A man of quiet wisdom who bore witness to Australia’s foreign policy
Allan Gyngell was part of the now famous class of 1969 intake into the then Department of External Affairs, and few have exhibited his rare combination of searing analytical insight, historical depth and graciousness.
With the passing of Allan Gyngell the nation has lost that rare breed of foreign policy practitioner: a diplomat who was also a deep thinker about the past, present and future of Australia’s place in the world.
This is an incalculable loss for his family. He is also mourned by current and former colleagues, by the prime ministers and foreign ministers he advised, by those he closely mentored and by the country at large.
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James Curran is professor of modern history at Sydney University.
