Heathershaw - Signatures on Australian banknotes - James Thomas Heathershaw - Coins and Australia

Heathershaw joined the Victorian Public Service in March 1889, transferring to the newly-formed Federal Treasury in 1902. In 1926, Heathershaw was appointed Secretary of the Treasury, becoming Australia's third Treasurer. He stood down from the role in 1932 due to poor health and went back to being Assistant Secretary in charge of pensions, compensation and insurance, before officially retiring in December 1935; he had even delayed his retirement date by some nine months to finish reorganising the Treasury's pensions department.