Bill McKinnon (public servant)

William Allan "Bill" McKinnon CBE (23 February 1931 – 10 December 1988) was a senior Australian public servant. He was Secretary of the Department of Immigration and Ethnic Affairs between 1983 and 1987.

Bill McKinnon CBE
Secretary of the Department of Immigration and Ethnic Affairs
In office 25 March 1983 – 24 July 1987
Personal details
Born	(1931-02-23)23 February 1931
Died	10 December 1988(1988-12-10) (aged 57)
Nationality	Australian
Alma mater	University of Melbourne University of Sydney Macquarie University
Occupation	Public servant

Early life

Bill McKinnon was born on 23 February 1931.[1]

Career

As General Manager, later Director, of the Australian Industry Development Corporation between 1972 and 1976, McKinnon played a major role establishing and developing the corporation.[2] He moved to the Industries Assistance Commission in 1976, serving there as Deputy Chairman and then Chairman.[3][4][5]

McKinnon was appointed Secretary of the Department of Immigration and Ethnic Affairs in 1983.[6] As head of the Immigration department, he oversaw transition of immigration considerations to an environment where the department was more concerned with the economic viability of immigrants.[7]

In 1987, McKinnon lost his job as head of the Department, perhaps due to his role in the approval of Australian residency for Taj El-Din Hilaly, a prominent Sydney Sunni Muslim leader.[8] Paul Keating had personally approved Sheik Hilali's residency while Acting Prime Minister during a period that Prime Minister Bob Hawke was away.[8]

McKinnon went from his Secretary role into a position as the Australian High Commissioner to New Zealand.[9]

Awards

McKinnon was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in December 1982.[10]

References

1. "Obituary: Bill (William Allan) McKinnon: Diplomat 'a man of great intellect'". The Canberra Times. 14 December 1988. p. 28.
2. Hawke, Robert (11 December 1988). "Unknown" (Press release). Archived from the original on 28 March 2014.
3. Davidson, Gay (30 March 1977). "McKinnon attacked for IAC stand". The Canberra Times. p. 9.
4. "Sugar price rise to flow on quickly". The Canberra Times. 2 May 1979. p. 3. on the recommendations of the McKinnon inquiry into the sugar industry. The inquiry, headed by the chairman of the Industries Assistance Commission, Mr Bill McKinnon, recommended an increase of $80 a tonne
5. "IAC seven-year plan: Reduced aid for tobacco proposed". The Canberra Times. 28 August 1982. p. 16. Tobacco growing is, in the commission's judgment, one of the most highly assisted and regulated industries in Australia
6. Hawke, Robert (25 March 1983). "Appointment of Permanent Heads and Heads of Authorities" (Press release). Archived from the original on 28 March 2014.
7. Jupp, James (2007), From White Australia to Woomera: The Story of Australian Immigration (2nd ed.), Cambridge University Press, p. 44, ISBN 978-0-52169-789-7, This left the department relatively free to develop its own policies, mainly under the secretaryship of Bill McKinnon. McKinnon's experience had been with the Industries Assistance Commission and the Department of Trade and Industry...This period began the process whereby the Immigration Department became more centrally concerned with the economic viability of immigrants
8. "Editorial: Immigration advice ignored at our peril". The Australian. 30 October 2006. Indeed Mr Keating engineered the elevation of Sheik Hilali to the leadership of the Muslim community to ensure Labor would have a leader it could deal with. And when he was Acting Prime Minister while Bob Hawke was away in 1990, Mr Keating personally approved Sheik Hilali's residency. Chris Hurford was moved from his portfolio of immigration, and Bill McKinnon, who headed the department at the time, lost his job.
9. "High Commissioner dies of heart attack". The Canberra Times. 12 December 1988. p. 3.
10. Search Australian Honours: McKINNON, William Allan, Australian Government, archived from the original on 28 March 2014

Government offices
Preceded by John Menadue	Secretary of the Department of Immigration and Ethnic Affairs 1983 – 1987	Succeeded by Ron Brown
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by Les Johnson	Australian High Commissioner to New Zealand 1987 – 1988	Succeeded by Robert Laurie