| Peter Andren AM |
|
|---|---|
| Member of the Australian Parliament for Calare |
|
| In office 2 March 1996 – 17 October 2007 |
|
| Preceded by | David Simmons |
| Succeeded by | John Cobb |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 28 August 1946 Gulargambone, New South Wales |
| Died | 3 November 2007 (aged 61) |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Political party | Independent |
| Spouse(s) | Jenny Price (divorced) |
| Children | Greg, Josh |
| Alma mater | Macquarie University |
| Occupation | Teacher, journalist |
Peter James Andren AM (28 August 1946 – 3 November 2007) was an Australian politician. He was an independent member of the Australian House of Representatives from March 1996 until October 2007, representing the electorate of Calare, New South Wales.
Peter Andren was born in Gulargambone, New South Wales, and attended Normanhurst Boys' High School[1] and Macquarie University, Sydney. He was a teacher, television reporter, presenter and producer and radio and television news editor with CBN and 2GZ before entering politics.
He was elected to the House of Representatives for the seat of Calare at the 1996 election. He attempted to implement changes to politicians' superannuation, involving giving members the opportunity to opt out of the parliamentary scheme. He introduced a Private Member's Bill to this extent, which failed to pass through either house. He had been an active opponent of genetically modified crops, and was involved with the Standing Committee on Primary Industries and Regional Services. Andren was known to join with the other two rural independent members, Bob Katter and Tony Windsor, in raising regional issues with the Parliament and media. He was also a vocal critic of Australia's policy on asylum seekers, and the Iraq War. His two party-preferred vote of over 75 per cent in 2001 made Calare the second-safest seat in Australia.[2]
A redistribution of electoral boundaries in 2006 reduced Andren's notional majority, leading to speculation that he might have stood for the neighbouring seat of Macquarie, which now included former Calare cities Bathurst and Lithgow, at the next election.[3] [4] On 29 March 2007, he instead made an announcement that he would stand down from Calare to contest a New South Wales seat in the Senate.[5] However he subsequently announced on 10 August 2007 that he had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and that "the diagnosis and available interventions to treat this cancer are not very encouraging." Due to his illness, he had to abandon his candidacy for a seat in the Senate[6] and he saw out his term as member for Calare until the parliament was dissolved on 17 October, prior to the 2007 election. He died less than three weeks later, on 3 November, survived by his partner Valerie Faber, his two sons Greg and Josh and his ex-wife Jenny Price. [7] [8] His funeral at Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Orange was attended by an estimated 600–1000 people.[9] [10]
Andren's seat of Calare was won by John Cobb for the National Party at the 2007 election.
On 9 June 2008 Andren was posthumously made a Member of the Order of Australia for his services in Parliament and to rural and regional Australia.[11][12]
After his death, the Orange Aboriginal Medical Service set up a $5,000 medical scholarship named in Andren's honour.[13]
| Parliament of Australia | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by David Simmons |
Member for Calare 1996–2007 |
Succeeded by John Cobb |