Ted Evans

Retirement

Evans retired from the public service in April 2001, having served eight years as Treasury head. He said that one of his proudest achievements as Secretary of Treasury was introducing the Taxation Review Board.

After retiring from the public sector, Evans joined the Westpac board. He served as a board member between 2001 and 2011 and as chairman between 2007 and his retirement.

In 2013, Evans was outspoken over the sacking of Martin Parkinson and three other public service secretaries, saying that the Abbott government was wasting good people and politicising the bureaucracy.

Evans died on 12 April 2020. In a message of tribute, Australian prime minister Scott Morrison said that Evans "was renowned for his sharp intellect, modesty, integrity and the quiet fearlessness and forcefulness of his advice, earning the respect of Prime Ministers and Treasurers on all sides of politics". Treasurer Josh Frydenberg recalled that "It was his powerful advocacy and intellectual leadership which was behind many of the key economic reforms in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s. The floating of the dollar, the deregulation of the financial sector, labour market flexibility and the development and implementation of the goods and services tax were all shaped by Ted's contributions."

Awards In June 1999, Evans was made a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) in recognition of service to Australian economic policy development. In 2001, at a ceremony in Brisbane, the University of Queensland recognised Evans as Alumnus of the Year.