Paul Barratt

Paul Hunter Barratt AO is a former senior Australian public servant and policymaker. He is currently Deputy Chairman of the Cooperative Research Centre for Advanced Composite Structures and Chairman of Australia 21.

Paul Barratt, aged two, and his family moved to Armidale in 1946. He attended the Armidale Demonstration School between 1949 and 1955. He sat his New South Wales Leaving Certificate at The Armidale School in 1960.

In 1961 he began his degree at the University of New England, living in Wright College and graduating with an honours degree in physics.

Barratt joined the Commonwealth Public Sector in the Department of Defence in 1966.

Between 1974 and 1985, Barratt was a Deputy Secretary in the Department of Trade and accompanied Prime Minister Bob Hawke on his February 1984 visit to China.

Between 1992 and 1996 Barratt was Executive Director at the Business Council of Australia. In 1996, Barratt rejoined the Australian Public Service as Secretary of the Department of Primary Industries and Energy, lured to the role by Prime Minister John Howard, who was also a friend of Barratt's. Barratt had accepted a $70,000 pay cut to return to the public sector.

Barratt transferred from the Department of Primary Industries and Energy to a second Secretary role in 1998, this time at the Department of Defence.

Barratt was dismissed from his Secretary role at Defence in August 1999, with a letter saying he was being dismissed because his minister John Moore "had lost trust and confidence" in his abilities to perform his duties. Barratt fought the dismissal, taking his case to the Federal Court, but conceded defeat in March 2000 following rejection of his appeal.

Barratt is currently Deputy Chairman of the Cooperative Research Centre for Advanced Composite Structures and Chairman of Australia 21.

In 1997 Barratt received a Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of New England. In 1999 Barratt was made an Officer of the Order of Australia for service to public administration, public policy development, business and international trade.