PM Transcripts

61/ 032
P. M. No. 26/ 1961
NEW AUDITOR-GENERAL FOR THE COMMONWEALTH
Statement by the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. R. G. Menzies
The Prime Minister, Mr. Menzies, ainounced today the
appointment of Mr. V. J. U. Skermer, as Auditor-General
for the Commonwealth. He succeeds Mr. H. C. Newman, who
retires this week-end.
Mr. Menzies. said that Mr. Skermer, was a highly
experienced audit official, who had occupied a number of senior
I positions in the Commonwealth Audit Office. Since 1951, Mr.
Skermer has been Secretary and Chief Inspector of the AuditCffice
aand, in that position, has been deputy to the Auditor-General.
He has acted as Auditor-General for the Commonwealth on a number
of occasions during the absence of the Auditor-General.
Mr. Skermer, who is 53, was awarded the O. B. E. in the
New Year Honours List for 1961 for his distinguished public
Sservice. Mr. Newman, whom Mr. Skermer replaces, has been Auditor
S-General since 1955. Ho retires after a career in the Commonwealth
Public Service extending over more than fifty years.
Reforring to Mr. Newman's retirement, the Prime Minister
expressed high praise for his work as Auditor-General. Mr.
Menzies said that Mr. Newman had served the Commonwealth with
great distinction throughout his long Public Service career.
Mr. Newman was awarded the O. B. E. in 195+ and, in the
1960 New Year Honours List, was promoted to Commander of the
British Empire.
CANBERRA, 4+ th June, 1961.