PM Transcripts

PRIME MINISTER PRESS STATEMENT NO. 121
28 August 1973
NEW SECRETARY FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS NEXT YEAR
The Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs,
Mr. Whitlam, today announced the appointment of Mr. Alan
Renouf, at present Ambassador to France and to UNESCO, to
succeed Sir Keith Wailer as Secretary of the bepartment of
Foreign Affairs. Mr. Whitlam said Sir Keith would begin
pre-retirement leave on 2nd January, 1974. Mr. Renouf
will assume duty on 3 January 1974.
Mr Renouf, who is 54, entered the Department
years ago after active service in the A. I. F. as one of
the original diplomatic cadets when a previous Labor.
Government decided in 1943 to adopt open competition as
the means of recruiting most Australian diplomats.*
Mr. Renouf has served in eleven overseas posts
in Europe, North America, the United Nations, the
Middle East and Africa. Five of these postings had been as
H~ ead of Mission. Mr. Renouf had also served for three
years as a Legal Counsellor in the Secretariat of the
United Nations. Mr. Whitlam described Mr. RenoUf as an outstanding
officer of wide experience who would, he believed, fill the
Secretaryship of the Department of Foreign Affairs with
distinction. Mr. Renouf is also a qualified lawyer holding the
degree of Master of Laws with First Class Honours from the
University of Sydney. Hie has specialised in international
law, has worked frequently in the international economic
field and has had considerable conference experience.
Mr. Renouf is also fluent in Spanish and French.
CANBERRA, A. C. T.