Alan Renouf


Alan Phillip Renouf OBE was a prominent Australian government official during the 1970s.

Life and career

Renouf joined the Commonwealth Public Service in the Department of External Affairs in 1943, after serving in the army.
In 1960, Renouf was appointed the first Australian High Commissioner to Nigeria, a position in which he remained until 1963. Between 1963 and 1965, Renouf worked at the Australian embassy in Washington, D.C. He and his wife returned to Canberra for less than a year before Renouf was named Australia's first Ambassador to Yugoslavia in August 1966, to begin his appointment in November.
From 1969 to 1973, Renouf was Australia's Ambassador to France. In 1969, he was named Australia's first Ambassador to Portugal, with the intent that he would continue to reside in Paris.
From 1974 to 1977, Renouf was the permanent head of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs.
During 1978 and 1979 he was the Australian Ambassador to the United States.
Alan Renouf wrote at least three books: The Frightened Country, Let Justice Be Done. The Foreign Policy of Dr H.V. Evatt and Malcolm Fraser and Australian Foreign Policy.