Ken Aldred

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Kenneth James Aldred (born August 1, 1945) was an Australian politician who represented the Liberal Party in the Australian House of Representatives between 1975 and 1996.

Aldred was elected to represent the Division of Henty in Victoria in the 1975 federal election and re-elected in 1977, before being defeated by his predecessor in Henty, Labor candidate Joan Child, in the 1980 federal election.

After the resignation of Speaker of the House Billy Snedden following the Coalition's defeat in the 1983 federal election, Aldred successfully stood in the by-election for his seat in the Division of Bruce. He was re-elected in Bruce in the 1984 and 1987 federal elections. Following an electoral redistribution he was elected to represent the Division of Deakin in the 1990 and 1993 federal elections.

Aldred was disendorsed by the Liberal Party after using parliamentary privilege to make allegations of involvement in espionage and drug trafficking against a prominent Jewish lawyer and a senior foreign affairs official^[1], using documents that were later found to be forged.^[2] He also alleged that the Department of Foreign Affairs had 20 pedophiles in its senior ranks, and named one senior diplomat, who was charged and subsequently exonerated.^[3]

In 2007, controversy ensued when the local Liberal Party branch endorsed Aldred as their candidate for the marginal seat of Holt.^[4] However the Administrative Committee of the Liberal Party in Victoria voted unanimously to veto his endorsement.^[2]

Parliament of Australia
Preceded by Joan Child	Member for Henty 1975–1980	Succeeded by Joan Child
Preceded by Billy Snedden	Member for Bruce 1983–1990	Succeeded by Julian Beale
Preceded by Julian Beale	Member for Deakin 1990–1996	Succeeded by Phillip Barresi