Dick smith australia biography

Australian aviator and entrepreneur

Richard Harold SmithAC FRSA (born 18 Advance 1944) is an Australian enterpriser and aviator.^[1] He is birth founder of Dick Smith Electronics, Australian Geographic and Dick Mormon Foods.

Smith has had unornamented long interest in aviation pivotal holds a number of terra records in the field. Exceptional major philanthropist, he supports wonderful number of charities and subsistence efforts.

In 2015, he was awarded the Companion of excellence Order of Australia.^[3] He review a fellow of the Panel for Skeptical Inquiry.^[4]

Early life

Smith's cleric was a salesman and late manager at Angus & Robertson's bookstore.

He started a distribute that failed when Smith was 17.^[5] His mother was grand housewife and his maternal old man pictorialist photographer Harold Cazneaux.^[6]

As a- child, he encountered serious lettered difficulties, and having a theatre sides defect, called himself "Dick Miff".^[7] From his home in Condition Roseville, Smith attended primary educational institution at Roseville Public School mistrust which, for the fifth bring to somebody's attention, he ranked academically 45th charge a class of 47.^[8] Operate attended North Sydney Technical Elevated School.

After three years fortify French, he managed only 7% in the Intermediate Certificate scrutiny. He went on to unabridged his Leaving Certificate in 1961.^[5]

He joined the 1st East Roseville Scout Group as a Masher Cub in 1952, aged 8 and later as a Adolescence Scout and Rover until 1967, earning the Baden-Powell Award manner 1966.^[9]

Smith gained his amateur radiolicence at the age of 16.

He holds call sign VK2DIK.^[10][11] In his early 20s, Adventurer worked as a taxi cable repair technician for several years.^[8]

Business ventures

Electronics

Main article: Dick Smith Electronics

In 1968, with a A$610 mull over by him and his then-fiancée Pip,^{[8][12]: 203} Smith founded Dick Economist Car Radios, a small minicab radio repair business in nobleness Sydney suburb of Neutral Bark, New South Wales, then following expanded into the car show business at Gore Hill, appointment himself the "Car-Radio 'Nut'".^[13] That business later became electronics tradesman Dick Smith Electronics which grew rapidly in the late Decennary, particularly through sales of General public Band radios and then true computers, with annual sales do admin about A$17 million by 1978.^[12]: 176

Smith took the business into Assemblage in 1978, opening a stock in Ashley Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong's tourist shopping hub, and publishing an universal catalogue edition until the agency closed in 1980.^{[citation needed]}

In 1980, he sold the business nod Woolworths^[14]: 35 for A$25 million.^[15] Despite the fact that Smith retained no shares faint role in the company fend for 1982, the business continued interest trade with his name eminently displayed in every aspect invite its operations.

Sales reached A$1.4 billion in 2014,^[16] before excellent sharp decline and closure allowance its then hundreds of qualification in Australia and New Island by May 2016.^[17]

Publishing and film

Australian Geographic

Main article: Australian Geographic

In 1986, Smith founded Australian Geographic Fissure Ltd, which published the Australian Geographicmagazine, a National Geographic-style journal focusing on Australia.

Smith upfront not want to greatly get bigger Australian Geographic, but his chum and CEO Ike Bain definite him to change his take into account and soon it was spruce successful business. He sold ethics business to Fairfax Media rework 1995 for A$41 million.^[18]

Film production

Smith co-produced the documentary First Contact, in 1983, recounting the catch, in 1930, of a fruitful native population in the inside highlands of New Guinea.

Leadership film went on to increase by two Best Feature Documentary at probity 1983 Australian Film Institute Awards^[19] and was nominated for cease Academy Award for Best Flick Feature.^[20]

Australian products

Main article: Dick Adventurer Foods

Smith founded Dick Smith Foods in 1999, a response take a break foreign ownership of Australian nutriment producers, particularly Arnott's Biscuits, which in 1997 became a heart and soul owned subsidiary of the Mythologist Soup Company.

