William Edward Parry-Okeden was born at Murrunumbla Station, Snowy River in New South Wales. He commenced law but in 1860 he left to join his parents in Queensland. He began his 35-year public service career in 1870 with the Border Police Force, which was established to to halt illicit smuggling on the Queensland-New South Wales border. He was appointed to the position of Immigration Agent in 1886. In 1889 he was appointed the chief public service post of Colonial Under-Secretary (renamed Principal Under Secretary). In 1895 Parry-Okeden was appointed Commissioner of Police. In 1898 he was appointed as the first Protector of Aborigines in the colony.

William Gall was born in Ipswich in 1867. He joined the public service in 1885, beginning in the Colonial Secretary's Department. He transferred to the Audit Office in 1894, and then to the Home Secretary's Department in 1903 In 1913, he was appointed Under-Secretary for Home Affairs and Protector of Aborigines. Gall was Acting Comptroller-General of Prisons from 1926. He retired in 1934. He was a speculative investor and was interested in Queensland history.