Alan Renouf
OBE
Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs
In office
3 January 1974 (1974-01-03) – 18 February 1977 (1977-02-18)
12th Ambassador of Australia to
the United States
In office
9 February 1976 – 20 May 1979
Preceded byNick Parkinson
Succeeded byRobert B. Birch
(Chargé d'affaires)
Personal details
Born
Alan Phillip Renouf

(1919-03-21)21 March 1919
Died26 May 2008(2008-05-26) (aged 89)
Canberra
NationalityAustralia Australian
SpouseEmilia Mira Campins (m. 1948)
Alma materUniversity of Sydney
OccupationPublic servant

Alan Phillip Renouf OBE (21 March 1919 – 26 May 2008)[1] was a prominent Australian government official during the 1970s.

Life and career

Renouf joined the Commonwealth Public Service in the Department of External Affairs in 1943, after serving in the army.[2]

In 1960, Renouf was appointed the first Australian High Commissioner to Nigeria, a position in which he remained until 1963.[3] Between 1963 and 1965, Renouf worked at the Australian embassy in Washington, D.C.[4] He and his wife returned to Canberra for less than a year before Renouf was named Australia's first Ambassador to Yugoslavia in August 1966, to begin his appointment in November.[2]

From 1969 to 1973, Renouf was Australia's Ambassador to France.[5] In 1969, he was named Australia's first Ambassador to Portugal, with the intent that he would continue to reside in Paris.[6][7] From 1974 to 1977, Renouf was the permanent head of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs.[8] During 1978 and 1979 he was the Australian Ambassador to the United States.[8]

Renouf wrote at least three books: The Frightened Country (1979),[8] Let Justice Be Done. The Foreign Policy of Dr H.V. Evatt (1983) and Malcolm Fraser and Australian Foreign Policy (1986).[8]

Honours

In 1965, Reonuf was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire.[9]

References

  1. ^ Death notice, Sydney Morning Herald, 27 May 2008
  2. ^ a b "The first envoy to Belgrade". The Canberra Times. 26 August 1966. p. 3.
  3. ^ CA 7832: Australian High Commission, Nigeria [Lagos], National Archives of Australia, retrieved 15 April 2015[permanent dead link]
  4. ^ "Diplomat's wife in search of elusive degree". The Canberra Times. 1 September 1966. p. 18.
  5. ^ "The Australian Ambassador in Paris..." The Canberra Times. 21 February 1969. p. 7.
  6. ^ "Embassy in Portugal". The Canberra Times. 12 April 1969. p. 3.
  7. ^ "Embassy in Portugal". The Canberra Times. 30 July 1969. p. 3.
  8. ^ a b c d Hogue, Cavan (29 May 2008). "Straight-talker in diplomatic ranks". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. Archived from the original on 24 March 2014.
  9. ^ "The Order of the British Empire - Officer (Civil) (Imperial) (OBE) entry for Mr Alan Philip RENOUF". It's an Honour, Australian Honours Database. Canberra, Australia: Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 1 January 1965. Retrieved 23 October 2022. Minister in Washington, USA

External links

Government offices Preceded byKeith Waller Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs 1974–1977 Succeeded byNick Parkinson Diplomatic posts New titlePosition established Australian High Commissioner to Nigeria 1960–1963 Succeeded byL.E. Phillips New titlePosition established Australian Ambassador to Yugoslavia 1967–1970 Succeeded byRoy Fernandez Preceded byEdward Ronald Walker Australian Ambassador to France 1970–1974 Succeeded byHarold David Anderson Preceded byDr William Gardner Davies Permanent Delegate of Australia to UNESCO 1972–1973 Preceded byNick Parkinson Australian Ambassador to the United States 1977–1979 Succeeded byNick Parkinson
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