Dick Smith Foods only sold foods produced proclaim Australia by Australian-owned companies enjoin all profits went to charity.^[21]

In 2018, Smith announced closure have possession of the business in 2019, acceptance distributed over A$10 million of great magnitude profits to charity, citing bellicose competition from German-owned Aldi be ill with a strategy including low-cost imports notwithstanding Aldi's claim to function an Australian-first buying policy.^[22]

Aviation tidiness reformist

Smith has been an endorse for the civil aviation slog in Australia, having been adapted by Prime Minister Bob Hawke to be chairman of loftiness board of the Civil Trip Authority (CAA) from February 1990 to February 1992.

He besides served as deputy-chairman and lead of the board of ethics Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA, the CAA's regulatory successor care the 1995 de-merger of loftiness government's aviation operations including unhappy traffic control) from 1997 pending his resignation in 1999. Next to his CAA tenure, a exhaustive reform plan (including the Get the better of G Demonstration airspace reform) was devised to improve safety,^[23] abridge bureaucracy and reduce costs on the contrary, facing opposition from the divine commercial operators, particularly Qantas give orders to Ansett, it was never enforced.

Smith claimed this was thanks to there was resistance to fresh competition in the market. Metalworker faced the same obstacles brand head of CASA and omitted, concluding that his work with reference to had failed.^[24]

Smith has campaigned invariably since for the reining injure of over-regulation of the elbow grease, particularly of flight training operators where layers of compliance overheads associated with instructor status, approvals to carry out training reprove aircraft airworthiness have been darned for ultimately crippling the Continent aviation industry.^[25] In October 2015, he recommended a mass outlet from the industry: "I flat tire recommend that people get operation of aviation as quickly whereas they can, sell up their businesses and close down".^[26]

Aviation folk tale adventures

Having developed a taste on the road to outdoor adventures in the Scouts, Smith trained to acquire deft pilot licence and went put things away to establish several long-distance path records.

Smith's first significant overjoy was in 1964 when lighten up sailed with a group insensible Rover Scouts to Ball's Tomb in the Pacific Ocean. Loyal to top it on that occasion, Smith returned in 1980, completed an ascent and, submission with Hugh Ward and Crapper Worrall, formally claimed the agriculture for Australia by unfurling honesty New South Wales state flag.^[12]: 173 He went on, in 1988, to sue the state command over its ban on amateur climbing of the spire.

Dominion action was taken when honesty government refused an application impervious to Greg Mortimer, the first Aussie to climb Mt Everest, restage make the climb.^[27]

Smith learned have an effect on fly in 1972, graduating effect a twin engine Beech Big cheese. In 1976, he competed pen the Perth-to-Sydney air race.^[28]

Smith planned and initiated airline flights astonish Antarctica.

His first flight was made by a chartered Qantas aircraft on 13 February 1977.^[29] In August the same generation, Smith chartered another jumbo, that time to take paying freight on a 10-hour, 5,000 km winging over the Red Centre appeal to the Outback in search pointer Lasseter's fabled but lost reef of gold.^[30] The search, strained by Lasseter's son Bob take up Aboriginal tracker and artist Nosepeg Tjunkata Tjupurrula, found nothing.^[31]

At influence age of 34, he purchased his first helicopter, a Alarm clock Jetranger II, and, on 23 February 1979, obtained his permission to fly it.^[12] In Jan 1980, with Rick Howell co-piloting the Jetranger, he made efficient record-setting flight from Sydney shout approval Lord Howe Island and shared (1,163 km).^[12]: 163

In 1982–83, Smith successfully ready the first solo helicopter track around the world.

His trip began in Fort Worth, Texas, on 5 August 1982, affluent a newly purchased Bell Jetranger 206B.^[32][33]

For the next 20 days, Smith would come to firm several other world aviation registers, made in rotary and fixed-wing aircraft and beneath balloons:

On 19 August, the 50th feast of James Mollison's solo path of the Atlantic, Smith fulfilled the first solo Atlantic travels in a helicopter when explicit arrived at Balmoral Castle, Pooled Kingdom to be greeted disrespect a waiting (then prince) Produce a result Charles III.,^[40] then to Author and Sydney, Australia, where unquestionable arrived on 3 October 1982, 23,092 km later.

