Jack Hunn
Sir Jack Kent Hunn
Early life
Hunn was born in Masterton, and attended Wairarapa High School, before joining the
Hunn Report
In 1960, Prime Minister
Secretary of Defence
Hunn was appointed to the new role of Secretary of Defence in 1963. This involved the establishment of a civilian department to be charged with defence policy, separate from the military Chiefs of Defence Staff. He advocated a full integration of the New Zealand Defence services, but was opposed by the individual military forces.
During 1964 Hunn was a strong opponent of New Zealand involvement in Vietnam. Initially, New Zealand Ambassador to Washington George Laking was a strong advocate for intervention, with internal opposition from Secretary of Foreign Affairs Alister McIntosh. Hunn was the clearest opponent: while Defence Chiefs were in favour of New Zealand involvement, Hunn argued that New Zealand's interests remained with supporting Malaysia, but that South Vietnam was not a sovereign state, and did not need military support. When New Zealand sent combat forces to Vietnam in 1965, Hunn retired early from Defence.
Retirement
Hunn served as chairman of the Fire Service Commission from 1973 to 1977, and under the mandate of Internal Affairs Minister Allan Highet, he established a national professional fire service from a large number of small, provincial brigades. He also wrote his memoir, Not Only Affairs of State.
Personal life
Hunn's two sons have been prominent in public life: his elder son, Don Hunn, was a senior diplomat and served as State Services Commissioner, and his younger son, John, was Chief Executive and Chairman of the Todd Corporation.
Honours
Hunn was appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George in the 1964 Queen's Birthday Honours.[4] In the 1976 New Year Honours, he was made a Knight Bachelor for public services, especially as chair of the Fire Services Commission.[5] In 1977, he was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal.[6]
Further reading
- Hunn, Jack (1982). Not only affairs of state. OCLC 11399695.
References
- ^ Williams, R. M. "Jack Kent Hunn". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 23 April 2017.
- ^ a b Hill, Richard S. (2009). "Māori and the State: Crown-Maori Relations in New Zealand/Aotearoa, 1950-2000 The Hunn Report" (New Zealand Electronic Text Collection Te Pūhikotuhi o Aotearoa). Victoria University of Wellington. Wellington: Victoria University Press. Archived from the original on 19 June 2016. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
- ISBN 978 1 86950 804 3. Archived from the original on 7 October 2023. Retrieved 8 October 2023 – via National Library of New Zealand.)
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: date and year (link - ^ "No. 43345". The London Gazette (3rd supplement). 13 June 1964. p. 4977.
- ^ "No. 46778". The London Gazette (2nd supplement). 1 January 1976. p. 35.
- ISBN 0-908578-34-2.