From ‘Stone Age’ treasury boss to National Party Senator: John Stone 1929-2025

By John Hawkins, Head, Canberra School of Government, University of Canberra
Selwyn Cornish, Honorary Associate Professor in the School of History, Research School of Social Sciences, Australian National University

John Owen Stone AO was a legendary leader of the Commonwealth Treasury. He was secretary (departmental head) from January 1979 to September 1984 but was an intellectual driving force before then as deputy secretary from 1971 to 1978.

Over those years he dealt with eight treasurers: Billy Snedden, Gough…

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