EMBARGO : NOT TO EE PUBLISHED, BROADCA\ ST OR TELECAST BEFORE
6 P. M. EST, FRIDAY, 1ST NOVEMBER, 1963.
FOR PRESS: PaML No. 89/ 1963.
APPOINTMENT OF AUJSTRALIANI SECRETARY TO THE QUEEN
Statement by the Prime Minister? the Rt. Hon, Sir Robert Menzies
The following statement was released today in London
from Buckingham Palace
" IT IS ANNOUNCED FROM BUCKINGHAM PALACE THAT THE
QUEEN HAS APPOINTED VICE-ADMIRAL SIR ROY D04ILING AS
AUSTRALIAN SECRETARY TO THE QUEEN AND TO BE A MEMBER
OF HER MAJ-ESTYIS HOUSEHOLD."
Sir Roy Dowlingts appointment tns X Australian
Secretary to The Queen was welcomed in Canberra today by the
Prime Minister, The Prime Minister said that the appointment
was one of significance for Australia and would help to maintain
the close association that already existed between all the
members of the Royal Family and Australia. The appointment was
Her Majesty's own idea and he was delighted to fall in with it.
The Prime Minister congratulated Sir Roy on his appointment.
It was one which would give Sir Roy personal satisfaction following
on his similar appointment as Australian Secretary to The
Queen during the period of Her Majesty's last visit to Australia.
The Prime Minister said he expected Sir Roy's appointment
to be the forerunner of successive appointments of a
similar nature, In genoral, the appointments would be for
two-year periods. Sir Roy's appointment is for two years with
effect from 1st November, 1963. The Australian Secretary to
The Queen will be atVtached to the Governor-General's Household
and will maintain close contact with the Governor-General,
The main work of the Australian Secretary to The Queen
will be in connection with visits by Her Majesty or other mdembers
of the Royal Family to Australia. The Australian Secretary will
be brought into the planning of visits and may accompany any of
the Royal visitors during their visit. He will also be available
to assist the Governor-General in other matters which from time
to time the Governor-General may suggest.
The Prime Minister emphasised that the position of
Australian Secretary to The Queen does not have any formal place
in the constitutional arrongements as between The Queen, the
Governor-General and the Australian Government, and official
matters normally handled by the Governor-General's Office will
continue to be dealt with in this way. On the other hand, it
would be of great assistance to have the advice of the Australian
Secretary to Thoe Queen available to the Government on matters
affecting visits by members of the Royal Family,
Biographical note
Vice-Adiiiral Sir Roy Dowling, KCVQ, KBE, CD, DSO, retired
as Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee in 1961, having held
the position for two years. Prior to that he was First Naval
Member and Chief of the Naval Staff from 1955-1959,
-2
Sir Roy was appointed as Australian Secretary to
The Queen for the period of Her Majesty's visit to Australia
in 1963 and was Director of the Royal Visit,
Sir Roy, now retired, and living in Canberra,
continues an active interest in Red Cross. He is at present
Chairman of the LA. C. T. Division of Red Cross.
CANBERRA, 1st November, 1963.