John Crawford (economist)

Born in Hurstville, Sydney, Crawford was the tenth of twelve children of Henry Crawford and Harriet Isabel Crawford, née Wood.[1] Crawford was educated at Sydney Boys High School and the University of Sydney.[2] Crawford married Jessie Morgan on 18 May 1935 and together they had a daughter.[3]

Among the positions he held were Secretary of the Department of Commerce and Agriculture (later Primary Industry) from 1950 to 1956, Adviser to the World Bank, Washington D.C., Director, Australian Japanese Economic Research Project, and Chairman, Advisory Board, Australian Development Assistance Agency 1975–77. He was Chancellor of the Australian National University from 1976 to 1984.

Crawford was knighted in 1959[1] and named Australian of the Year in 1981.[4]

The Australian National University annually awards the J.G. Crawford Prize.[5] The Crawford School of Public Policy, ANU Crawford Leadership Forum, annual J. G. Crawford Oration and the J. G. Crawford Chair in Economics (all at the ANU) are named after Sir John Crawford. The Crawford Fund, a body established in Australia to support research into agriculture to assist developing countries, was also named in his honour.

In 2009, a street in the Canberra suburb of Casey was named John Crawford Crescent in Crawford's honour.[6]