Leonard Macleod was Commonwealth Analyst with the Customs Department 1949-1969. He was responsible for the modernisation of the laboratories and for the planning and much of the design of new laboratories in Western and South Australia, Tasmania and Victoria. He set up a Central Office Research Laboratory in 1959 to cope with major scientific problems of concern to all the regional laboratories and he created drug and pesticide residue groups to perform essential analytical services for the Departments of Health and Primary Industry.
Born Perth, 1907. Died 16 November 1969. MBE 1965. Educated University of Western Australia. Junior Analyst, Customs Department from 1924, Chief Analyst for Western Australia 1943-49, Commonwealth Analyst and Chief Chemist, Commonwealth Laboratory, Melbourne 1949-69. General President, Professional Officers' Association, Commonwealth Public Service 1953-59.