Paul Barratt

Paul Barratt AO
Secretary of the Department of Defence
In office February 1998 – 31 August 1999
Secretary of the Department of Primary Industries and Energy
In office 11 March 1996 – 5 February 1998
Personal details
Born	Paul Hunter Barratt 194?
Nationality	Australian
Parents	Paul Eric Hunter Barratt[1] and Shirley Egan[2]
Alma mater	Australian National University University of New England
Occupation	Public servant
Website	http://aussieobserver.blogspot.com.au/

Paul Hunter Barratt AO is a former senior Australian public servant and policymaker. He is currently Deputy Chairman of the Cooperative Research Centre for Advanced Composite Structures and Chairman of Australia 21.

Background and early life

Paul Barratt, aged two, and his family moved to Armidale in 1946.^[3] He attended the Armidale Demonstration School between 1949 and 1955.^[4] He sat his New South Wales Leaving Certificate at The Armidale School in 1960.^[5]

In 1961 he begun his degree at the University of New England, living in Wright College and graduating with an honours degree in physics.^[6][7]

Career

Barratt joined the Commonwealth Public Sector in the Department of Defence in 1966.^[8]

Between 1974 and 1985, Barratt was a Deputy Secretary in the Department of Trade and accompanied Prime Minister Bob Hawke on his February 1984 visit to China.^[9][8]

Between 1992 and 1996 Barratt was Executive Director at the Business Council of Australia.^[8] In 1996, Barratt rejoined the Australian Public Service as Secretary of the Department of Primary Industries and Energy,^[10] lured to the role by Prime Minister John Howard, who was also a friend of Barratt's.^[11] Barratt had accepted a $70,000 pay cut to return to the public sector.^[12]

Barratt transferred from the Department of Primary Industries and Energy to a second Secretary role in 1998, this time at the Department of Defence.

Barratt was dismissed from his Secretary role at Defence in August 1999, with a letter saying he was being dismissed because his minister John Moore "had lost trust and confidence" in his abilities to perform his duties.^[12] Barratt fought the dismissal, taking his case to the Federal Court, but conceded defeat in March 2000 following rejection of his appeal.^[13]

Barratt is currently Deputy Chairman of the Cooperative Research Centre for Advanced Composite Structures and Chairman of Australia 21.^[14]

Awards

In 1997 Barratt received a Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of New England.^[15] In 1999 Barratt was made an Officer of the Order of Australia for service to public administration, public policy development, business and international trade.^[14]

References

1. Barratt, Paul, New England University Rugby Team 1939, archived from the original on 10 April 2013
2. Barratt, Paul (28 January 2014), "Vale Bill Prichett 1921–2014", Australian Observer, archived from the original on 6 February 2014
3. Barratt, Paul (6 December 2009), "Ida Madge Brown (1904-2009)", Australian Observer, archived from the original on 6 May 2013
4. Barratt, Paul (6 June 2011), "Armidale Demonstration School 150th anniversary", Australian Observer, archived from the original on 29 April 2013
5. Barratt, Paul (19 September 2010), "The Class of 1960, fifty years on", Australian Observer, archived from the original on 25 April 2013
6. Paul Barratt, Australian Broadcasting Commission, archived from the original on 5 June 2013
7. Barratt, Paul (28 September 2013), "Russell Ward by Adhi Hendranto", Australia Observer, archived from the original on 22 January 2014
8. Mr Paul Barratt, University of New England, archived from the original on 22 January 2014
9. Barratt, Paul (29 March 2012), "Yellow Earth", Australian Observer, archived from the original on 30 April 2013
10. Howard, John (8 March 1996). "STATEMENT BY THE PRIME MINISTER DESIGNATE THE HON JOHN HOWARD MP" (Press release). Archived from the original on 10 November 2013.
11. "Barratt's Attack On Government". The Canberra Times. Fairfax Media. 29 July 1999. p. 8.
12. Grattan, Michelle; Cole-Adams, Peter (21 August 1999). "Campaign to sack Barratt relaunched". The Sydney Morning Herald. p. 8.
13. Pullin, Len; Haidar, Ali (May 2004), DISMISSING A DEPARTMENTAL SECRETARY: AN OVERT EXERCISE OF POWER IN PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT (PDF), Monash University, p. 9, archived from the original (PDF) on 12 May 2013
14. Speakers 2013, National Business Leaders Forum on Sustainable Development, archived from the original on 8 August 2013
15. Mr Paul Barratt, University of New England, archived from the original on 1 February 2014