Vale Doug Anthony – the Fund’s inaugural Chair

January 14, 2021

The Crawford Fund was saddened to learn of the passing of the Rt. Hon. Doug Anthony CH AC FTSE on 20 December 2020. Doug played a significant role with the Fund from 1987-1996, serving as chair of the Crawford Fund Appeal and subsequently inaugural chair. The Fund’s inaugural Director, Emeritus Professor Derek Tribe AO OBE FTSE, who worked closely with Doug, reported that Doug’s “enthusiasm for agricultural progress, combined with his expertise in trade and his warm affection and respect for Sir John Crawford, make him an ideal leader for the Crawford Fund.”

Doug has been widely lauded as a straightforward and committed individual, who stood up for the agricultural sector and rose to Ministerial Office in several federal portfolios including Primary Industries and served as Deputy Prime Minister under Gorton and Fraser. He retired from politics in 1984 and returned to his farm at Murwillumbah, thereafter, keeping out of politics. However, as a farmer he maintained a deep interest in matters agricultural including Australia’s contribution to fighting for global food security. As our Chair, Doug set a style of leadership for those senior politicians who followed with us in that position of a non-politically partisan approach to key agricultural issues impacting Australia and our neighbours. His successors include Tim Fischer, Neil Andrew, John Kerin, and our current Chair, John Anderson. We are indebted to Doug for his key leadership role in the Fund and the fact that under his guidance and that of his contemporary Board members, the Fund fulfilled Derek Tribe’s vision of it, and Australia in general, contributing as a major force in international agricultural development. On behalf of all in the international agricultural community we send our condolences to the Anthony family.