John Howard (Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek the indulgence of the House to briefly inform the House of the death of, and pay tribute to, a very distinguished Australian public servant, Mr Allan Taylor, who died last night after a long struggle with cancer. At the time of his retirement, Allan Taylor was Director-General of the Australian Secret Intelligence Service. He had a very distinguished career in the Department of External Affairs, which later became the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. He served as a high commissioner to Nigeria and to Papua New Guinea. His diplomatic career culminated when he returned to Indonesia as ambassador between 1993 and 1996—a very challenging time for our relationship—when I first met him in a professional capacity. I got to know him extremely well when he became head of the international division in my department in 1996. He served there until going to head ASIS in 1998.

He was a person of enormous personal charm. He served both sides of politics with complete integrity and distinction. He will be greatly missed by his many friends in the foreign affairs arena in Canberra and generally around Australia. I found Allan Taylor to be one of those public servants who gave quiet, intelligent and informed advice. I never doubted the integrity with which he conveyed that advice. I am very sad to know of his death.

Allan was, among other things, a very accomplished sportsman. He was regarded by many as the best cricketer the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade had produced in many years. It is said that only a short time ago he played a round of golf with his great friend Ric Smith. In his particular style, Ric said, ‘Just as well you’re not feeling too good, mate, because you might’ve really done me over.’ They both returned a 43 for the first nine and, despite his great illness, Allan played to his handicap.

This morning, I had the opportunity of speaking to his wife, Carol, to convey my condolences and those of my government, and many in this House, for the wonderful life he lived and the great contribution he made to the Australian Public Service.

Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On indulgence, I join the Prime Minister in the remarks he has just made about Allan Taylor. Allan was a public servant of the old school. He was rigorously independent and fearless in his advice. He was respected across the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, as the Minister for Foreign Affairs would agree. Allan was my first branch head when I first joined the department a long time ago. He was a person who also took time with junior officers to assist them in their professional development. In his posting to Jakarta, he was a first-class representative of this country in what is always a challenging diplomatic appointment. Also, as the head of ASIS he discharged those responsibilities effectively and well in what we all in this place know to be a highly sensitive area of work.

For the Public Service at large, his death is a genuine loss because he was regarded with such admiration across the service, not just within the foreign policy and security communities. On behalf of the opposition, I join with the Prime Minister in extending condolences to his family.