Allen Brown (public servant)

Sir Allen Brown CBE
Secretary of the Department of Post-War Reconstruction
In office 1 January 1949 – 24 August 1949
Secretary of the Prime Minister's Department
In office 25 August 1949 – 31 December 1958
Personal details
Born	(1911-07-03)3 July 1911
Died	2 August 1999(1999-08-02) (aged 88)
Nationality	Australian
Spouse	Hilda (m. 1936; d. 1997)
Children	Roger, Helen and Joan
Alma mater	University of Melbourne (MA, LLM)
Occupation	Public servant

Sir Allen Stanley Brown CBE (3 July 1911 – 2 August 1999) was a senior Australian Public Servant. He was Secretary of the Prime Minister's Department between August 1949 and December 1958.

Life and career

Allen Brown was born on 3 July 1911. He was educated at Caulfield Grammar School, Wesley College and the University of Melbourne.[1]

In 1949, Brown served as Secretary of the Department of Post-War Reconstruction.[2] During his time at the Department, Brown was instrumental in establishing the Snowy Mountains Scheme.[1]

Brown was Secretary of the Prime Minister's Department between August 1949 and December 1958.[3] From the Prime Minister's Department, Brown's next appointment was in the diplomatic service, he was Deputy High Commissioner for Australia in the United Kingdom.[4]

In 1965, Brown was appointed Australian Ambassador to Japan.[5] While in that role, he led the Australian delegation which observed the 1967 South Vietnamese presidential election. The delegation was invited by the South Vietnamese Government,[6] and Brown observed polling in Huế.[7]

Brown retired from the Commonwealth public service in 1971.[8]

Awards

Brown was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in January 1953.[9] He was named a Knight Bachelor in January 1956.[10]

Notes

1. Farquharson 1999.
2. CA 49: Department of Post-War Reconstruction, Central Office, National Archives of Australia, archived from the original on 4 August 2019, retrieved 28 December 2013
3. CA 12: Prime Minister's Department, National Archives of Australia, archived from the original on 25 March 2017, retrieved 23 March 2014
4. "London post for Sir Allen Brown". The Canberra Times. ACT. 14 August 1958. p. 2.
5. "New envoy to Japan named". The Canberra Times. 4 February 1965. p. 1. Archived from the original on 23 March 2014.
6. "Poll observers named". The Canberra Times. ACT. 26 August 1967. p. 1.
7. "Observers impressed by poll facilities". The Canberra Times. ACT. 4 September 1967. p. 1.
8. McMahon, William. "Retirement of Sir Allen Brown" (Press release). Archived from the original on 23 March 2014. Retrieved 23 March 2014.
9. Search Australian Honours: BROWN, Allen Stanley, Australian Government, archived from the original on 23 March 2014
10. Search Australian Honours: BROWN, Allen Stanley, Australian Government, archived from the original on 23 March 2014

References

• Farquharson, John (1999), Brown, Sir Allen Stanley (1911–1999), Australian National University, archived from the original on 10 November 2013

Government offices
Preceded by H. C. Coombs	Secretary of the Department of Post-War Reconstruction 1949	Succeeded by Finlay Crisp
Preceded by Frank Strahan	Secretary of the Prime Minister's Department 1949 – 1959	Succeeded by John Bunting
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by Laurence McIntyre	Australian Ambassador to Japan 1965–1970	Succeeded by Gordon Freeth