Frank Pryor

Frank Pryor OBE
Secretary of the Department of Secondary Industry
In office 9 January 1973 – 12 June 1974
Personal details
Born	Frank Commons Pryor November 1919 Nyngan, New South Wales
Died	November 1985 (aged 65–66) Canberra, Australian Capital Territory
Nationality	Australian
Spouse	Joan Adelaide Steer
Alma mater	University of Sydney
Occupation	Public servant

Frank Commons Pryor OBE (1919-1985) was a senior Australia public servant.

Life and career

Pryor graduated with first class honours in Philosophy from the University of Sydney, having been a member of the Philosophy Club there in 1939.[1] Within a year of graduation, Pryor began his Australian Public Service career in the Department of the Treasury.[2]

In November 1971, Pryor resigned from the Treasury after John Stone was appointed a Deputy Secretary in the Department.[3] In December 1971 Pryor returned to the Australian Public Service as director of the Office of Secondary Industry within the Department of Trade and Industry.[3]

In July 1972 the Australian Government approved the creation of 25 new positions in the Office of Secondary Industry, giving Pryor the opportunity to set up the nucleus for a full-scale Department of Secondary Industry.[4]

In April 1973 the then Minister for Secondary Industry, Jim Cairns, proposed to Cabinet that Pryor be appointed to the board of the Australian Industry Development Corporation.[5]

Pryor retired from the public service in 1984.[2]

Pryor died in Canberra in November 1985.[2]

Awards

Frank Pryor was created an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in January 1970 while First Assistant Secretary of the Treasury.[6]

References

1. Barcan, Alan (2002), Radical Students: The Old Left at Sydney University, Melbourne University Press, p. 105, ISBN 0-522-85017-0
2. Clark, Manning (3 December 1985). "Obituary: Mr Frank Commons Pryor". The Canberra Times. p. 10.
3. Juddery, Bruce (24 December 1971). "Trade post". The Canberra Times.
4. Juddery, Bruce (7 July 1972). "Secondary Industry faces opposition". The Canberra Times. p. 2.
5. Bracken, Warwick (14 April 1973). "Government appointee for AIDC". The Canberra Times. p. 19.
6. "Search Australian Honours: PRYOR, Frank Commons", itsanhonour.gov.au, Australian Government, archived from the original on 23 August 2014

Government offices
Preceded by Doug McKay (Acting)	Secretary of the Department of Secondary Industry 1973 - 1974	Succeeded by Doug McKay as Secretary of the Department of Overseas Trade
		Succeeded by Neil Currie as Secretary of the Department of Manufacturing Industry