Talk:David Smith (Australian public servant)

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What exactly he accuse Whitlam of misleading the Australian public about? I saw his ACA interview, and all that came across was that he didn't like Whitlam, and did like Kerr. Ambi 05:55, 9 Nov 2004 (UTC)

An article may be found here. I am rather puzzled at the statement in the article that Whitlam "vehemently rejected" Sir David's claims, as to the best of my knowledge he has not commented.

Smith's knighthood was one awarded by the British Government in recognition of his personal services to the Queen, as he spent a year or so at Buckingham Palace after he retired from his position as Official Secretary to the Governor-General. The Commonwealth government ceased recommending knighthoods when the Order of Australia system was introduced by Whitlam. Presumably the British Government could continue to award knighthoods to other Australians in the same way that knighthoods are occasionally awarded to non-British citizens like Bob Geldof. Skyring 11:11, 3 Jan 2005 (UTC)

It's a bit late but what the hell.

• Smith's knighthood was KCVO, the Royal Victorian Order, which is in the personal gift of the sovereign. The British government had nothing to do with it.
• He wasn't the last Australian to be knighted - that was Sir Robert May, who got a Knight Bachelor in 1996.
• The British government cannot award knighthoods or any other imperial awards or honours to Australians without the agreement of the Australian government. But the Australian government's stated policy is that it will not agree to knighthoods.
• I guess theoretically the British government could award an honorary knighthood or other honorary award to an Australian, which would not require the Australian government's approval. But that would be considered very bad form, given the Australian government's clear position on knighthoods. I think it would never happen in practice.
• However that still leaves me wondering how Robert May got a Knight Bachelor in 1996. That could only have been awarded by the British government. I've seen nothing to suggest he has British citizenship, so how come an Australian citizen got a knighthood (and since then, a peerage as well) unless the Australian government waived its normal policy? I've asked some pertinent questions on Robert May's talk page. JackofOz 10:12, 2 February 2006 (UTC)

I would suspect that the policy of not allowing foreign awards and titles to be conferred on Australian's may not be an actual policy of each incumbent government. If memory serves me correctly Gough Whitlam has been conferred a knighthood by the French government at one stage. 150.101.166.218 22:54, 13 February 2006 (UTC)