retired as Parliamentary Draftsman in 1949. |
1946 | to 1949 |
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Sir George Shaw Knowles CBE, OBE, MA, LLMSir George Knowles joined the Attorney-General’s Department in 1907. He was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1919 and a Commander of the Order in 1928. He was appointed as Secretary of the Attorney-General’s Department, Parliamentary Draftsman and Solicitor-General in 1932. He was knighted in 1939. In 1946 he retired from his public service positions and was appointed as Australia’s first High Commissioner to South Africa. |
1932 | to 1946 |
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Sir Robert Randolph Garran GCMG, KCMG, CMG, KCSir Robert Garran was appointed as Secretary of the Attorney-General’s Department and Parliamentary Draftsman at Federation in 1901, when he was also made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George. In 1916 he was appointed as Solicitor-General. He was knighted in 1917 and made a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George in 1920. After retiring from the public service in 1932 he took silk in New South Wales, and was awarded the Knight Grand Cross in 1937. |
1901 | to 1932 |