Richard Smith (diplomat)

For other people with the same name, see Richard Smith.

Richard Smith
AM
High Commissioner to the United Kingdom
In office
March 1991 – April 1994
Preceded byDoug McClelland
Succeeded byNeal Blewett
Personal details
Born
Richard John Smith

(1934-12-14)14 December 1934
Tamworth, New South Wales
Died26 July 2015(2015-07-26) (aged 80)
Alma materUniversity of Sydney
OccupationPublic servant, diplomat

Richard John Smith AM (14 December 1934 – 26 July 2015) was an Australian diplomat.

Smith was born in Tamworth, New South Wales and educated at Sydney High School and the University of Sydney. He worked as a teacher in London in the late 1950s, then as a solicitor in New South Wales, before joining the Australian Department of External Affairs in 1961. He had several postings in the United States, with the United Nations, and in Switzerland.[1]

Smith's first ambassadorial posting was as Ambassador to Israel from 1975 to 1977. He was Ambassador to Thailand from 1985 to 1988, and Ambassador to the Philippines from 1994 to 1996.[2] After serving as Deputy Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Canberra, he was appointed as Australian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom from 1991 to 1994.[1]

From 1996 to 1998, he was the Director-General of the Office of National Assessments, an Australian intelligence agency reporting to the Prime Minister.[3] As head of ONA, he was responsible for advising the Prime Minister and the Government on political, strategic and economic developments affecting Australia's national interests.[4]

In 1997, Smith was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for service to international relations, particularly in the areas of commerce and trade.[5]

He died on 26 July 2015.[6]

  1. ^ a b World Who's Who, Europa Biographical Reference.
  2. ^ Downer, Alexander (28 October 1996). "Diplomatic appointment: Ambassador to the Philippines" (Press release). Archived from the original on 12 February 2014.
  3. ^ History of the Office of National Assessments – ONA, Office of National Assessments.
  4. ^ Howard, John (29 May 1996). "Director-General Office of National Assessments (ONA)" (Press release). Australian Government.
  5. ^ "Member of the Order of Australia (AM) entry for Mr Richard John SMITH". Australian Honours Database. Canberra, Australia: Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 9 June 1997. Retrieved 10 November 2022. FOR SERVICE TO INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS, PARTICULARLY IN THE AREAS OF COMMERCE AND TRADE. AM S191 1997
  6. ^ "Richard John Smith". The Canberra Times. 1 August 2015. Retrieved 23 September 2015.