Background
Hazell was born in Brisbane, Queensland, on 17 December 1948 to Neville John Hazell, a Second World War veteran, and his wife Joan Nell (née Ekelund), a former writer in the Women"s Royal Australian Naval Service.
Hazell was born in Brisbane, Queensland, on 17 December 1948 to Neville John Hazell, a Second World War veteran, and his wife Joan Nell (née Ekelund), a former writer in the Women"s Royal Australian Naval Service.
Hazell was educated at the Anglican Church Grammar School and the University of Queensland, gaining a Bachelor of Arts degree with.
He was the Official Secretary to two Governors-General of Australia, Peter Hollingworth (2003) and Major General Michael Jeffery (2003–2008). Malcolm Hazell had over 30 years experience in the Australian Public Service. He joined the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (Prime Minister&C) in 1974, holding policy advising positions.
He worked on parliamentary and government matters and international relations.
As Head of the Office of Ceremonial and Hospitality, he supervised many arrangements, including the Australian Bicentenary celebrations in 1988, and he was the Commonwealth Director of Royal Visits to Australia. He was the Head of the Cabinet Secretariat from 1996 to 1998.
He was seconded to the position of Senior Government Adviser in the office of the Prime Minister John Howard. In 2003, he became Official Secretary to the Governor-General of Australia, Peter Hollingworth.
On Hollingworth"s resignation later that year, he continued to serve his successor Major General Michael Jeffery.
In August 2008, there was considerable media comment when it was revealed that Jeffery"s successor-designate, Quentin Bryce, had decided that she would appoint Stephen Brady as her Official Secretary when she took office on 5 September. This meant that Hazell"s job would be ending and, although he made no public comment, he was reported to be "distraught" when informed of the matter three weeks earlier by the Secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Terry Moran. lieutenant was reported that Jeffery confronted Bryce about the matter when they met in Brisbane.
However, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd stated that neither he nor his office played any part in Bryce"s decision.
From 1994 to 2006 Hazell served on the Board of Canberra Grammar School, as Chair of the Education Committee and also as Deputy Chairman of the Board.
At the same time, he defended Bryce"s right to decide who her Official Secretary should be, and said that Hazell would be offered another position within the public service.