Universities contact senior public servant who called herself a professor

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Finance department chief Jane Halton holds honorary adjunct professorships but has shortened title in official documents

Jane Halton
Jane Halton at a Senate estimates hearing. Photograph: Gary Schafer/AAP

Two universities are contacting a senior public servant over her use of the term “professor” to describe herself, apparently in breach of their policy on titles.

The Department of Finance’s top official, Jane Halton, holds adjunct professorships at the University of Canberra and the University of Sydney, but has described herself as a professor in official documents.

Both institutions have policies banning the shortening of honorary titles, and told Guardian Australia they were contacting Halton about the matter.

Numerous pages on the Department of Finance website, and official documents such as the foreword to the annual report 2013-14 and her certification of the government’s Medibank advertising, refer to the secretary as “Professor Jane Halton”. Documents relating to her previous role as secretary of the Department of Health contained similar references.

The University of Sydney policy on honorary titles says “the full title must be used”. The University of Canberra says: “In all university and external documentation, the full title is to be used. It is not appropriate, for example, for a title to be shortened to ‘Professor’ or ‘Associate Professor’. At your discretion, appointees may use honorary titles on business cards and other corporate material.”

A spokeswoman for the finance department said Halton was “fully aware” of the universities’ policy on honorary titles and awards.

“The Department of Finance can confirm that the secretary does not use this or any title in correspondence and the basis for the title is detailed in her full biography available on the Department of Finance website,” she said in response to questions from Guardian Australia.

But the letter of transmittal relating to the Department of Health’s 2012-13 annual report was signed by “Professor Jane Halton”.

A spokeswoman for the University of Sydney confirmed Halton held the title of adjunct professor in its medical school, saying “the letter of appointment provided to adjunct titleholders advises that they should use the full title of their affiliation”.

She said the university would contact Halton “to clarify any formal use” of titles. “The university believes it is possible there is a misunderstanding about the use of the title,” the spokeswoman said.

The University of Canberra also said it would contact Halton. “All honorary appointments are asked to use their full title where appropriate,” a spokesman said. “Where discrepancies arise appointees are asked to correct accordingly.”

Halton is not the first public figure to face scrutiny over the use of university titles. Last year Bond University asked the Palmer United party leader, Clive Palmer, to stop referring to himself as Professor Palmer. He was one of the university’s adjunct professors.