Background
Ric Smith was born in Perth, Western Australia in 1944, and was educated at the University of Western Australia.
Ric Smith was born in Perth, Western Australia in 1944, and was educated at the University of Western Australia.
He served as the Australian Ambassador to the People"s Republic of China (1996–2000), Australian Ambassador to the Republic of Indonesia during the time of the 2002 Bali bombings (2001–2002), and Secretary to the (Australian) Department of Defence (2002–2006). In April 2009, Smith was appointed as Australia"s "Special Envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan". He was a high school teacher prior to joining the Australian Public Service in the Department of External Affairs in 1969.
Smith joined the Department of External Affairs in 1969 (later Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and served in New Delhi, Tel Aviv and Manila.
Smith held a number of senior positions in DFAT before being appointed as an Assistant Secretary in 1985, and Consul-general in Honolulu in 1987. In 1992 he was appointed Deputy Secretary, and was also acting Secretary of DFAT for much of 1992–1993.
In 1994–1995, Smith was seconded to the Department of Defence as Deputy Secretary of Strategy and Intelligence. Smith served as the Australian Ambassador to the People"s Republic of China (1996–2000).
He was awarded the Centenary Medal on 1 January 2001 "for a significant contribution over many years to international relations".
He served as the Australian Ambassador to the Republic of Indonesia (2001–2002), and extended his period of office when he learnt of the bombings in Bali on 12 October 2002. Returning to Australia in November 2002, Smith served as the Secretary to the (Australian) Department of Defence until his retirement from the Public Service in December 2006. His initial 3-year term was extended – for a further 2 years when he expressed his desire to retire "in two years" time".
In 2004 he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Letters by the University of Western Australia.
When Smith retired from the Australian Public Service on 1 December 2006, he had been given the honour of delivering the first valedictory address (by a retiring Public Servant) on 29 November 2006. In 2007, Smith spent four months as a Distinguished Fellow at the South. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore.
In 2008, Smith led a review of "Homeland and Border Security" in Australia for the Rudd Government. He also became a Visiting Fellow at the Lowy Institute for International Policy in Sydney, publishing his first report for them in October 2008.
From March to June 2009, Smith was the Australian Scholar at the Woodrow Wilson Center for International Scholars in Washington District of Columbia. In April 2009, Smith was appointed as Australia"s "Special Envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan".
Smith is also a board member of the Energy and Minerals Institute, and was one of the Conference Chairs at The Reluctant Super Power Conference.