Jim Furner

Brigadier Jim Furner AO, CBE, DSM
Director-General of the Australian Secret Intelligence Service
In office 27 February 1984 – 24 November 1992
Prime Minister	Bob Hawke Paul Keating
Preceded by	John Ryan
Succeeded by	Rex Stevenson
Personal details
Born	James Osmond Furner (1927-11-25)25 November 1927 Warragul, Victoria, Australia
Died	17 September 2007(2007-09-17) (aged 79) Terrigal, New South Wales, Australia
Spouse	Lois Walker ​ (m. 1952)​
Alma mater	University of Melbourne
Military service
Allegiance	Australia
Branch/service	Australian Army
Years of service	1952–1982
Rank	Brigadier
Unit	1st Commonwealth Division

Brigadier James Osmond "Jim" Furner AO CBE DSM (25 November 1927 – 17 September 2007) was an Australian military intelligence officer, who was the longest serving Director-General of the Australian Secret Intelligence Service (ASIS) from 1984 to 1992.

Military career

After completing a Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Melbourne and working as a school teacher, Furner embarked on a career change and enlisted in the Australian Army, becoming one of the first cadets to be trained at the Officer Cadet School, Portsea. On completion of his training, Furner joined the infantry where he was posted overseas with the 1st Commonwealth Division during the Korean War.

In 1982, Furner joined the Joint Intelligence Organisation as deputy director, and retired from the army to take the civilian post of director a few months later.

Australian Secret Intelligence Service

In late 1983, the acting Director-General of ASIS. The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Bill Hayden, asked Furner to take the role in an acting capacity in February 1984.

Honours

	Member of the Order of the British Empire (military) (MBE)	1969
	National Medal – 1st clasp	1977
	Commander of the Order of the British Empire (military) (CBE)	1980
	Officer of the Order of Australia (AO)	1993
	Distinguished Service Medal (DSM)	1998