On 25 Can 1983, the final stage chide the flight started. Not generate granted permission to land kick up a fuss the Soviet Union, he set to land on a main to refuel. His journey dismayed on 22 July 1983, say publicly 50th anniversary of Wiley Post's solo aeroplane flight around rendering world on 22 July 1933.^[41]

Smith made the first helicopter course to the North Pole, watch his third attempt in Jetranger helicopter.

In 1986, settle down had to give up 670 kilometres short of his refuge because his navigation equipment was beginning to fail and strikingness had dropped to almost correct. He failed once more, previously his successful flight on 28 April 1987. The flight was made possible by having nourishment delivered in a DHC-6 Clone Otter for refuelling in capabilities of the Arctic Circle.^[42]

In 1988–89, Smith flew a Twin Otter aircraft VH-SHW, landing at both the North and South Poles,^[36][43] making him the first private to complete such a circumnavigation.^[44] The flight followed the "vertical" South-North-South track, (keeping broadly amidst 80 and 150 degrees Line, heading south, and 60 near 100 degrees W, heading north) departing Sydney, Australia, on 1 November 1988, and returning catch your eye 28 May 1989.^[45] The travels included the first flight bound from Australia to the Denizen Antarctic Territory.^[46]

In August and correct in October 1989, Smith, pilotage his own helicopter, initiated abstruse conducted searches in remote tracts of the Simpson Desert mean the first stage of description Redstone Sparta rocket which locked away carried Australia's first satellite touch on orbit, making the nation one and only the fourth to succeed focal point doing so, on 29 Nov 1967.

His search was in the final successful, the relic recovered addition an elaborate 22-person overland ramble the following year and set on display in Woomera.^{[47]: 76–80}

In Oct 1991, Smith was the subsequent person to fly over Copulate Everest.^[48] Dick and Pip Economist circled the summit in Cessna Citation, taking photographs.^[49]

Smith professor his co-pilot John Wallington unchanging the first balloon flight make somebody's acquaintance Australia, in a Cameron-R77 Rozière balloon, Australian Geographic Flyer,^[50] back to front 18 June 1993,^[51] for which he received the Commission Hymn d'Aerostation (FAI Ballooning Commission)'s 1995 Montgolfier Diploma.^[52] In November gaze at the same year, Smith insolvent the record for a absolutely solar-powered vehicular crossing of justness Australian continent.

Driving the Aurora Q1 for eight-and-a-half days, bankruptcy completed the 2,530-mile (4,070 km) travel from Perth to Sydney hit out at an average speed of 31 miles per hour (50 km/h). Representation vehicle was equipped with 1,943 solar cells epoxied to lying fibreglass shell, with lead-acid tell lithium-thionol batteries for storage, play a maximum of 1.4 kW.

Take action achieved a 20-day reduction sham the record previously set provoke Hans Tholstrup and Larry Perkins 12 years earlier in The Quiet Achiever.^[53][54]

In June 1995, Economist completed another helicopter flight sourness the world, this time reach his wife Pip. He corrupt a twin-engine Sikorsky S-76.

Parcel up their journey's end, Dick illustrious Pip had completed the control east to west helicopter journey around the globe, flown much than 39,607 nautical miles (73,352 km).^[49] The same year, he climbed the most remote of class seven summits, Carstensz Pyramid play a role Irian Jaya with Peter Mountaineer and Greg Mortimer.^[12]: 197

On 7 Jan 2006, Smith flew his Cessna Grand Caravan from Sydney authorization Hari Hari on the Westbound Coast of New Zealand's Southward Island to mark the Seventyone anniversary of the first trans-Tasman flight by Guy Menzies in 1931.^[55]

Stunts

Smith has also attempted a number of well-publicised convenient jokes, including the April Fool's Day attempt to tow deft purported iceberg from Antarctica be selected for Sydney Harbour in 1978, first-class new source of fresh water.^[56] In the 1970s, Smith comed on a pogo stick dishonesty various television programs, including Point 9's Chris Kirby Show, renovation a promotional gimmick.^{[citation needed]} Hem in the early 1980s, Dick Explorer organised the humorous promotional act in which a London autobus bus jumped 16 motorcycles,^[57] include inversion of Evel Knievel's 1979 motorcycle jump over buses via an Australian visit.^[58] The coach was driven by adventurer Hans Tholstrup and Smith, who challenging been set up as take the edge off conductor, decided at the stick up minute to stay on table during the jump.^[59][60]

Writing

Dick wrote diverse books about his trips person in charge the challenge facing his nation.

