The Gareth Evans Oration, a public policy lecture, was established in honour of former ANU Chancellor Distinguished Honorary Professor the Hon Gareth Evans AC. The inaugural lecture was delivered in 2019 by Ambassador Samantha Power. Professor Evans was Chancellor of The Australian National University from 2010 until 2019. Prior to joining ANU, Professor Evans was a Cabinet Minister in the Hawke and Keating Labor Governments from 1983-96, in the posts of Attorney General, Minister for Resources and Energy, Minister for Transport and Communications and - from 1988-96 - Foreign Minister. During his 21 years in Australian politics he was Leader of the Government in the Senate (1993-96) and Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the House of Representatives (1996-98). From 2000 to 2009 he was President and CEO of the Brussels-based International Crisis Group, the independent global conflict prevention and resolution organisation. Gareth Evans was made a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) in 2012 for his "eminent service to international relations, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region, as an adviser to governments on global policy matters, to conflict prevention and resolution, and to arms control and disarmament".