Bill Farmer (public servant)
{{Short description|Australian public servant}}
{{Use Australian English|date=January 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2014}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Bill Farmer
| honorific-suffix = {{post-nominals|country=AUS|size=100|AO}}
| image = Bill Farmer AO (1).jpg
| imagesize =
| alt =
| caption =
| order =
| office1 = Secretary of the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs
| term_start1 = 26 November 2001
| term_end1 = July 2005
| office2 = Secretary of the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs
| term_start2 = 5 February 1998
| term_end2 = 26 November 2005
| office3 = Secretary of the Department of Reconciliation and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs
| term_start3 = 30 January 2001
| term_end3 = 26 November 2001
| birth_name = William John Farmer
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1947|6|10|df=y}}
| birth_place = Bishop's Castle, England
| death_date =
| death_place =
| nationality = Australian
| spouse = Elaine Farmer{{cite news|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/archive/news/blessed-be-this-spouse/story-e6frg6t6-1111117338537|title=Blessed be this spouse|first=Stephen|last=Fitzpatrick|newspaper=The Australian|date=30 August 2008|publisher=News Corp Australia}}{{citation|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/archive/news/marrying-roles-as-cleric-and-wife/story-e6frg6t6-1111117332205|title=Marrying roles as cleric and envoy's wife|first=Stephen|last=Fitzpatrick|newspaper=The Australian|date=29 August 2008|publisher=News Corp Australia}}
| alma_mater = University of Sydney
London School of Economics
| occupation = Public servant
| known_for =
}}
William John Farmer {{post-nominals|country=AUS|size=100|AO}} (born 10 June 1947) is a retired senior Australian public servant and policymaker, best known for his time as Secretary of the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs and for his career in the Australian diplomatic service.
Background and early life
Bill Farmer graduated from the University of Sydney with a Bachelor of Arts with Honours and from the London School of Economics with a Master of Science in Economics.{{citation|url=http://www.dfat.gov.au/homs/bios/farmer_bill.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140127103720/http://www.dfat.gov.au/homs/bios/farmer_bill.html|archive-date=27 January 2014|title=Mr Bill Farmer AO: Ambassador to Indonesia|publisher=Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade}}
Career
Farmer started his public service career in the Department of External Affairs in 1969.{{cite news|title=Wrong head rolls in Immigration|date=12 July 2005|location=Melbourne, Victoria|newspaper=The Age|page=12}}{{cite news|url=http://newsstore.fairfax.com.au/apps/viewDocument.ac;jsessionid=ED71E2AC6C0C025604D994D517862650?sy=afr&pb=all_ffx&dt=selectRange&dr=1month&so=relevance&sf=text&sf=headline&rc=10&rm=200&sp=brs&cls=1032&clsPage=1&docID=AGE100116M06K230KT4O|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150131002351/http://newsstore.fairfax.com.au/apps/viewDocument.ac%3Bjsessionid%3DED71E2AC6C0C025604D994D517862650?sy=afr&pb=all_ffx&dt=selectRange&dr=1month&so=relevance&sf=text&sf=headline&rc=10&rm=200&sp=brs&cls=1032&clsPage=1&docID=AGE100116M06K230KT4O|title=Bureaucratic heavyweights from Class of '69|last=Flitton|first=Daniel|date=16 January 2010|newspaper=The Age|archive-date=31 January 2015|publisher=Fairfax Media|page=3|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}} His early Australian Public Service roles saw him serving in Cairo, London and Suva.{{cite news|url=http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2005/07/11/howard-names-bill-farmer-new-envoy-ri.html|newspaper=The Jakarta Post|archive-date=31 January 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150131000716/http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2005/07/11/howard-names-bill-farmer-new-envoy-ri.html|title=Howard names Bill Farmer as new envoy to RI|first=Veeramalla|last=Anjaiah|date=11 July 2005}} He was Deputy Permanent Representative of Australia to the United Nations in New York 1984–1987; Australian Ambassador to Mexico, the Central American Republics and Cuba 1987–1989; Australian High Commissioner in Papua New Guinea 1993–1995 and in Malaysia 1996–1997; and Deputy Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade 1997–1998.
