Geoffrey Yeend

Sir Geoffrey John "Geoff" Yeend AC CBE (1 May 1927 – 6 October 1994) was a senior Australian public servant. He was Secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet between 1978 and 1986.

Sir Geoffrey Yeend
AC CBE
Yeend in 1970
Secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
In office
18 April 1978 – 10 February 1986
Personal details
Born
Geoffrey John Yeend

1 May 1927
Melbourne, Australia
Died6 October 1994(1994-10-06) (aged 67)
NationalityAustralia Australian
SpouseLaurel
Children2
Alma materAustralian National University
University of Melbourne
OccupationPublic servant

Life and career

Geoffrey Yeend was born on 1 May 1927 in Melbourne.[1]

Following his father's footsteps into the Commonwealth Public Service,[2] Geoffrey Yeend began his career in 1945 in the Department of Post-War Reconstruction.[3][4]

Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser appointed Yeend Secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet in April 1978, after Yeend had been with the Department since 1950.[5]

Yeend left the public service in 1986, following a heart attack.[4] Both in working life as a Commonwealth Public Servant and after his retirement, Yeend was highly committed to community life in Canberra as a golfer, hockey player, board director, charitable contributor and as Chancellor of the Australian National University.[6][7][8] He was well-respected and admired by many in the local community.[9]

Yeend died in Sydney on 6 October 1994.

Awards and honours

Yeend was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in June 1976.[10] He was honoured again in 1979 when he was made a Knight Bachelor.[11]

In January 1986 he was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia for public service particularly as Secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and as Secretary to Cabinet.[12]

He was also bestowed with the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star, by the Emperor of Japan for his contribution to promoting economic and cultural relations between Australia and Japan.[4]

In 2012, a street in the Canberra suburb of Casey was named Yeend Avenue in his honour.[13]

References
  1. Farquharson, John, Yeend, Sir Geoffrey John (Geoff) (1927–1994), Australian National University, archived from the original on 2 May 2013
  2. Fraser, Andrew (29 July 2011). "Hogg-tied?". The Australian. News Corp Australia. Terry Moran told the story of one of the department's earliest employees, George Whitlam, who came to Canberra to work in the department in 1918. He took up residence with his brother Fred, then the solicitor-general, and his family, including their two children Gough and Freda. George took his niece and nephew to the Cotter, a creek just outside Canberra, where young Gough promptly fell in and had to be rescued by Treasury official Herb Yeend. In the usual small world of Australian politics, Herb Yeend's son, Geoffrey Yeend, was one of the senior officials in PM&C when Gough was prime minister, then outlasted Gough by becoming secretary of the department under Malcolm Fraser. Those Yeends are still at it -- Geoff's daughter Julie Yeend still works in the department. And Canberra is still a village.
  3. Short, James (10 October 1994), ADJOURNMENT: Yeend, Sir Geoffrey: Death, archived from the original on 17 February 2014
  4. Rosemary Follett, Chief Minister and Treasurer (12 October 1994). "Death of Sir Geoffrey Yeend, AC, CBE" (PDF). Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Australian Capital Territory: Legislative Assembly. pp. 3489–3490. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 May 2013.
  5. Fraser, Malcolm (18 April 1978). "SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET" (Press release). Archived from the original on 1 November 2013.
  6. Kate Carnell, Leader of the Opposition (12 October 1994). "Death of Sir Geoffrey Yeend, AC, CBE" (PDF). Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Australian Capital Territory: Legislative Assembly. pp. 3490–3491. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 May 2013.
  7. Helen Szuty (12 October 1994). "Death of Sir Geoffrey Yeend, AC, CBE" (PDF). Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Australian Capital Territory: Legislative Assembly. pp. 3491–3491. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 May 2013.
  8. Tony De Domenico (12 October 1994). "Death of Sir Geoffrey Yeend, AC, CBE" (PDF). Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Australian Capital Territory: Legislative Assembly. pp. 3491–3492. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 May 2013.
  9. "Tributes flow for Geoffrey Yeend". The Canberra Times. 8 October 1994. p. 1. Archived from the original on 17 February 2014.
  10. Search Australian Honours: YEEND, Geoffrey John
  11. Search Australian Honours: YEEND, Geoffrey John
  12. Search Australian Honours: YEEND, Geoffrey John
  13. Yeend Avenue, ACT Government Environment and Sustainable Development Directorate, archived from the original on 27 February 2014
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