Herde, Ken (Kenneth Howard), 1918-2004.

Ken Herde conceived the idea of the National Capital Development Commission, Canberra. Together with Prime Minister Robert Menzies, Herde helped amend Allen Fairhall's proposed legislation to reflect a powerful Commission not subject to the control of the Department of the Interior. The result was the National Capital Development Commission Act 1957. Herde's vision for the national capital also embraced the establishment of the Australian mint. He was to be its first director-general but instead joined Comalco as general manager of the company's overseas operations. In his retirement, he ran a cattle-fattening property in Victoria until 1994.