Dr Ashton Calvert AC |
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Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade | |
In office 1 April 1998 – 4 January 2005 |
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12th Ambassador of Australia to Japan | |
In office 1993 – 1998 |
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Personal details | |
Born |
Ashton Trevor Calvert 9 November 1945 Hobart, Tasmania |
Died | 16 November 2007 Canberra |
(aged 62)
Nationality | Australian |
Spouse(s) | Mikie |
Children | Felicity and Timothy |
Parents | Bob and Noreen Calvert |
Occupation | Public servant |
Dr Ashton Trevor Calvert AC (9 November 1945 – 16 November 2007) was a senior Australian public servant. He was Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade between April 1998 and January 2005.
Ashton Calvert was born on 9 November 1945 in Hobart, Tasmania. He was the great-grandchild of free settler to Tasmania William Calvert, who had arrived on the island in 1832.
Ashton Calvert attended Hobart High School and then the University of Tasmania. As a Rhodes Scholar, he went on to attend Oxford University, attaining a doctorate in mathematics. During his time at Oxford, Calvert was the president-cox of the Oxford rowing team.
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.
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.
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). Calvert retired from his Secretary role in January 2005.