David Hay was born in 1916 in Corowa, New South Wales, where his parents had a grazing property. He attended Geelong Grammar School, becoming school captain and joint dux with Rupert Hamer, later Premier of Victoria. A member of the Geelong Grammar cricket team, he scored 284 runs in an innings, a record that stood for 60 years.[3]
He studied at Oxford University, reading classics, ancient history and philosophy at Brasenose College, graduating with second-class honours, and playing cricket for the university team.[1] He returned to Australia to join the public service, but found the fact that his degree was not from an Australian university was a barrier to entry. He continued studying, at Melbourne University.
He was appointed Administrator of Papua and New Guinea, then an Australian territory, from 23 December 1966[4][5] (he arrived on 9 January 1967).[6] This was in the period leading up to Papua New Guinea's self-government (1973) and independence (1975). His time was marred by clashes with the head of the Department of External Territories, George Warwick Smith, and he also made decisions without consulting the Minister for External Territories, Charles "Ceb" Barnes. In 1970 Hay spoke to the Prime Minister, John Gorton, after which Smith was moved to the Department of the Interior, Hay himself being appointed in Smith's place to head External Territories. The new PNG Administrator was Leslie Wilson Johnson, with whom Hay had a fruitful and positive relationship.
Hay wrote a history of the 2/6th Battalion, Nothing Over Us. He bought back his birthplace Boomanoomana homestead and restored the old family house, garden, outbuildings and land, and wrote a biography of his great-grandfather, The Life And Times of William Hay of Boomanoomana, 1816–1908.
Sir David Hay's wife, Alison, died in 2002. He died on 18 May 2009, aged 92. He was survived by two sons and three granddaughters (all of whom went to Geelong Grammar School),[3] and a daughter-in-law.
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Sir David Osborne Hay CBE DSO 29 November 1916 1 18 May 2009 2 was an Australian soldier senior public servant and diplomat who served as Australian Ambassador to the United Nations Administrator of Papua New Guinea and headed the departments of External Territories and Aboriginal Affairs Sir David HaySecretary of the Department of Aboriginal AffairsIn office 20 January 1977 20 July 1979Personal detailsBornDavid Osborne Hay29 November 1916Corowa New South WalesDied18 May 2009 2009 05 18 aged 92 NationalityAustralianSpouseAlison Adams d 2002 Children2 sonsOccupationPublic servant and diplomatMilitary serviceAllegianceAustraliaBranch serviceAustralian ArmyYears of service1940 1949RankLieutenant ColonelUnit2 6th Battalion 1940 46 Commands3rd Battalion 1948 49 Battles warsSecond World War Siege of Tobruk Battle of Greece New Guinea campaign Battle of Milne Bay Salamaua Lae campaign Aitape Wewak campaignAwardsKnight BachelorCommander of the Order of the British EmpireDistinguished Service Order Contents 1 Early life career 2 Public servant and diplomat 3 Later life 4 References 5 Further readingEarly life career EditDavid Hay was born in 1916 in Corowa New South Wales where his parents had a grazing property He attended Geelong Grammar School becoming school captain and joint dux with Rupert Hamer later Premier of Victoria A member of the Geelong Grammar cricket team he scored 284 runs in an innings a record that stood for 60 years 3 He studied at Oxford University reading classics ancient history and philosophy at Brasenose College graduating with second class honours and playing cricket for the university team 1 He returned to Australia to join the public service but found the fact that his degree was not from an Australian university was a barrier to entry He continued studying at Melbourne University David Hay joined the Treasury in 1939 moving to the Department of External Affairs shortly before the start of World War II He joined the 2 6th Battalion served in the Middle East Greece and New Guinea and rose to the rank of major He married Alison Adams in 1944 and he returned to the war earning the Distinguished Service Order DSO in 1945 After the war he was lieutenant colonel commanding the 3rd Battalion in the Citizens Military Forces Public servant and diplomat EditHe returned to the public service and was appointed official secretary to the Australian High Commission in Ottawa Ontario Canada He then spent a year at the Royal College of Defence Studies in Britain He was appointed Australian Ambassador to Thailand and played an important role in the early days of the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization SEATO In 1961 he returned to Canada as High Commissioner from where he was appointed Ambassador to the United Nations 1964 65 He was appointed Administrator of Papua and New Guinea then an Australian territory from 23 December 1966 4 5 he arrived on 9 January 1967 6 This was in the period leading up to Papua New Guinea s self government 1973 and independence 1975 His time was marred by clashes with the head of the Department of External Territories George Warwick Smith and he also made decisions without consulting the Minister for External Territories Charles Ceb Barnes In 1970 Hay spoke to the Prime Minister John Gorton after which Smith was moved to the Department of the Interior Hay himself being appointed in Smith s place to head External Territories The new PNG Administrator was Leslie Wilson Johnson with whom Hay had a fruitful and positive relationship The Department of External Territories was abolished by the Whitlam government in 1973 and Hay was appointed Australia s first Military Ombudsman He was appointed secretary of the Department of Aboriginal Affairs in 1976 by the Fraser government retiring in 1979 on health grounds Later life EditHay wrote a history of the 2 6th Battalion Nothing Over Us He bought back his birthplace Boomanoomana homestead and restored the old family house garden outbuildings and land and wrote a biography of his great grandfather The Life And Times of William Hay of Boomanoomana 1816 1908 He was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire MBE in 1943 a Commander CBE in 1963 and was awarded a knighthood in 1979 Sir David Hay s wife Alison died in 2002 He died on 18 May 2009 aged 92 He was survived by two sons and three granddaughters all of whom went to Geelong Grammar School 3 and a daughter in law References Edit a b CricInfo The Age 20 May family death notice a b The Age 21 May death notice from Geelong Grammar School PNG FAQ Papua New Guinea PM s Office Archived 19 February 2009 at the Wayback Machine National Library of AustraliaFurther reading Edit Sir David Hay The Telegraph 7 June 2009 Archived from the original on 25 March 2014 Farquharson John 22 May 2009 A pioneering presence The Sydney Morning Herald Archived from the original on 4 November 2012 Australian WWII Nominal Roll record Diplomatic postsPreceded byBertram Ballard Australian Minister to Thailand1955 1957 Succeeded byKeith Walleras AmbassadorPreceded byWalter Cawthorn Australian High Commissioner to Canada1961 1964 Succeeded byKenneth BaileyPreceded bySir James Plimsoll Permanent Representative of Australia to the United Nations1964 1965 Succeeded byPatrick ShawGovernment officesPreceded bySir Donald Cleland Administrator of Papua New Guinea1966 1970 Succeeded byLeslie JohnsonPreceded byGeorge Smith Secretary of the Department of External Territories1970 1973 Department dissolvedPreceded byBarrie Dexter Secretary of the Department of Aboriginal Affairs1977 1979 Succeeded byTony Ayers Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title David Hay diplomat amp oldid 995805347, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
