Tony Ayers

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Tony Ayers
AC
Secretary of the Department of Aboriginal Affairs
In office
20 July 1979 – 5 May 1981
Department of Social Security
In office
21 May 1981 – 14 November 1986
Acting Secretary of the Department of Community Services
In office
13 December 1984 – 13 March 1985
Secretary of the Department of Community Services and Health
In office
24 July 1987 – 31 July 1988
Secretary of the Department of Defence
In office
1 August 1988 – 5 February 1998
Personal details
Born 1933
Nationality Australian
Occupation Public servant

Anthony Joseph "Tony" Ayers AC (born 1933) is a retired senior Australian public servant.

Career

Ayers first job was teaching in a Victorian school.[1] He later was an education officer in Pentridge Prison, Melbourne.[2]

In 1967 Ayers moved to Canberra as Director of Welfare in the Department of the Interior.[1]

He was appointed to his first Secretary role in 1979 as head of the Department of Aboriginal Affairs.[3][4] Ayers moved soon after, in 1981, to the Department of Social Security (DSS).[5] During his time at DSS he served concurrently for three months as Acting Secretary of the Department of Community Services.[6] Ayers moved to an appointment as Secretary of the Department of Community Services and Health when the Hawke Government restructured the public service and created "super ministries" in 1987.[7]

Ayers final posting in the Australian Public Service was as Secretary of the Department of Defence between 1988 and 1998.[8][9] Ayers was praised for his work in the Department, one of the few departmental heads who has left the Department of Defence on their own accord, rather than being compelled to leave by the Defence Minister, in the last 30 years.[10]

Awards

Ayers was made an Officer of the Order of Australia in June 1985.[11]

In January 1993 he was made a Companion of the Order of Australia, in recognition of service to leadership in the development and implementation of administrative structures, systems and procedures.[12]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Interview with Tony Ayers, Commonwealth public servant and Secretary of Defence 1988-1998 [sound recording] / interviewer, John Farquharson, National Library of Australia, 27 November 2012 
  2. ↑ Burgess, Verona (9 January 1993). "The Chinese Mandarin". The Canberra Times. p. 15. Archived from the original on 7 February 2014. 
  3. ↑ "Perkins appointment". The Canberra Times. 5 September 1979. 
  4. ↑ CA 1476: Department of Aboriginal Affairs, Central Office, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 7 February 2014 
  5. ↑ CA 1482: Department of Social Security, Central Office, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 7 February 2014 
  6. ↑ CA 4133: Department of Community Services, Central Office, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 7 February 2014 
  7. ↑ CA 5985: Department of Community Services and Health, Central Office, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 7 February 2014 
  8. ↑ CA 46: Department of Defence [III], Central Office, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 7 February 2014 
  9. ↑ Hawke, Robert (2 June 1988). "Unknown" (Press release). Archived from the original on 10 November 2013. 
  10. ↑ "Changing guards at Capital Palace". The Canberra Times (Fairfax Media). 6 August 2011. Archived from the original on 6 February 2014. 
  11. ↑ Search Australian Honours: AYERS, Anthony Joseph, Australian Government 
  12. ↑ Search Australian Honours: AYERS, Anthony Joseph, Australian Government 
Government offices
Preceded by
David Hay		 Secretary of the Department of Aboriginal Affairs
1979 – 1981 		Succeeded by
John Taylor
Preceded by
Patrick Lanigan		 Secretary of the Department of Social Security
1981 – 1986 		Succeeded by
Derek Volker
New title
Department established
 Acting Secretary of the Department of Community Services
1984 – 1985 		Succeeded by
Mike Codd
New title
Department established
 Secretary of the Department of Community Services and Health
1987 – 1988 		Succeeded by
Stuart Hamilton
Preceded by
Alan Woods		 Secretary of the Department of Defence
1988 – 1998 		Succeeded by
Paul Barratt
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike; additional terms may apply for the media files.