Having originally lived in Melbourne, Starling transferred to the
Commonwealth Public Service in 1902 as a clerk in the Governor General's office. Starling transferred to the newly established
Prime Minister's Department in February 1912 and was appointed chief clerk in September 1917. In June 1919 he succeeded (Sir) George Steward as official secretary to the governor-general and secretary to the
Federal Executive Council. Starling was appointed an
Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1920 and a
Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George in 1925. After the position of official secretary was abolished in 1927, he continued as secretary to the Federal Executive Council until 1933, and in July 1929 he was promoted to assistant secretary of the department's territories branch. In 1933 to 1935, he was secretary to the
Prime Minister's Department and secretary to the
Department of External Affairs. ==Personal life==