Gareth Evans (politician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gareth Evans
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Evans at Chatham House in 2011
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| Chancellor of Australian National University | |
| In office 1 January 2010 – 1 January 2020 |
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| Preceded by | Kim Beazley |
| Succeeded by | Julie Bishop |
| Deputy Leader of the Opposition | |
| In office 19 March 1996 – 19 October 1998 |
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| Leader | Kim Beazley |
| Preceded by | Peter Costello |
| Succeeded by | Simon Crean |
| Deputy Leader of the Labor Party | |
| In office 19 March 1996 – 19 October 1998 |
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| Leader | Kim Beazley |
| Preceded by | Kim Beazley |
| Succeeded by | Simon Crean |
| Leader of the Government in the Senate | |
| In office 24 March 1993 – 11 March 1996 |
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| Prime Minister | Paul Keating |
| Deputy | Robert Ray |
| Preceded by | John Button |
| Succeeded by | Robert Hill |
| Minister for Foreign Affairs | |
| In office 2 September 1988 – 11 March 1996 |
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| Prime Minister | Bob Hawke Paul Keating |
| Preceded by | Bill Hayden |
| Succeeded by | Alexander Downer |
| Minister for Transport and Communications | |
| In office 24 July 1987 – 2 September 1988 |
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| Prime Minister | Bob Hawke |
| Preceded by | Peter Morris |
| Succeeded by | Ralph Willis |
| Minister for Resources and Energy | |
| In office 13 December 1984 – 24 July 1987 |
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| Prime Minister | Bob Hawke |
| Preceded by | Peter Walsh |
| Succeeded by | John Kerin |
| Attorney-General of Australia | |
| In office 11 March 1983 – 13 December 1984 |
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| Prime Minister | Bob Hawke |
| Preceded by | Peter Durack |
| Succeeded by | Lionel Bowen |
| Member of the Australian Parliament for Holt |
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| In office 2 March 1996 – 30 September 1999 |
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| Preceded by | Michael Duffy |
| Succeeded by | Anthony Byrne |
| Senator for Victoria | |
| In office 1 July 1978 – 2 March 1996 |
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| Succeeded by | Stephen Conroy |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Gareth John Evans
5 September 1944 Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
| Political party | Labor |
| Spouse | Merran Evans |
| Children | Caitlin Evans Eamon Evans |
| Alma mater | University of Melbourne Magdalen College, Oxford |
| Profession | Academic, barrister |
Gareth John Evans (born 5 September 1944) is an Australian politician, international policymaker, and lawyer. He was a member of the Labor Party in the Australian Parliament from 1978 to 1999.
He served as a Cabinet Minister in the governments led by Bob Hawke and Paul Keating from 1983 to 1996. His important roles included Attorney-General and Minister for Foreign Affairs. He was also a leader in the Senate and Deputy Leader of the Opposition.
After leaving politics, he led the International Crisis Group, an organization that works to prevent conflicts around the world. He also contributed to major international groups focusing on nuclear weapons and preventing terrible crimes against humanity. From 2010 to 2020, he was the Chancellor of the Australian National University.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Gareth Evans was born in Melbourne, Victoria. His father was a tram driver, and his mother ran a small baby-wear business.
He went to Melbourne High School, where he was the school captain. He then studied at the University of Melbourne, earning degrees in Arts and Law. He was also the President of the Students Representative Council. Later, he studied at Magdalen College, Oxford in England on a special scholarship.
Career in Law and Politics
From 1971 to 1976, Evans taught law at the University of Melbourne. He became known for his comments on legal issues, especially during the time of the Whitlam Government in 1975. He also worked as a lawyer, specializing in industrial law.
Evans was very active in civil liberties, fighting for issues like freedom of speech and against racial discrimination. He helped draft important laws like the Racial Discrimination Act 1975. He also joined the Australian Labor Party and was elected to the Senate in 1977.
Parliamentary Roles and Achievements
As a new politician, Evans helped choose the winning design for the new Australian Parliament House. He became the Shadow Attorney-General in 1980, focusing on legal and constitutional reforms.
He supported Bob Hawke in becoming the leader of the Labor Party, which led to Labor winning the 1983 election.
Attorney-General (1983–1984)
As Attorney-General, Evans worked on many law reforms. He faced some challenges, including a controversy over using the air force to photograph the Franklin Dam project. This led to him being nicknamed "Biggles."
He also helped establish important bodies like the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions and the National Crime Authority. He worked to strengthen laws on family matters and freedom of information.
Minister for Resources, Energy, Transport, and Communications (1984–1988)
In these roles, Evans gained more experience in government. As Minister for Resources and Energy, he helped save the large North West Shelf gas project. He also managed Australia's response to falling world oil prices.
As Minister for Transport and Communications, he worked on making major airlines more competitive. He also reformed government businesses in telecommunications.
Minister for Foreign Affairs (1988–1996)
Evans became Foreign Minister in 1988 and held the position for over seven years. He is considered one of Australia's most successful foreign ministers. He helped Australia focus more on its Asian neighbors, like Indonesia and China.
He developed new ideas for foreign policy, such as "good international citizenship" and "cooperative security." His biggest successes included starting the UN peace plan for Cambodia. He also helped create the International Chemical Weapons Convention and the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum.
