Graham Evans (public servant) explained

Graham Evans
Office1:Secretary of the Department of Transport
Term Start1:23 December 1993
Term End1:20 February 1995
Office2:Secretary of the Department of Transport and Communications
Term Start2:1 October 1988
Term End2:23 December 1993
Office3:Secretary of the Department of Primary Industries and Energy
Term Start3:24 July 1987
Term End3:31 August 1988
Office4:Secretary of the Department of Resources and Energy
Term Start4:1986
Term End4:24 July 1987
Birth Name:Graham Charles Evans
Birth Date:22 January 1943
Nationality: Australian
Occupation:Public servant
Alma Mater:University of Melbourne
Australian National University
Johns Hopkins University

Graham Charles Evans (born 22 January 1943) is a former senior Australian public servant and policymaker.

Background and early life

Evans was born on 22 January 1943. He attended high school at St Patrick's College, Ballarat. His university studies were at University of Melbourne, Australian National University and Johns Hopkins University.

Career

From 1968 to 1981, Evans held positions in overseas postings. His early public service career saw him variously working in positions in the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Treasury and the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.

Evans was appointed to his first Secretary role in 1986, as head of the Department of Resources and Energy (later Department of Primary Industries and Energy).

Bob Hawke proposed Evans for the role of Secretary of the Department of Transport and Communications in 1988.[1] Evans continued on as Secretary of the Department of Transport when the Transport and Communications mega department was split into two.

In 1992 Evans brought defamation proceedings to the ACT Supreme Court against John Fairfax Group over an article titled 'Cosy in the Corridors of Power' that had appeared in the Sydney Morning Herald in April 1990.[2] Evans claimed that the article implied his success in the public service was because of the patronage of former Prime Minister Bob Hawke.[3] His action was dismissed in the ACT Supreme court in February 1993 and his appeal was rejected in the Federal Court in May 1994.[4] [5]

Evans retired from a 27-year career in the Australian Public Service in 1995, at which time he was appointed to the Board of Australia Post.[6] In 1995 he was also appointed the head of external affairs at BHP, a position which he held until 2005.

Awards

In 1995 Evans was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia, for service to micro-economic reform in the transport and communications fields.[7]

Notes and References

  1. Untitled. Robert. Hawke. Bob Hawke. 2 June 1988. 10 November 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131110145443/http://pmtranscripts.dpmc.gov.au/browse.php?did=7330.
  2. News: Looking back on a career path. Verona. Burgess. 6 December 1992. 9. The Canberra Times. ACT.
  3. News: Defamation proceedings. 25 November 1992. 10. The Canberra Times.
  4. News: Bureaucrat facing big legal bill after ruling. Rod. Campbell. 28 May 1994. The Canberra Times. 3. ACT.
  5. News: Fairfax will have to pay its own legal costs. 24 April 1993. 17. The Canberra Times. ACT. Rod. Campbell.
  6. STATEMENT BY THE PRIME MINISTER, THE HON P J KEATING, MP APPOINTMENT OF DEPARTMENTAL SECRETARIES. 3 December 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131203035245/http://pmtranscripts.dpmc.gov.au/browse.php?did=9474. Paul. Keating. 13 February 1995. Paul Keating.
  7. News: Service of Australians Rewarded. The Age. 26 January 1995. 19 January 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140119013101/http://www.ntgymnastics.com.au/nt-gymnastics-articles/1995/1/26/service-of-australians-rewarded/.