John Menadue is difficult to categorise: Diplomat, Public Servant, Chief Executive.
For seven years in the 1960s Menadue worked as private secretary to Gough Whitlam, then Leader of the Opposition. He was then General Manager of News Limited where he worked closely with Rupert Murdoch, before returning to the public service as head of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, serving Whitlam and, despite being closely involved with The Dismissal, with Prime Minister Fraser.
Menadue served as Ambassador to Japan from 1976 to 1980, returning to Australia as Head of the Department of Immigration and Ethnic Affairs and later, the Department of the Special Minister of State, and Department of Trade.
He was CEO of Qantas from 1986 to 1989.