Lenox Hewitt
A formidable and pragmatic public servant who shaped Australian policy from the post-war boom through the oil crises of the 1970s.
1917–2020 (age 103)·Australian public servant·Birthday: May 7·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Lenox Hewitt was the embodiment of a certain kind of Canberra mandarin: sharp, enduring, and operating in the engine room of power. Joining the public service on the eve of World War II, he cultivated a reputation for formidable intellect and a no-nonsense approach. His ascent peaked when Prime Minister John Gorton, seeking a break from established protocol, appointed him Secretary of the Prime Minister’s Department. Hewitt became Gorton’s close and influential adviser, a role that placed him at the center of a tumultuous political era. Later, as Secretary of the Department of Minerals and Energy under the Whitlam government, he faced the global oil shock. Here, his pragmatic stewardship was crucial in navigating the crisis, managing the nascent offshore petroleum industry and the controversial creation of the government-owned Pipeline Authority. Across decades and changing political masters, Hewitt’s career was a study in applying administrative steel to the nation’s most pressing economic and resource challenges.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Lenox was born in 1917, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Lenox Was Born
The biggest hits of 1917
#1 Movie
Cleopatra
Lenox's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1917Born
Russian Revolution overthrows the tsar; US enters WWI
President: Woodrow Wilson
1922Started school
King Tut's tomb discovered in Egypt
President: Warren G. Harding"April Showers" — Al Jolson
1930Became a teenager
Pluto discovered
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,510President: Herbert Hoover"Body and Soul" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: All Quiet on the Western Front
1933Could drive
FDR's New Deal launches; Prohibition ends
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stormy Weather" — Ethel WatersBest Picture: Cavalcade
1935Could vote
Social Security Act signed into law
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,450President: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Cheek to Cheek" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Mutiny on the Bounty
1938Turned 21
Kristallnacht and the escalation toward WWII
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $2,850Min wage: $0.25/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Begin the Beguine" — Artie ShawBest Picture: You Can't Take It with You
1947Turned 30
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1957Turned 40
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1967Turned 50
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1977Turned 60
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1987Turned 70
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1997Turned 80
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2020Died at 103
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
Key Achievements
- Served as Secretary of the Prime Minister's Department under Prime Minister John Gorton from 1968 to 1971.
- Was the inaugural Secretary of the Department of Minerals and Energy (1972–1975), managing Australia's response to the 1970s oil crisis.
- Played a key role in the establishment of the Australian Pipeline Authority.
- Had a Commonwealth public service career spanning over 40 years, from 1939 to 1980.
Did You Know?
His appointment to head the Prime Minister's Department was considered highly unconventional, as he replaced the long-serving Sir John Bunting.
He was knighted in 1976, becoming Sir Lenox Hewitt.
He lived to be 103 years old.
He initially worked in the Department of Supply and Development during World War II.
“Policy is not made by speeches; it is made by files and figures.”