He faced challenges, including Australia's relationship with Indonesia regarding East Timor. He also dealt with French Nuclear Tests in the Pacific.
Leader in the Senate and Opposition (1993–1999)
In 1993, Evans became the Leader of the Government in the Senate. He was responsible for guiding the government's laws through the upper house. He played a key role in passing the Native Title Act 1993.
In 1996, he moved to the House of Representatives. He became the Deputy Leader of the Labor Party and Shadow Treasurer. He helped bring a popular politician, Senator Cheryl Kernot, to the Labor Party.
After the 1998 election, Labor lost, and Evans resigned from his leadership roles. He left Parliament in 1999.
International Work After Politics
Leading the International Crisis Group
From 2000 to 2009, Evans was the president and CEO of the International Crisis Group (ICG). This organization works to prevent and resolve conflicts around the world. Under his leadership, the ICG grew significantly. It became known for providing early warnings about conflicts and helping to mediate peace.
The Responsibility to Protect (R2P)
From 2000 to 2001, Evans co-chaired a group that created the idea of "The Responsibility to Protect" (R2P). This idea says that every country has a duty to protect its people from terrible crimes like genocide. If a country cannot protect its own people, the international community has a responsibility to help. If peaceful efforts fail, military action can be a last resort, but only if approved by the UN Security Council.
Evans is widely recognized for his important role in developing and promoting this concept. He wrote a book about it called The Responsibility to Protect: Ending Mass Atrocity Crimes Once and For All.
Other International Contributions
Evans served on several other important international groups. These included the UN Secretary General's High Level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change. He also worked on commissions dealing with weapons of mass destruction and nuclear issues. From 2008 to 2010, he co-chaired a commission on nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament.
Academic Career and Books
Before politics, Evans was a law lecturer at the University of Melbourne. After his political career, he returned to academic life. In 2010, he became the Chancellor of the Australian National University.
Evans has written or edited 13 books. His recent works include Incorrigible Optimist: A Political Memoir (2017) and The Responsibility to Protect: Ending Mass Atrocity Crimes Once and for All (2008). He has also published many articles on foreign relations, politics, and human rights.
New Ideas in International Relations
Good International Citizenship
Evans introduced the idea of "good international citizenship." This means that being a good global citizen is important for a country's national interests. It's not just about doing good deeds. Helping other countries with their problems can lead to them helping you in return. It also builds a good reputation, which can help a country achieve its goals.
Niche Diplomacy
Evans also described "niche diplomacy." This is a way for countries that are not superpowers (called "middle powers") to focus their efforts. Instead of trying to do everything, they focus their resources on specific areas where they can make a real difference. This allows them to be persuasive and work with like-minded countries.
Cooperative Security
In 1995, Evans won an award for his ideas on "cooperative security." This concept emphasizes working together, consulting instead of confronting, and building trust between countries. It focuses on preventing problems rather than just reacting to them.
Honours and Awards
Gareth Evans has received many honours and awards for his work. In 2012, he was named a Companion of the Order of Australia, the highest civilian honour. This was for his outstanding service to international relations, conflict prevention, and disarmament.
He also received the Grawemeyer Award for Ideas Improving World Order in 1995. This was for his article on "Cooperative Security." In 2010, he received the Roosevelt Institute Four Freedoms Award for Freedom from Fear. This recognized his work on the "responsibility to protect" concept.
In 2011, Foreign Policy magazine named him one of the Top 100 Global Thinkers. This was for making "the responsibility to protect" a practical idea.
Personal Life
Gareth Evans has been married to Professor Merran Evans since 1969. They have two adult children and four grandchildren. He is a lifelong supporter of the Hawthorn Football Club. His hobbies include reading, writing, travel, and golf.
Books
- Incorrigible Optimist: A Political Memoir (Melbourne University Press, 2017)
- Nuclear Weapons: The State of Play 2015 (with Ramesh Thakur and Tanya Ogilvie-White co-authors), Canberra, Centre for Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament, 2015
- Inside the Hawke-Keating Government: A Cabinet Diary (Melbourne, Melbourne University Press, 2014)
- Nuclear Weapons: The State of Play (with Ramesh Thakur co-ed), Canberra, Centre for Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament, 2013
- The Responsibility to Protect: Ending Mass Atrocity Crimes Once and for All (Washington DC: Brookings Institution Press, 2008)
- Australia's Foreign Relations (with Bruce Grant), Melbourne University Press, Melbourne, 2nd ed. 1995
- Cooperating for Peace: The Global Agenda for the 1990s and Beyond, Sydney, Allen and Unwin, 1993
- Australia's Constitution (with John McMillan and Haddon Storey), Law Foundation of NSW & Allen and Unwin, Sydney, 1983
- Labor Essays 1982: Socialist Principles and Parliamentary Government (with John Reeves co-ed.), Melbourne, Drummond, 1982
- Labor Essays 1981 (with John Reeves and Justin Malbon co-eds), Melbourne, Drummond, 1981
- Labor Essays 1980 (with John Reeves co-ed.), Melbourne, Drummond, 1980
- Law, Politics and the Labor Movement (ed.), LSB, Melbourne, 1980
- Labor and the Constitution, 1972–1975 (ed.), Melbourne, Heinemann, 1977
