Misplaced Pages

This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these messages) This biography of a living person needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately from the article and its talk page, especially if potentially libelous. Find sources: "Douglas Sturkey" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (January 2010) (Learn how and when to remove this message) This article is an autobiography or has been extensively edited by the subject or by someone connected to the subject. It may need editing to conform to Misplaced Pages's neutral point of view policy. There may be relevant discussion on the talk page. (January 2010) (Learn how and when to remove this message) This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (January 2010) (Learn how and when to remove this message) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Robert Douglas (Doug) Sturkey CVO, AM (born 7 September 1935) is a former Australian diplomat and Official Secretary to the Governor-General of Australia. He is currently a visiting fellow at the Australian National University, Canberra.

Early life

Sturkey was born in Greymouth, New Zealand, on 7 September 1935 to James Robert and Jessie Grace Sturkey. The family emigrated to Australia in 1936, where Douglas was educated at Wesley College, Perth, and the University of Western Australia. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree with Honours in 1956.

Public service

Douglas Sturkey was a member of the diplomatic staff of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade from 1957 to 1998, during which time he served at seven Australian missions abroad, and at departmental headquarters in Canberra. Senior appointments held include Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations, New York; Ambassador to Saudi Arabia and other states in the Arabian Peninsula; and, in Canberra, Principal Adviser responsible for policy advice to the government on matters relating to Australia's relations with South East Asia.

In 1990 he was appointed to succeed Sir David Smith as Official Secretary to the Governor-General of Australia, a position he held until 14 July 1998.

Academia

On his retirement from the Australian Public Service, Sturkey completed a Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy within the Centre for Arab and Islamic Studies at the Australian National University, Canberra. His doctoral dissertation was on the Clinton Administration's attempt to effect a comprehensive settlement of the Arab-Israeli dispute.

Sturkey took up an appointment as visiting fellow at the Australian National University in 2004. His research interests are listed as including Middle East politics, the Arab-Israeli dispute, and Gulf security.

Honours

• In the New Years Honours List of January 1995, Sturkey was made a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) for his services as the Official Secretary to the Governor-General.
• In the Queen's Birthday Honours List of June 1999, Sturkey was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for his services as the Official Secretary to the Governor-General, to the Australian Diplomatic Service, and to the Canberra community.
• Dr Sturkey is also a Knight of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem and is currently a Priory Officer of the Order in Australia, being the Order's Director of Ceremonies.

References

1. "(Douglas) Robert Douglas STURKEY". Who's Who in Australia Online. Connect Web. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
2. It's an Honour: CVO
3. "It's an Honour: AM". Archived from the original on 14 January 2020. Retrieved 9 January 2010.

Sources

• Australian National University
• Government House Annual Report 1997/98

Further reading

• Sturkey, Douglas. The Limits of American Power: Prosecuting a Middle East Peace (2007), Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd. ISBN 1-84720-243-8

• 1935 births
• High commissioners of Australia to Fiji
• Ambassadors of Australia to Saudi Arabia
• Ambassadors of Australia to the United Arab Emirates
• Australian Commanders of the Royal Victorian Order
• Australian National University alumni
• Academic staff of the Australian National University
• High commissioners of Australia to Malta
• Living people
• Members of the Order of Australia
• New Zealand emigrants to Australia
• People educated at Wesley College, Perth
• People from Greymouth
• University of Western Australia alumni