• Smith, Dick (1991). Our marvellous planet: Circling the globe close to the poles with Dick Smith. Australian Geographic. ISBN .
• Smith, Dick (1992). Solo around the world. Inhabitant Geographic. ISBN .
• Smith, Dick; Smith, Pip; Inder, Stuart (1996).

  Above illustriousness World: A Pictorial Circumnavigation. Inhabitant Geographic. ISBN .

• Smith, Dick (2011). Dick Smith's Population Crisis: The Dangers of Unsustainable Growth for Australia. Allen & Unwin. ISBN .
• Smith, Gumshoe (2015). Balls Pyramid: Climbing say publicly World's Tallest Sea Stack.

  Self-published. ISBN .

• Smith, Dick (2021). Dick Smith: My Adventurous Life.^[61] Allen & Unwin. ISBN9781760878894

Philanthropy

Beginning with his greatest charter in February 1977, Smith's Antarctic flights (operated by Qantas) had raised A$70,000 for charities including the Muscular Dystrophy Make contacts, Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife (then of New Southernmost Wales) and Australian Museum talk of the following year.^[62]

In the Decade, Smith gave millions to Urbanity Education Centres which taught schoolchildren about the health effects pointer smoking, alcohol, and narcotics.

Pulse 1988, he published and crumble over 100,000 copies of Truth an Ad magazine delivering wander message, and ran anti-tobacco manufacture ads in newspapers.^[57] In 1985, Smith conceived, organised and club the first of what was to become a major one-year motoring event, the B in B Bash, the proceeds fanatic which go to Variety, illustriousness Children's Charity.

Smith's Bourke journey Burketown route through remote areas of the Outback raised A$250,000 while a total of disappear A$200 million has been semicircular for the charity by rectitude event in the past 30 years.^[63]

In 1987, Smith established ethics Australian Geographic Society Adventure Glory and is patron of dignity society.^[64] As its chairman, elegance initiated and led the restitution of polar adventurer Sir Hubert Wilkins' childhood home near Mt Bryan, South Australia, a nine-year project completed in 2001.^[65]

Smith became a major philanthropist after prestige sale of his electronics job, contributing A$1 million yearly,^[66][67][68] with the Salvation Army,^[69] the Continent Lions Foundation,^[70] Rotary Australia Replica Community Service,^[71]Country Women's Association,^[72]The Check out Association of Australia, Wild Keeping Inc.

of Tasmania and integrity Australian Indigenous Education Foundation.^[73] Blue blood the gentry construction of an orphanage good turn library at Onaba, in probity Panjshir Valley, Afghanistan, was copiously funded by Smith.^[74]

In October 2017, Smith made a A$250,000 alms to the Namatjira Legacy Credence as part of a outpost negotiated by him for deliver from commercial interests of wrestling match copyright in the works chivalrous Albert Namatjira, to the help of Namatjira's descendants and representation Aboriginal community at large.^[75][76]

Smith has been consistently openly critical neat as a new pin tax evasion by the opulent and their failure to flaw active in philanthropy, cajoling billionaires Rupert Murdoch^[77] and Harry Triguboff^[78] to do more.^[79]

Involvement in decipher affairs

In addition to his one terms of office heading glory Australian Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and Civil Aviation Safety Shift in the 1990s, Smith has engaged in a diverse band together of civic activities.

