Former Australian Defence Force chief Sir Angus Houston is coming to Ballarat.
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Sir Angus, who is tipped to become Governor-General when Sir Peter Cosgrove’s term finishes in the middle of 2019, will deliver this year’s Sir Albert Coates Oration at Federation University’s Mount Helen Campus, focusing on ‘Leadership Matters’.
“Sir Angus Houston has been a true national leader for many years and is an extremely worthy choice for this year’s Sir Albert Coates Oration,” Federation University vice-chancellor and president, Professor Helen Bartlett, said.
“His esteemed career in the military will provide many insights as he speaks about Sir Albert Coates and the essence of leadership.”
Sir Angus, who was awarded the Knight of the Order of Australia in 2015, has had a highly prestigious career. He retired from the military in July 2011 after serving for 41 years. He was Australian Defence Force chief from 2005 to 2011.
In July 2014, he was appointed as the Prime Minister’s Special Envoy to lead Australia’s efforts to help recover, identify and repatriate Australians killed in the Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 disaster.
He also led the Joint Agency Coordination Centre, coordinating the Federal Government’s support for the search into missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 in 2014.
Born in 1895 at Mt Pleasant, Sir Albert Ernest Coates became one of Australia's top surgeons and a pioneer in the field of neurosurgery.
He served at Gallipoli and on the Western Front during the First World War and, at the age of 46, he volunteered for service in the Second World War.
Captured by the Japanese, he became one of the hero-surgeons on the infamous Burma-Thai Railway. He was knighted in 1955 and died in 1977.
The free public event will be in the Geoffrey Blainey Auditorium from 6pm on November 13, with the The Albert Coates Trust’s Oration Dinner from 7.30pm at the Albert Coates Complex. Registrations are essential – call 0438 422 455 or email bereng7@gmail.com.