John Antill Millett was born at Woollhara, New South Wales on the 3 February 1921. He attended Walcha Public School, NSW, and after receiving his Intermediate Certificate worked as a junior Audit Clerk with Thomas Davis and Co., Chartered Accountant at Tamworth, NSW. He enlisted in the Australian Army on the 22 May 1941, serving as a Signalman, and was discharged on 7 December 1942; he then enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force on the 9 December 1942, serving in No. 10 RAAF Squadron, Plymouth, England, and was discharged 17 April 1946. After the war he worked in the Repatriation Department, 1946-1947, he then studied law at Sydney University, 1948-1952, and graduated with an LLB in 1952.

For much of his career a practising lawyer and part-time writer, Millett has published several poetry collections, a verse novella, short stories, and a play with Grace Perry. His poetry has been published in numerous Australian and international journals.

Millett was the managing editor of Poetry Australia from 1967, and editor, 1988-1992. In 1999 he was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM), for service to literature as editor of the journal.

References:
Who's who in the world, 18th ed., Marquis-Who's Who, New Providence, N.J., 2000, p. 1457
Millett's curriculum vitae
AustLit : the resource for Australian literature, 2006.