William Allan McKinnon (23 February 1931 – 10 December 1988) was a senior Australian public servant. He was

Secretary A secretary, administrative assistant, executive assistant, personal secretary, or other similar titles is an individual whose work consists of supporting management, including executives, using a variety of project management, program evalu ...

of the Department of Immigration and Ethnic Affairs between 1983 and 1987.

Early life

Bill McKinnon was born on 23 February 1931.

Career

As General Manager, later Director, of the

Australian Industry Development Corporation The Australian Industry Development Corporation (AIDC) was an investment company and state-owned enterprise fully owned by the Australian Government for most of its existence. It was established by the Gorton government in 1971 as a pet project of ...

between 1972 and 1976, McKinnon played a major role establishing and developing the corporation. He moved to the Industries Assistance Commission in 1976, serving there as deputy chairman and then chairman. McKinnon was appointed Secretary of the Department of Immigration and Ethnic Affairs in 1983. 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. 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 Taj El-Din Hamid Hilaly (alternatively spelt Tajeddin Hilaly, Hilali, Al-Hilaly, Taj el-Din al-Hilali, Aldin Alhilali, Tajideen El-Hilaly or Tajeddine;Toni Hassan ABC Radio, The Religion Report (transcripKeysar Trad on an alternative Australian ...

, a prominent Sydney Sunni Muslim leader.

Paul Keating Paul John Keating (born 18 January 1944) is an Australian former politician and trade unionist who served as the 24th prime minister of Australia from 1991 to 1996. He held office as the leader of the Labor Party (ALP), having previously ser ...

had personally approved Sheik Hilali's residency while Acting Prime Minister during a period that Prime Minister

Bob Hawke Robert James Lee Hawke (9 December 1929 – 16 May 2019) was an Australian politician and trade unionist who served as the 23rd prime minister of Australia from 1983 to 1991. He held office as the Australian Labor Party, leader of the La ...

was away. McKinnon went from his Secretary role into a position as the Australian High Commissioner to New Zealand.

Awards

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

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:McKinnon, Bill 1931 births 1988 deaths Australian Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Secretaries of the Australian Government Immigration Department High commissioners of Australia to New Zealand