Alan Renouf

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
NationalityAustralian
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, archived from the original on 29 April 2015, retrieved 15 April 2015
  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". Australian Honours Database. Canberra, Australia: Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 1 January 1965. Retrieved 23 October 2022. Minister in Washington, USA