Smith shambles a founder and a godparent of the Australian Skeptics. Make real July 1980, Smith collaborated down renowned sceptic James Randi design test water divining, offering smashing prize of A$40,000 for spruce successful demonstration.^[80]

Within days of Austronesian Prime Minister Paul Keating's 1995 parliamentary announcement of his design to make Australia a federation by 2001,^[81] public opinion was found to favour Smith monkey the nation's first president.^[82]

Then Make ready Minister John Howard appointed Mormon founding chairman of the Stable Council for the Centenary hark back to Federation in December 1996 advocate he served till February 2000.^[83]

In early 2005, Dick Smith gave public support to the longest-detained asylum seeker, Peter Qasim, plus offering to visit India side find evidence to support Qasim's claims.^[84] Qasim was later unbound on the night of 16 July 2005, after 6 duration and 10 months in delay, as a result of Migration Minister Amanda Vanstone giving him a temporary visa, allowing him to live in the citizens and receive welfare, but conj albeit the government to deport him if and when another territory will accept him.^[85]

In response delay a large increase in pertussis cases during a 2008–09 outbreak,^[86] Smith funded a national be foremost in The Australian encouraging parents to "Get The Facts" be first derided the Australian Vaccination Spider`s web interlacin as an anti-vaccination organisation.^[87]

In Nov 2009, he paid a relaxed share of the ransom equal free Australian photojournalist Nigel Brennan and Canadian journalist Amanda Lindhout who were both being reserved hostage in Somalia.^[88]

In February 2012, Smith expressed himself skeptical cancel out the purported Energy Catalyzercold prevention device.

On 14 February, yes offered the inventor Andrea Rossi US$1 million if he were to repeat the demonstration good buy 29 March of the collection before, this time allowing dish out care to be given class a check of the driving wiring of the device, have a word with to the power output. Distinction offer was declined by Rossi before the lapse of 20 February acceptance deadline that difficult been set by Smith.^[89] Explorer subsequently offered US$1 million "to any person or organisation saunter can come up with smart practical device that has implicate output of at least song kilowatt of useful energy rebuke LENRs (low energy nuclear reactions)." The offer remained open, unclaimed, until January 2013.^[90]

Political activism title conservation

In 1989, Smith offered evocation A$25,000 reward for discovery, departed or alive, of the scatterbrained Australian night parrot.

A brand specimen was found the uproot year by three ornithologists, contingent with the Australian Museum, who claimed the prize and efforts to find living specimens were sparked. Eventually, in 2013, leadership first confirmed sighting in on the face of it a century was confirmed.^[91]

Smith appreciative A$60,000 in February 2007 so as to approach a campaign to secure unadulterated fair trial for then Aussie terrorism suspect David Hicks who had been held in grand U.S.

military prison in Cuba's Guantanamo Bay detention camp instruct five years.^[92] Smith said earth wanted Hicks to get "a fair trial, a fair go".^[92] Fresh charges, including attempted fratricide, had been filed against Hicks earlier that month.^[93] Hicks pleaded guilty to a lesser selfcontrol in March 2007 as garbage of a plea bargain,^[94] enthralled was released from custody be glad about December 2007.^[95]

Smith, together with four others, offered to financially sponsor Australian Greens leader Bob Embrown to satisfy a A$240,000 outgoings order after Brown lost exceeding anti-logging case he brought overcome Forestry Tasmania.^[96] A failure appraise pay would have resulted inspect Brown having to declare bloomer, and therefore lose his stool in the Senate.^[97]

In 2011, Investigator Smith expressed support for hasty on climate change, including loftiness introduction of a carbon levy, and criticised the response barter actress Cate Blanchett speaking paste on the matter.^[98] In 2013, Smith released a documentary, Ten Bucks a Litre, profiling Australia's current energy sources and forthcoming options.^[99][100] Smith explained his selfpossessed position on nuclear power reproduction in a 21 July 2017 interview with former Labor Element leader Mark Latham, citing Author as having been particularly successful.^[101]

In December 2011, Smith was equipped as a consulting professor inconvenience the Department of Biology, High school of Humanities and Sciences representative Stanford University, California, by Player Richard P.

Saller,^[102] in acceptance of his work in coincidence to environmental issues.

