Ashton Calvert
{{Short description|Australian public servant}}
{{Use Australian English|date=February 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2014}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Ashton Calvert
| honorific-suffix = {{post-nominals|country=AUS|size=100|AC}}
| image = Ashton Calvert.jpg
| image_size =
| caption =
| office1 = Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
| term_start1 = 1 April 1998
| term_end1 = 4 January 2005
| office2 = Ambassador of Australia to Japan
| term_start2 = {{Start date|1993}}
| term_end2 = {{End date|1998}}
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1945|11|9|df=y}}
| birth_place = Hobart, Tasmania
| death_date = {{death date and age|2007|11|16|1945|11|9|df=yes}}
| death_place = Canberra, Australian Capital Territory
| nationality = Australian
| occupation = Public servant
| years_active =
| religion =
| spouse = Mikie
| parents = Bob and Noreen Calvert
| children = Felicity and Timothy
}}
Ashton Trevor Calvert, {{post-nominals|country=AUS|size=100|AC}} (9 November 1945 – 16 November 2007) was a senior Australian public servant. He was Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade from April 1998 to January 2005.
Early life
Ashton Calvert was born on 9 November 1945 in Hobart, Tasmania.{{cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/obituaries/diplomat-always-at-the-centre/2007/11/22/1195321945809.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1|title=Diplomat always at the centre|archive-date=25 February 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140225222431/http://www.smh.com.au/news/obituaries/diplomat-always-at-the-centre/2007/11/22/1195321945809.html?page=fullpage|first=Tony|last=Stephens|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald|publisher=Fairfax Media|date=23 November 2007}}{{citation|url=http://www.actpla.act.gov.au/tools_resources/place_search3?sq_content_src=%2BdXJsPWh0dHAlM0ElMkYlMkYyMDMuOS4yNDkuMyUyRlBsYWNlTmFtZXMlMkZQbGFjZURldGFpbHMuYXNweCUzRm9iamVjdElEJTNENjU2MzcmYWxsPTE%3D |title=Ashton Calvert Street |publisher=ACT Government Environment and Sustainable Development Directorate |archive-date=25 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140225230125/http://www.actpla.act.gov.au/tools_resources/place_search3?sq_content_src=+dXJsPWh0dHAlM0ElMkYlMkYyMDMuOS4yNDkuMyUyRlBsYWNlTmFtZXMlMkZQbGFjZURldGFpbHMuYXNweCUzRm9iamVjdElEJTNENjU2MzcmYWxsPTE%3D |url-status=dead }} He was the great-grandchild of William Calvert, a free settler to Tasmania who had arrived on the island in 1832.{{citation|url=http://www.utas.edu.au/library/companion_to_tasmanian_history/C/Calvert.htm|publisher=University of Tasmania|title=Calvert Family|work=The Companion to Tasmanian History|first=Alison|last=Alexander|access-date=26 February 2014}}
Calvert attended Hobart High School and then the University of Tasmania. As a Rhodes Scholar, he went on to attend the University of Oxford, attaining a doctorate in mathematics.{{cite press release|first=Alexander|last=Downer|author-link=Alexander Downer|date=16 November 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130501130105/http://foreignminister.gov.au/releases/2007/fa142_07.html|archive-date=1 May 2013|title=Dr Ashton Calvert AC|url=http://www.foreignminister.gov.au/releases/2007/fa142_07.html}} During his time at Oxford, Calvert was the president-cox of the Oxford rowing team.{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/rowing/2295441/Presidents-forgo-paddles-in-the-Boat-Race.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140228062235/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/rowing/2295441/Presidents-forgo-paddles-in-the-Boat-Race.html|archive-date=28 February 2014|title=Presidents forgo paddles in the boat race|date=25 March 2008|newspaper=The Telegraph|url-status=live|location=United Kingdom|first=Rachel|last=Quarrell}}{{cite news|newspaper=The Australian|publisher=News Corp Australia|title=Reticent chemical weapons crusader who changed the world|first=Patrick|last=Walters|date=12 March 2007}}
Career
Calvert joined the Australian Public Service in 1970 in the Department of External Affairs (later Department of Foreign Affairs). His first overseas post was to Japan in 1971, where he spent four years.{{cite news|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article118161877|title=Keating picks career man as new adviser|date=3 January 1992|page=2|newspaper=The Canberra Times}}
In October 1993, after nearly two years as a staffer in then Prime Minister Paul Keating's office, Calvert was appointed Australian Ambassador to Japan.{{cite news|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article127508614|title=Calvert is new ambassador|page=2|date=2 October 1993|newspaper=The Canberra Times}}
Calvert was appointed Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in April 1998. During his time as Secretary of the department, Calvert made significant contributions to the Doha Development Round trade negotiations and helped to secure a deal to launch negotiations for a free trade agreement between Australia, New Zealand and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (since concluded).{{cite press release|url=http://www.trademinister.gov.au/releases/2004/mvt095_04.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130501081605/http://trademinister.gov.au/releases/2004/mvt095_04.html|archive-date=1 May 2013|title=Dr Ashton Calvert|date=2 December 2004|first=Mark|last=Vaile|author-link=Mark Vaile}} Calvert retired from his Secretary role in January 2005.{{cite news|title=Ashton Calvert Out, Michael L'Estrange In|publisher=Crikey|date=2 December 2004|url=http://www.crikey.com.au/2004/12/02/ashton-calvert-out-michael-lestrange-in/|first=Hugo|last=Kelly|archive-date=27 February 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140227012020/http://www.crikey.com.au/2004/12/02/ashton-calvert-out-michael-lestrange-in/}}
