Derek Volker, AO (born 1939) is a retired senior Australian public servant.
Born in 1939,[1] Volker was educated at Toowoomba State High School and the University of Queensland.
[4] In 1986, Prime Minister Bob Hawke transferred Volker to a position as Secretary the Department of Social Security (DSS).
[3] In his time at DSS, Volker had to deal with the pressures of the recession and its impact on Social Security offices, including long queues and increasing tension.
[7] Political scientist Richard Mulgan speculates that Volker's removal was a result of Prime Minister John Howard's "determination to impose a new sense of direction" on the public service".