Sir Kenneth Hamilton Bailey (3 November 1898 – 3 May 1972) was a senior Australian civil servant and lawyer, best known for his time as Secretary of the Attorney-General's Department between 1946 and 1964.
Kenneth Bailey was born on 3 November 1898 in Canterbury, Victoria. He was dux of his high school, Wesley College, in 1916. He was Victoria's Rhodes Scholar for 1918, a feat later emulated by his son. Both attended Corpus Christi College, Oxford.
In 1927, Bailey was appointed professor of jurisprudence at the University of Melbourne; the following year becoming the first Australia-born dean of the law school.
Between 1946 and 1964, Bailey was Solicitor-General of Australia and Secretary of the Attorney-General's Department. During his time as Solicitor-General, Bailey officially opened the Australian Police College in Barton on 25 October 1960.
Bailey died on 3 May 1972 in Canberra and was cremated. His son, Peter Hamilton Bailey, was also a public servant, as well as a human rights academic.
Bailey was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in June 1953 whilst Permanent Head of the Attorney-General's Department. He was knighted in 1958.
In 1972, the University of Melbourne awarded Bailey an honorary doctorate at a special conferring ceremony at Canberra Hospital. The degree was conferred to recognize his distinguished service to the university.