James Ferguson Nimmo (191215 December 1984) was a senior Australian public servant and policy maker, best known for his time as Secretary of the Department of Housing.

Life and career

James Nimmo was born in 1912. He attended

Geelong College , motto_translation = Thus one goes to the stars , established = , type = Independent, co-educational, day and boarding, Christian school , denomination = in association with the Uniting ...

and then the

University of Melbourne The University of Melbourne is a public research university located in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1853, it is Australia's second oldest university and the oldest in Victoria. Its main campus is located in Parkville, an inner suburb nor ...

. Whilst in his final year of university (studying economics), he worked for

Lyndhurst Giblin Lyndhurst Falkiner Giblin, (29 November 1872 – 1 March 1951) was an Australian statistician and economist. He was an unsuccessful gold prospector, played rugby union for England, and fought in the First World War. Biography Giblin was the ...

as a research secretary. Moving to Canberra in 1935 to take up a temporary appointment at the Bureau of Census and Statistics. He was awarded a permanent position in 1938, after a short period of study at the

London School of Economics , mottoeng = To understand the causes of things , established = , type = Public research university , endowment = £240.8 million (2021) , budget = £391.1 millio ...

. His career over the next couple of decades included a period of time at the Rationing Commission and then later in the

Treasury A treasury is either *A government department related to finance and taxation, a finance ministry. *A place or location where treasure, such as currency or precious items are kept. These can be state or royal property, church treasure or in p ...

. From 1958 to 1960 he headed the banking, trade and industry branch of the Treasury. Between 1960 and 1963, Nimmo was a Deputy Secretary in the Prime Minister's Department. Then from 1963 to 1973, he was

Secretary A secretary, administrative professional, administrative assistant, executive assistant, administrative officer, administrative support specialist, clerk, military assistant, management assistant, office secretary, or personal assistant is a w ...

of the

Department of Housing The Department of Housing was an Australian government department with responsibility for housing, including the administration of housing schemes and grants that existed between December 1963 and November 1973. Structure The Departme ...

. In December 1973, Nimmo was appointed a Member of the

Commonwealth Grants Commission The Commonwealth Grants Commission is an Australian independent statutory body that advises the Australian Government on financial assistance to the states and territories of Australia under section 96 of the Australian Constitution. The Commiss ...

. Nimmo was Commissioner of an Inquiry into Transport to and from Tasmania. He submitted the ''Report of the Commission of Inquiry into Transport to and from Tasmania'' in 1976, and it became known as the ''Nimmo Report''. Nimmo died at the Royal Canberra Hospital on 15 December 1984.

Awards

Nimmo was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in June 1963 while a Deputy Secretary in the Prime Minister's Department. He was promoted to Commander of the Order in June 1966 while Secretary of the Department of Housing.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nimmo, James 1912 births 1984 deaths Australian public servants Australian Commanders of the Order of the British Empire University of Melbourne alumni People educated at Geelong College