William Dunk
Sir William Ernest Dunk, CBE (1897–1984) was a senior official in the Australian Public Service.
Sir William Dunk CBE | |
|---|---|
| Secretary of the Department of External Affairs | |
| In office 10 September 1945 – 25 March 1947 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | William Ernest Dunk 1897 |
| Died | 1984 |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Spouse(s) | Elma Kathleen Evans (m. 1922) |
| Children | Pat and Peter |
| Occupation | Public servant |
Life and career
William Dunk was born in 1897.[1]
He joined the Commonwealth Public Service in 1914 as a Clerk in the Auditor-General's Office.[1] He rose to hold positions including the Assistant Secretary for War Administration in the Department of the Treasury and Director of Reciprocal Land Lease in the Department of External Affairs.[2]
Between 1945 and 1947 he was Secretary of the Department of External Affairs.[3] In 1947, Dunk was appointed chairman of the Public Service Board, succeeding commissioner Frank Thorpe.[4] Well ahead of time, in October 1959, Dunk advised the Australian Government that he wished to retire in early 1961.[5] He retired officially from the chairmanship on 31 December 1960.[6]
After retirement, he was invited to New Zealand to advise the New Zealand Government on public service matters.[7]
Awards and honours
Dunk was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in June 1953 in recognition of his service as Chairman of the Public Service Board.[8] In 1957 he was made a Knight Bachelor.[9]
In 2009, a street in the Canberra suburb of Casey was named Dunk Street in William Dunk's honour.[1]
References
- Dunk Street, ACT Government Environment and Sustainable Development Directorate, archived from the original on 27 February 2014
- "Sir William Dunk To Retire In 1961, Successor Named". The Canberra Times. 12 October 1959. p. 1.
- CA 18: Department of External Affairs [II], Central Office, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 18 April 2014
- "Mr. Dunk appointed Chairman of Public Service Board". The Canberra Times. 6 February 1947. p. 2.
- "Sir William Dunk to retire in 1961, Successor named". The Canberra Times. 12 October 1959. p. 1.
- "New head of Public Service Board". The Canberra Times. 4 January 1901. p. 2.
- "Sir William Dunk For New Zealand". The Canberra Times. 1 March 1961. p. 4.
- Search Australian Honours: DUNK, William Ernest, Australian Government, archived from the original on 18 April 2014
- Search Australian Honours: DUNK, William Ernest, Australian Government, archived from the original on 18 April 2014
| Government offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by William Hodgson |
Secretary of the Department of External Affairs 1945–1947 |
Succeeded by John Burton |
| Preceded by Frank Thorpe |
Chairman of the Public Service Board 1947–1960 |
Succeeded by Frederick Wheeler |