NQ DATE
20 February 1973
GOVERNMENT TO REVIEW AUSTRALIAN HIGH
COMMISSION, LONDON
SThe Government is to undertake a comprehensive review
of the Australian High Commission in London.
This was announced today by the Acting Minister for
Foreign Affairs, Senator Willesee, who said that the review
would follow the recent transfer of the administration of the
High Commission to the Minister for Foreign Affairs.
Senator Willesee said that the review would be
conducted by Mr J. E. Collings, a Commissioner of the Public
Service Board since 1960.
Mr Collings would examine functions, methods, procedures,
organisation and staffing, with a view to achieving maximum
efficiency in the High Commission's operation.
The Australian High Commission in London is by far the
biggest of Australia's overseas missions, and includes both
public service and defence forces representatives.
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Current staff is about 1,100, of whom about 900 are
locally-engaged and 350 are engaged on immigration matters. The
last full-scale review was conducted in 1959/ 60.
Responsibility for administering the High Commission
was transferred to the Minister for Foreign Affairs from the
Prime Minister on 1 November, 1972.
Senator Willesee said that Mr Collings was widely
exoerienced in nublic service organisation. He was narticularly
familiar with Australian operations overseas, starting from his
service in the then Department of External Affairs in 1945/ 47.
During the review, Mr Collings will confer with
Ministers and Heads of the Government Departments represented
at the High Commission. 0
Mr Collings proooses to travel to London in April
this year and during his absence Mr F. C. Nordeck, will
act as Commissioner of the Public Service Board. 0
Mr Nordeck, a First Assistant Commissioner in the
Office of the Public Service Board, is closely associated with
the Board's major activities and has acted as Commissioner on
many occasions since 1960.