Calvert joined the Rio Tinto Board with effect from 1 February 2005.{{cite web|url=http://edgar.secdatabase.com/1271/102123105000476/filing-main.htm |title=RIO TINTO LTD, Form 20-F, Filing Date Jun 27, 2005 |publisher=secdatabase.com |access-date =May 15, 2018}} In August 2005 he was appointed to the Woodside Petroleum Board.{{cite news|url=http://www.crikey.com.au/2005/08/17/ashton-calvert-makes-it-into-the-directors-club/?wpmp_switcher=mobile|title=Ashton Calvert makes it into the director's club|first=Stephen|last=Mayne|date=17 August 2015|publisher=Crikey|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150914082107/http://www.crikey.com.au/2005/08/17/ashton-calvert-makes-it-into-the-directors-club/?wpmp_switcher=mobile|archive-date=14 September 2015}} He resigned from both boards in November 2007 due to illness, after a medical diagnosis of aggressive cancer.{{cite news|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/mining-energy/rio-woodside-boards-depleted-by-death/story-e6frg9df-1111114906224|newspaper=The Australian|publisher=News Limited|date=19 November 2007|first=Nigel|last=Wilson|title=Rio, Woodside boards depleted by death}}
Awards and honours
Calvert was made a Companion of the Order of Australia in January 2003 for service to the development of Australian foreign policy, including advancement of business relations between Australia and Japan, and for leadership and highly distinguished contributions to Australia's overall economic and security interests at critical times in the international environment.{{citation|url=https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/1041301|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190129122836/https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/1041301|archive-date=29 January 2019|title=Search Australian Honours: CALVERT, Ashton Trevor|publisher=Australian Government}}
In 2009, a street in the Canberra suburb of Casey was named Ashton Calvert Street to honour Calvert.
Death
On 16 November 2007, in Canberra, Calvert died from cancer at age 62.{{citation|url=http://john.curtin.edu.au/events/speeches/calvertbiog.html|archive-date=5 May 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130505055601/http://john.curtin.edu.au/events/speeches/calvertbiog.html|publisher=Curtin University|title=Brief Biography of Dr Ashton Calvert|date=7 December 2011}}
Notes
{{reflist}}
References and further reading
{{refbegin}}
- {{citation|title=Steady Hands Needed: Reflections on the role of Secretary of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Australia 1979–1999|editor1-last=Wilson|editor1-first=Trevor|editor2-last=Cooke|editor2-first=Graham|date=August 2008|isbn=9781921536137|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140225223346/http://press.anu.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/whole_book.pdf|archive-date=25 February 2014|url=http://press.anu.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/whole_book.pdf|chapter=Epilogue: 'The job is never done'|first=John|last=Butcher|pages=83–93}}
- {{cite press release|first=Michael|last=L'Estrange|author-link=Michael L'Estrange|date=16 November 2007|title=Dr Ashton Calvert AC|url=https://www.dfat.gov.au/media/releases/department/d020_07.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140213090407/https://www.dfat.gov.au/media/releases/department/d020_07.html|archive-date=13 February 2014}}
- {{cite press release|url=http://pmtranscripts.dpmc.gov.au/browse.php?did=21524|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131110154618/http://pmtranscripts.dpmc.gov.au/browse.php?did=21524|archive-date=10 November 2013|title=Dr Ashton Calvert AC|date=2 December 2004|first=John|last=Howard|author-link=John Howard}}
- {{cite news|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/john-howard-ministers-took-no-advice-before-joining-iraq-war/story-e6frg6nf-1225769329559|first=Paul|last=Kelly|newspaper=The Australian|date=4 September 2009|title=John Howard ministers took no advice before joining Iraq war|publisher=News Corp Australia|quote=Foreign Affairs and Trade head Ashton Calvert, interviewed for the book, said: "DFAT did not argue against that war role. In my view there was a strong and shared sense of policy direction on Iraq from Howard and Downer. In my view they didn't need advice on what they should do because they had, in effect, made up their minds."}}
- {{cite news|url=http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/news/national/former-diplomat-calvert-dies-aged-62/2007/11/16/1194766950578.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071118223015/http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/news/national/former-diplomat-calvert-dies-aged-62/2007/11/16/1194766950578.html|archive-date=18 November 2007|title=Former diplomat Calvert dies, aged 62|date=16 November 2007|newspaper=Brisbane Times|publisher=Fairfax Media|agency=AAP}}
- {{citation|url=http://www.utas.edu.au/library/companion_to_tasmanian_history/M/Mathematics.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130906224236/http://www.utas.edu.au/library/companion_to_tasmanian_history/M/Mathematics.htm|archive-date=6 September 2013|title=Mathematics|work=The Companion to Tasmanian History|first=David|last=Elliott|publisher=University of Tasmania}}
{{refend}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-dip}}
{{s-bef|before=Rawdon Dalrymple}}
{{s-ttl|title=Australian Ambassador to Japan|years=1993–1998}}
{{s-aft|after=Peter Grey}}
{{S-gov}}
{{s-bef|before=Philip Flood}}
{{s-ttl|title=Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade|years=1998–2005}}
{{s-aft|after=Michael L'Estrange}}
{{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Calvert, Ashton}}
Category:Ambassadors of Australia to Japan
Category:Australian Rhodes Scholars
Category:Deaths from cancer in the Australian Capital Territory