Drew Hutton

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Drew Hutton
Political Candidate
In office 1992 – Present
Constituency	Woolloongabba
Born	6 February 1947 (1947-02-06) (age 61) Chinchilla, QLD
Nationality	Australian
Political party	Queensland Greens / Australian Greens
Spouse	Dr. Libby Conners (m.1986)
Occupation	Politician, Activist, Academic

Peter Drew Hutton (born 1947) activist, academic, campaigner and political candidate for the Queensland Greens in elections in Queensland Australia especially for the Federal Senate and State Legislative Assembly.

Drew Hutton has been a committed social activist all his adult life. "Since 1984 I have been part of the process that has moved green politics from the margins to the mainstream of Australian political life. Along the way I have been privileged to represent the Party as a spokesperson and as a candidate. The Greens are now poised to enter that mainstream as a powerful force, representing the hopes and aspirations of many, many Australians."^[1]

While working as a high school teacher and then a college lecturer from the 1960’s to the 1980’s Drew became involved in the anti-Vietnam War campaign, and campaigns on uranium mining, Indigenous land rights and nuclear disarmament. He also used his position as a teacher educator to champion peace and environmental education in schools and more democratic school environments and teaching practices.^[1]

For many years, Hutton was a lecturer at tertiary institutions in South East Queensland including Queensland University of Technology (QUT) and University of Southern Queensland ^[2]. He has published books and numerous articles, especially on green philosophy, history and ethics. He brought together the first book on green politics in Australia in 1987 and with his partner Libby Connors wrote "A History of the Australian Environment Movement" published by Cambridge University Press in 1999. ^[3]. Hutton and Dr Conners were married in 1986. Hutton has two adult sons.

Over the last 29 years Drew has been a key organiser or spokesperson for campaigns against freeways, the improper storage and transport of hazardous waste, against evictions of poorer residents in inner-city Brisbane suburbs, nuclear disarmament and public transport. He fought against the authoritarianism and corruption of the Bjelke-Petersen government and ended up in court on many occasions as a result.^[1][4]

Drew's work against pollution resulted in a 1994 CJC inquiry into toxic waste dumping in Queensland, an inquiry which highlighted massive problems and led to pressure on the Goss Government to introduce an excellent piece of legislation — the Environmental Protection Act. He has been active on many environmental campaigns such as land clearing and is involved in the campaign against the war in Iraq.^[1]

Drew believes that, “the Greens principles of ecological sustainability, social justice, participatory democracy and peace and non-violence do not have to be marginal to Australian political life and institutions. The challenge of my political activism has been to bring these values more firmly into the mainstream."

Drew’s best effort as a candidate was to receive 25.64% per cent in the state seat of The Gabba in the 2008 Brisbane City Council election, still one of the highest votes for a Greens candidate anywhere in the country at state or federal levels.

While the Queensland Greens do not have an official leader, Hutton is generally considered to fill that role.^[5][6]

[edit] See also

• Australian Greens
• Queensland Greens
• 2004 Australian Greens candidates

[edit] External links

• Drew Hutton for The Gabba
• History of the Australian Environment Movement - by Drew Hutton, Libby Connors (Cambridge University Press)
• Queensland Greens - About Us
• Drew Hutton for the Senate (Qld) 14 August 2004
• Drew Hutton's Facebook profile
• Drew Hutton's Myspace profile

[edit] References