Paul Calvert

Paul Henry Calvert, AO (born 19 January 1940) is a former Australian politician who served as a Senator for Tasmania from 1987 to 2007, representing the Liberal Party. He was President of the Senate from 2002 to 2007. Early life Born into a long established farming family based outside Hobart, Calvert still runs a property in Tasmania. He was active in local government, serving as Warden (the title later changed to Mayor) of the City of Clarence, on Hobart's eastern shore. He was also President of the Royal Agricultural Society of Tasmania. Politics In 1987 he was elected to the Australian Senate, after declining an invitation by the former Liberal Premier of Tasmania, Robin Gray, to run for the House of Assembly after a successful career in local government and agri-politics. He was re-elected in 1990, 1996 and 2001. In 1997 Calvert became the government's Senate Whip. He became president following Margaret Reid in 2002, and was re-elected in 2005. Early in his presidency he tackled the archaic five department structure of the Australian Parliament, and achieved a streamlining to 3 departments – one for each Chamber and one looking after joint services.