Ric Smith

Ric Smith AO, PSM
Secretary of the Department of Defence
In office 11 November 2002 – 1 December 2006
Personal details
Born	Richard Campbell Smith 1944 (age 71–72) Perth, Western Australia
Nationality	Australian
Occupation	Public servant

Richard Campbell "Ric" Smith AO, PSM (born 1944) is a former senior Australian public servant and diplomat. He served as the Australian Ambassador to China (1996–2000), Australian Ambassador to Indonesia during the time of the 2002 Bali bombings (2001–2002), and Secretary of the Department of Defence (2002–2006).^[1] In April 2009, Smith was appointed as Australia's Special Envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan.^[2][3]

Early years

Smith was born in Perth, Western Australia in 1944, and was educated at the University of Western Australia. He was a high school teacher prior to joining the Australian Public Service in the Department of External Affairs in 1969.^[1][4][5]

Public service in foreign affairs

Smith joined the Department of External Affairs in 1969 (later Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT)) and served in New Delhi, Tel Aviv and Manila.^[1][4]

Smith held a number of senior positions in DFAT before being appointed as an assistant secretary in 1985, and consul-general in Honolulu in 1987. In 1992 he was appointed Deputy Secretary, and was also acting Secretary of DFAT for much of 1992–1993.^[1][4]

Secondment to the Department of Defence

In 1994–1995, Smith was seconded to the Department of Defence as Deputy Secretary of Strategy and Intelligence.^[1][4]

Ambassadorial positions

Smith served as the Australian Ambassador to the People's Republic of China (1996–2000).^[6]

In the 1998 Australia Day Honours, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia "for service to international relations and to the development of policy approaches to sanctions, human rights, defence and trade issues".^[7] He was awarded the Centenary Medal on 1 January 2001 "for a significant contribution over many years to international relations".^[8]

He served as the Australian Ambassador to the Republic of Indonesia (2001–2002), and extended his period of office when he learnt of the bombings in Bali on 12 October 2002.^[1][4] "For outstanding public service as Australian Ambassador to Indonesia in managing and leading Australias response in Indonesia following the bombings which occurred in Bali on 12 October 2002", he was awarded the Public Service Medal on 17 October 2003.^[9]

Secretary of the Department of Defence

Returning to Australia in November 2002, Smith served as the Secretary of the Department of Defence until his retirement from the public service in December 2006; his initial 3-year term was extended for a further two years when he expressed his desire to retire "in two years' time".^[1][4]

In 2004 he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Letters by the University of Western Australia.^[4]

Retirement

When Smith retired from the Australian Public Service on 1 December 2006, he was given the honour of delivering the first valedictory address (by a retiring public servant) on 29 November 2006.^[4][10]

In 2007, Smith spent four months as a Distinguished Fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore.^[11]

In 2008, Smith led a review of "Homeland and Border Security" in Australia for the Rudd Government.^[12] He also became a Visiting Fellow at the Lowy Institute for International Policy in Sydney, publishing his first report for them in October 2008.^[2]

From March to June 2009, Smith was the Australian Scholar at the Woodrow Wilson Center for International Scholars in Washington DC.^[2]

In April 2009, Smith was appointed as Australia's Special Envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan.^[2][3]

Smith is also a board member of the Energy and Minerals Institute,^[13] and was one of the Conference Chairs at The Reluctant Super Power Conference.^[11]

Notes

1. "Global Security in the New Millennium", Proceedings of the RUSI International Seminar, Canberra, 9–10 October 2003, Journal of the Royal United Services Institute of Australia, Vol 25, December 2003, Canberra, ISSN 0728-1188, pp.9,43–50.
2. Richard C. Smith AO PSM, "Our People", lowyinstitute.org
3. Statement by Mr R C Smith, Special Envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Kabul International Conference on Afghanistan, 20 July 2010, dfat.gov.au
4. "28 years in the vineyard" (PDF), Secretary of Defence's Valedictory Address (Australian Public Service Commission), 29 November 2006
5. Flitton, Daniel (16 January 2010). "Bureaucratic heavyweights from Class of '69". The Age (Fairfax Media). p. 3. Archived from the original on 31 January 2015.
6. Downer, Alexander (3 October 2000). "Diplomatic Appointment: Ambassador to Indonesia" (Press release). Archived from the original on 12 February 2014.
7. Officer of the Order of Australia, 26 January 1998, itsanhonour.gov.au
8. Centenary Medal, 1 January 2001, itsanhonour.gov.au
9. Public Service Medal, 17 October 2003, itsanhonour.gov.au
10. Smith 2012, p. 29.
11. Ric Smith, Conference Chairs, The Reluctant Super Power Conference, 22–23 September 2011, Australia India Institute, www.reluctantsuperpower.com
12. Sam Roggeveen, Suggested reading for Ric Smith, 4 March 2008, lowyinterpreter.org
13. Dr Richard Smith, Board members, Energy and Minerals Institute, University of Western Australia, 3 September 2010, www.emi.uwa.edu.au

References and external links

• Malone, Paul (2006). "Chapter 6: The Reluctant Chief – Ric Smith, Department of Defence". Australian department heads under Howard : career paths and practice (PDF). Canberra, Australia: Australian National University. pp. 31–36. ISBN 1-920942-83-1. Archived from the original (PDF online) on 6 November 2013.
• Smith, Ric (2012), "Chapter 4: Thirty-eight years toiling in the vineyard of public service", in Wanna, John; Vincent, Sam; Podger, Andrew Stuart, With the benefit of hindsight: Valedictory reflections from departmental secretaries, 2004–11 (PDF), Canberra, Australia: Australian National University, pp. 29–41, ISBN 9781921862731, archived from the original (PDF) on 5 February 2014
• Pictures: ; ; ; ; ;