Jim Furner

Brigadier
Jim Furner
AO, CBE, DSM
Director-General of the Australian Secret Intelligence Service
In office
27 February 1984  24 November 1992
Prime Minister Bob Hawke
Paul Keating
Preceded by John Ryan
Succeeded by Rex Stevenson
Personal details
Born (1927-11-25)25 November 1927
Warragul, Victoria, Australia
Died 17 September 2007(2007-09-17) (aged 79)
Terrigal, New South Wales
Nationality Australian
Spouse(s) Lois Walker (m. 1952)
Alma mater University of Melbourne
Military service
Allegiance Australia
Service/branch Australian Army
Years of service 1952–1982
Rank Brigadier
Commands Australian Army Intelligence Centre (1969–70)
Battles/wars Vietnam War
Awards Officer of the Order of Australia
Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Distinguished Service Medal

Brigadier James Osmond "Jim" Furner AO, CBE, DSM (25 November 1927 – 17 September 2007) was an Australian military intelligence officer, who was the longest serving Director-General of the Australian Secret Intelligence Service (ASIS) from 1984 to 1992.

Military career

After completing a Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Melbourne and working as a school teacher, Furner embarked on a career change and enlisted in the Australian Army, becoming one of the first cadets to be trained at the Officer Cadet School, Portsea. On completion of his training, Furner joined the infantry where he was posted overseas with the 1st Commonwealth Division in South Korea from 1955 to 1956.[1]

In 1982, Furner joined the Joint Intelligence Organisation as deputy director, and retired from the army to take the civilian post of director a few months later.[1]

Australian Secret Intelligence Service

In late 1983, the acting Director-General of ASIS. The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Bill Hayden, asked Furner to take the role in an acting capacity in February 1984.[2]

Honours

Member of the Order of the British Empire (military) (MBE) 1969
National Medal – 1st clasp 1977
Commander of the Order of the British Empire (military) (CBE) 1980
Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) 1993
Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) 1998

References

  1. 1 2 Vale Brigadier James Osmond Furner, AO, CBE, DSM (Retd), Defender (Australian Defence Association).
  2. White, Hugh (30 July 1985). "New director-general for ASIS". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
Government offices
Preceded by
Arthur McMichael
Director of the Joint Intelligence Organisation
1982–1984
Succeeded by
G. Marshall
Preceded by
John Ryan
Director-General of the Australian Secret Intelligence Service
1984–1992
Succeeded by
Rex Stevenson
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