Between 1998 and 2005, Farmer was secretary of the Australian immigration department. The department was first known as the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs when he was appointed, and later called the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs. In 2001, he also held the concurrent appointment of secretary of the short-lived Department of Reconciliation and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs.{{cite web|url=http://www.immi.gov.au/oatsia/publications/annrep01/files/overview.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021215035955/http://www.immi.gov.au/oatsia/publications/annrep01/files/overview.htm|archive-date=15 December 2002|url-status=dead|publisher=Australian Government|author=Department of Reconciliation and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs|author-link=Department of Reconciliation and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs|title=Annual Report 2000–01}}
In 2005 Farmer was appointed Australia's ambassador to Indonesia, replacing David Ritchie.{{citation|title=Immigration head resigns|date=10 July 2005|work=ABC Premium News|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Commission}} Media saw Farmer's appointment as "something of a reward... after service to the Howard government through many immigration controversies".{{cite news|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/opinion/greg-moriarty-the-best-man-possible-for-indonesia-envoy/story-e6frg6zo-1225890492635?nk=355e2d0b7695a31369b5a75b1e2eeea0|newspaper=The Australian|publisher=News Ltd|first=Greg|last=Sheridan|author-link=Greg Sheridan|date=12 July 2010|title=Greg Moriarty the best man possible for Indonesia envoy}} However, in the post his initial appointment was extended under the Labor government by two years.{{cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/national/jakarta-envoy-leaves-post-20100704-zvu0.html|title=Jakarta envoy leaves post|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald|publisher=Fairfax Media|date=5 July 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150130235801/http://www.smh.com.au/national/jakarta-envoy-leaves-post-20100704-zvu0.html|archive-date=30 January 2015|first=Daniel|last=Flitton}} While in Jakarta, Farmer assisted in negotiations to return a group of 78 Sri Lankan asylum seekers to Indonesia after they were apprehended by the Australian Customs vessel Oceanic Viking. He also helped to send Australian-funded relief aid to victims of the 2009 Sumatra earthquakes.{{cite news|url=http://www.antaranews.com/en/news/1256810277/alian-envoy-helps-to-send-off-relief-aid-for-w-sumatra|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150131001451/http://www.antaranews.com/en/news/1256810277/alian-envoy-helps-to-send-off-relief-aid-for-w-sumatra|archive-date=31 January 2015|title=A'lian envoy helps to send off relief aid for W Sumatra|newspaper=Antara News|date=29 October 2009}}
Farmer retired in 2010.{{cite news|title=Bill Farmer: Career prepared me for Indonesian assignment|date=3 July 2010|first1=Abdul|last1=Khalik|first2=Sabam|last2=Siagian|newspaper=The Jakarta Post|url=http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/07/03/bill-farmer-career-prepared-me-indonesian-assignment.html|archive-date=5 September 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120905022911/http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/07/03/bill-farmer-career-prepared-me-indonesian-assignment.html}}{{cite news|url=http://us.en.news.viva.co.id/news/read/145207-indonesia__australia_coming_to_warmest_stage|date=20 April 2010|title=Indonesia, a great place for Aussie diplomats|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140127112944/http://us.en.news.viva.co.id/news/read/145207-indonesia__australia_coming_to_warmest_stage|archive-date=27 January 2014|first=Renne R.A.|last=Kawilarang|publisher=Viva News}} In retirement, he headed an independent review of Australia's live animal export trade,{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2011/s3242207.htm|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Commission|title=Former ambassador to Indonesia heads live animal export review|first=Alexandra|last=Kirk|date=13 June 2011|archive-date=29 June 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140629050327/http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2011/s3242207.htm}} tasked in June 2011 to examine the facilities, treatment and handling of livestock in Indonesia.{{cite news|url=https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/wa/a/9627514/former-envoy-to-review-live-trade/|title=Former envoy to review live trade|first1=Shane|last1=Wright|first2=Daniel|last2=Mercer|date=13 June 2011|archive-date=31 January 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150131000943/https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/wa/a/9627514/former-envoy-to-review-live-trade/|newspaper=The West Australian}} Farmer made 14 recommendations, including that live animal exporters should be required to ensure their "supply chains" comply with international animal welfare standards.{{cite news|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/tracking-for-all-animal-exports-to-end-cruelty-after-farmer-review/story-fn59niix-1226172348752|newspaper=The Australian|publisher=News Corp|date=21 October 2011|first=Milanda|last=Rout|title=Tracking for all animal exports to end cruelty after Farmer review|access-date=1 November 2016}} He also served on the High-Level Review of the Australian Aid program 2010–2011, and chaired an Independent Review of the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research. He was Senior Advisor for the Australia/PNG Kokoda Initiative 2014–2016.
Awards
Farmer was awarded the Centenary Medal in 2003 and, in June 2005, was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia for service to the community through contributions to Australia's international relations and to major public policy development including domestic security, border systems, immigration, multicultural affairs and Indigenous service delivery.{{citation|url=https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/1135863|title=Search Australian Honours: FARMER, William John}}{{citation|title=Queen's honour for Immigration secretary|
date=13 June 2005|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|location=Sydney|work=ABC Premium News}} He is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of International Affairs.
References
{{Reflist}}
{{s-start}}
{{S-gov}}
{{s-bef|before=Helen Williams}}
{{s-ttl|title=Secretary of the
Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs |years=1998–2001}}
{{s-aft|after=Himself|as=Secretary of the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs}}
{{s-bef|before=Himself|as=Secretary of the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs}}
{{s-ttl|title=Secretary of the
Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs|years=2001–2005}}
{{s-aft|after=Andrew Metcalfe }}
{{s-new|reason=Department established}}
{{s-ttl|title=Secretary of the Department of Reconciliation and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs|years=2001}}
{{s-non|reason=Department abolished}}
{{s-dip}}
{{s-bef|before=John McCarthy}}
{{s-ttl|title=Australian Ambassador to Mexico|years=1987–1989}}
{{s-aft|after=Keith Baker}}
{{s-bef|before=Allan Taylor}}
{{s-ttl|title=Australian High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea|years=1993–1995}}
{{s-aft|after=David Irvine}}
{{s-bef|before=John Dauth}}
{{s-ttl|title=Australian High Commissioner to Malaysia|years=1996–1997}}
{{s-aft|after=Bob Cotton}}
{{s-bef|before=David Ritchie}}
{{s-ttl|title=Australian Ambassador to Indonesia|years=2005–2010}}
{{s-aft|after=Greg Moriarty}}
{{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Farmer, Bill}}
Category:Ambassadors of Australia to Indonesia
Category:Ambassadors of Australia to Mexico
Category:High commissioners of Australia to Malaysia
Category:High commissioners of Australia to Papua New Guinea
Category:Officers of the Order of Australia
Category:University of Sydney alumni
Category:Alumni of the London School of Economics
Category:Secretaries of the Australian Government Immigration Department