Tony Ayers
{{Short description|Australian public servant}}
{{Use Australian English|date=February 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2014}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix =
| name = Tony Ayers
| honorific-suffix = {{post-nominals|country=AUS|size=100%|sep=,|AC}}
| image =
| image_size =
| caption =
| office1 = Secretary of the Department of Aboriginal Affairs
| term_start1 = 20 July 1979
| term_end1 = 5 May 1981
| office2 = Department of Social Security
| term_start2 = 21 May 1981
| term_end2 = 14 November 1986
| office3 = Acting Secretary of the Department of Community Services
| term_start3 = 13 December 1984
| term_end3 = 13 March 1985
| office4 = Secretary of the Department of Community Services and Health
| term_start4 = 24 July 1987
| term_end4 = 31 July 1988
| office5 = Secretary of the Department of Defence
| term_start5 = 1 August 1988
| term_end5 = 5 February 1998
| birth_name = Anthony Joseph Ayers
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1933|09|16|df=y}}
| birth_place =
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2016|04|11|1933|09|16|df=y}}
| occupation = Public servant
| years_active =
| nationality = Australian
| website =
| parents =
| siblings =
| spouse =Heather Ayers
| alma_mater =
| children =
}}
Anthony Joseph "Tony" Ayers {{post-nominals|country=AUS|size=100%|sep=,|AC}} (16 September 1933{{snd}}11 April 2016) was an Australian public servant.
Life and career
Ayers was born on 16 September 1933.{{citation|url=http://tributes.canberratimes.com.au/obituaries/canberratimes-au/obituary.aspx?n=tony-ayers&pid=179590618|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160413083929/http://tributes.canberratimes.com.au/obituaries/canberratimes-au/obituary.aspx?n=tony-ayers&pid=179590618|archivedate=13 April 2016|title=Tony Ayers: Obituary|publisher=Fairfax Media}} His first job was teaching in a Victorian school. He later was an education officer in Pentridge Prison, Melbourne.{{cite news|newspaper=The Canberra Times|title=The Chinese Mandarin|page=15|date=9 January 1993|first=Verona|last=Burgess|author-link=Verona Burgess|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article126968079|archivedate=7 February 2014|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140207093016/http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/126968079|url-status=live}}
In 1967 Ayers moved to Canberra as Director of Welfare in the Department of the Interior.
He was appointed to his first Secretary role in 1979 as head of the Department of Aboriginal Affairs.{{cite news|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article110595212|title=Perkins appointment|date=5 September 1979|newspaper=The Canberra Times| archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20140222070636/http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/110595212 | archivedate = 2014-02-22| url-status=live}}{{citation|title=CA 1476: Department of Aboriginal Affairs, Central Office|url=http://naa12.naa.gov.au/scripts/SearchOld.asp?Number=CA+1476|publisher=National Archives of Australia|accessdate=7 February 2014}} Ayers moved soon after, in 1981, to the Department of Social Security (DSS).{{citation|title=CA 1482: Department of Social Security, Central Office|url=http://naa12.naa.gov.au/scripts/SearchOld.asp?Number=CA+1489|publisher=National Archives of Australia|accessdate=7 February 2014}} During his time at DSS he served concurrently for three months as Acting Secretary of the Department of Community Services.{{citation|title=CA 4133: Department of Community Services, Central Office|url=http://naa12.naa.gov.au/scripts/SearchOld.asp?Number=CA+4133|publisher=National Archives of Australia|accessdate=7 February 2014}} 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.{{citation|title=CA 5985: Department of Community Services and Health, Central Office|url=http://naa12.naa.gov.au/scripts/SearchOld.asp?Number=CA+5985|publisher=National Archives of Australia|accessdate=7 February 2014}}
Ayers' final posting in the Australian Public Service was as Secretary of the Department of Defence between 1988 and 1998.{{citation|title=CA 46: Department of Defence [III], Central Office|url=http://naa12.naa.gov.au/scripts/SearchOld.asp?Number=CA+46|publisher=National Archives of Australia|accessdate=7 February 2014}}{{cite press release|url=http://pmtranscripts.dpmc.gov.au/browse.php?did=7330|title=Untitled|date=2 June 1988|first=Robert|last=Hawke|author-link=Bob Hawke|archivedate=10 November 2013|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131110145443/http://pmtranscripts.dpmc.gov.au/browse.php?did=7330}} Ayers was praised for his work in the Department, one of the few departmental heads who has left the Department of Defence of their own accord, rather than being compelled to leave by the Defence Minister, in the last 30 years.{{cite news|url=http://www.canberratimes.com.au/federal-politics/editorial/changing-guards-at-capital-palace-20110806-1wufk.html|archivedate=6 February 2014|date=6 August 2011|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140206003813/http://www.canberratimes.com.au/federal-politics/editorial/changing-guards-at-capital-palace-20110806-1wufk.html|title=Changing guards at Capital Palace|newspaper=The Canberra Times|publisher=Fairfax Media}}
Awards
Ayers was made an Officer of the Order of Australia in June 1985.{{citation|url=https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/885145 |title=Search Australian Honours: AYERS, Anthony Joseph |publisher=Australian Government |url-status=unfit |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20181104125823/https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/885145 |archivedate=4 November 2018 }} In January 1993 he was promoted to a Companion of the Order of Australia, in recognition of service to leadership in the development and implementation of administrative structures, systems and procedures.{{citation|url=https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/885278 |title=Search Australian Honours: AYERS, Anthony Joseph |publisher=Australian Government |url-status=unfit |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20181104125900/https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/885278 |archivedate=4 November 2018 }}
References
{{reflist|30em}}
{{s-start}}
{{S-gov}}
{{s-bef|before=David Hay}}
{{s-ttl|title=Secretary of the Department of Aboriginal Affairs|years=1979–1981}}
{{s-aft|after=John Taylor}}
{{s-bef|before=Pat Lanigan}}
{{s-ttl|title=Secretary of the Department of Social Security|years=1981–1986}}
{{s-aft|after=Derek Volker}}
{{s-new|reason=Department established}}
{{s-ttl|title=Acting Secretary of the Department of Community Services|years=1984–1985}}
{{s-aft|after=Mike Codd}}
{{s-bef|before=Bernard McKay|as=Secretary of the Department of Health}}
{{s-ttl|title=Secretary of the Department of Community Services and Health|years=1987–1988|rows=2}}
{{s-aft|after=Stuart Hamilton|rows=2}}
{{s-bef|before=Alan Rose|as=Secretary of the Department of Community Services}}
{{s-bef|before=Alan Woods}}
{{s-ttl|title=Secretary of the Department of Defence|years=1988–1998}}
{{s-aft|after=Paul Barratt}}
{{s-end}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ayers, Tony}}
Category:Companions of the Order of Australia
Category:Secretaries of the Australian Department of Defence
Category:Secretaries of the Australian Government Health Department