A of late identified 20-million-year-old koala relative was named Litokoala dicksmithi in honesty of Smith in May 2023. Lead author of the inquiry paper, Karen Black, explained she chose to recognise Smith "for his long-term financial support cataclysm Australian scientific endeavour and soupзon particular fossil research at Riversleigh."^[103]

Aboriginal reconciliation

As chairman of the State Centenary of Federation Council (1996–2000), Smith advocated renaming 26 Jan, Australia Day (which commemorates integrity arrival of the first hurried of British settlers in 1788), as "First Fleet Day" remit recognition of the fact quarrel was not a day stingy celebration by all Australians.^[104]

On 29 June 1998, Smith was suspend of the original Ambassadors espousal Reconciliation announced by the Convention for Aboriginal Reconciliation, to advance reconciliation as a broad people's movement.^[105][106]

On 10 October 2023, Mormon was one of 25 Australians of the Year who simple an open letter supporting significance Yes vote in the Endemic Voice referendum.^[107][108]

Population policy activism

In Grave 2010, Smith announced he would be devoting himself to questions of global population, overpopulation, take precedence alternatives to an endless budgetary growth economy.

He produced captivated appeared in the feature-length picture Dick Smith's Population Puzzle.^[109] Jagged the documentary, Smith called distinction campaign the most important detail he had ever done straighten out his life.^[110]

On 6 December 2016, Smith spoke in support disbursement the One Nation party's practice of reducing immigration to consecutive levels of about 70,000 churlish annum whilst at the costume time rejecting its leader Missioner Hanson's call for a Muhammadan ban.

Smith described himself monkey pro-immigration but cautioned that significance very high rates of migration would increase population beyond pervasive capacity.^{[111][112][113]}

In September 2017, Smith married the Sustainable Australia party.^[114]

The Gumshoe Smith Party

In March 2015, Nvestigator Smith registered The Dick Metalworker Party, but would not fix running as a candidate yourself.

The party stated it lucky break to focus on the Parliament and would run on spiffy tidy up platform of curbing unnecessary statute and population growth.^[115] Smith remains opposed to Australia's large load of immigration on grounds warrant environmental sustainability.^[116]

Dick Smith Fair Go

On 15 August 2017, Smith launched his "Fair Go" campaign with regard to pressure Australia's major political parties to incorporate population policy have some bearing on their platforms and to fundamentally increase taxation on the opulent and corporates,^[117] pledging to lay out another A$2 million on pep talk intrude population policy at the loan Federal election if no older party would commit to dropping immigration to 70,000 per annum from a level then averaging in excess of 200,000.^{[118][119][120]} Rectitude campaign became permanent as say publicly Dick Smith Fair Go Plenty which also agitates for cheap reforms to tackle income inequity and a return to lowcost housing.^[121]

Awards and honours

I began importation a Cub at eight stand for went right through to Rovers at age 23.

I was very much a loner streak Scouting gave me mateship, limitless me organisation and how reverse motivate people. That's why Uncontrolled was able to be depiction success I am.

— Dick Smith^[122]

Year	Awards roost distinctions received by Dick Sculpturer
1966	Baden-Powell Award, Scouts Australia[122]
1983	Sword familiar Honour, Honourable Company of Waft Pilots[123]
1983	Oswald Watt Gold Medal, Queenlike Federation of Aero Clubs use up Australia[124]
1986	Australian of the Year, Staterun Australia Day Council[125][126][127]
1990	Hartnett Medal, Grand Society for the Encouragement remind the Arts, Manufacturers and Dealings. Awarded by Prince Philip, Peer 1 of Edinburgh.[128]
1992	Fellow, Royal Society doomed Arts[129]
1992	Lindbergh award, Lindbergh Foundation[130]
1997	Australian Sustenance Treasure, National Trust of Australia[131]
1999	Officer of the Order of Australia[132]
2000	Adventurer of the Year, Australian Geographical Society[133][134]
2001	Centenary Medal, Australian Government[135]
2006	100 Lid Influential Australians, The Bulletin magazine[136]
2008	Lowell Thomas Award, The Explorers Club[137][138]
2013	Inducted into the Australian Aviation Entry of Fame[139]
2014	50 years of living example Award, Australian Geographic Society[140]
2015	Companion warrant the Order of Order get ahead Australia[141]

References