| Dr Michael Macklin | |
|---|---|
| Former Queensland Democrat Senators: Michael Macklin (left) and John Cherry | |
| Senator for Queensland | |
| In office 1 July 1981 – 30 June 1990 |
|
| Personal details | |
| Born | 25 February 1943 London, England |
| Nationality | English Australian |
| Political party | Australian Democrats |
| Alma mater | University of Queensland |
| Occupation | Retired |
Michael John Macklin (born 25 February 1943)[1] is a former Australian Franciscan friar, educator and fundraiser who was an Australian Democrats senator for Queensland, (1981–1990). In later life, he served as executive dean of the faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of New England (2002–2007).[2]
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Macklin was born in London,[1] migrating as a child with his family to Australia. He grew up in Ayr in northern Queensland and finished his schooling in Sydney. Having spent a number of years as a Franciscan friar, he commenced university studies in Brisbane, became a teacher, married Jennie in December 1970,[2] and completed Master's and PhD degrees at the University of Queensland, where he lectured in Philosophy of Education for eight years.
He was the first member of the Australian Democrats in Queensland and led the party in that state from 1977 to 1980, when he was elected to the Senate "on the back of a huge drift of Liberal preferences".[3]:[p.23] He became the party’s first whip and was elected deputy leader under Janine Haines following the retirement of Don Chipp.[4] In 24 March 1990, for a short period after Haines resigned from the Senate to contest a House of Representative seat, he was parliamentary leader before retiring himself on 30 June 1990.[5] He served on many parliamentary committees, including those having oversight of the National Crime Authority and ASIO (Australian Security Intelligence Organisation).[6] He also introduced the largest number of private member's bills of any federal parliamentarian since federation.
Macklin contracted fundraising activities, including for the Australian Democrats. As Director of Development for the University of Queensland, he was responsible for putting fundraising on a professional basis with an annual appeal and bequest programs. He oversaw a number of highly successful capital campaigns including one for the restoration of the Customs House, Brisbane which raised A$7.5 million in eleven months. In 1994, he was appointed inaugural CEO of Hall Chadwick Education Advisory, a specialist consultancy within a large chartered-accountancy practice and was responsible for establishing benchmarking of private school finances in Australia in conjunction with the peak body. In June 2002, he was appointed Professor and Dean of Arts at the University of New England for a five-year term ending in 2007.
Professor Macklin has been a member of the Queensland Land and Resources Tribunal, the National Native Claims Tribunal, and the Senate Bibliographical Committee. He has published numerous papers, academic articles and books, both fiction and non-fiction.
| Preceded by Janine Haines |
Leader of the Australian Democrats 1990 |
Succeeded by Janet Powell |