Bob Brown (Australian Labor politician)

The Honourable
Bob Brown
AM
Member of the Australian Parliament
for Hunter
In office
18 October 1980  1 December 1984
Preceded by Bert James
Succeeded by Eric Fitzgibbon
Member of the Australian Parliament
for Charlton
In office
1 December 1984  31 August 1998
Preceded by New seat
Succeeded by Kelly Hoare
Personal details
Born 2 December 1933
Pelaw Main, New South Wales
Nationality Australian
Political party Australian Labor Party
Spouse(s) Elizabeth Joy Hirschausen
Children Kelly Hoare; a son
Alma mater University of Sydney
University of New England

Robert James "Bob" Brown AM (born 2 December 1933) is a former Australian Labor Party politician.

Early life

Brown was born in Pelaw Main and at educated at Pelaw Main Primary School, Kurri Kurri Junior Technical High School, Maitland Boys High School, the University of Sydney (B.Ec), Sydney Teachers' College (Dip.Ed), Broken Hill Technical College and the University of New England. He married Elizabeth Joy Hirschausen in 1960 and had one daughter (Kelly Hoare) and one son.

Political career

Brown first contested the then safe Liberal seat of Paterson at the 1961 federal election. He gathered a 6.5% swing to Labor but failed to beat the sitting member and Menzies Government Minister, Allen Fairhall. Brown later contested and won the seat of Cessnock in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly and held it from 1978 to 1980.

He then switched to federal politics, this time successfully contesting the nearby electorate of Hunter, holding it from 1980 until 1984. Brown then moved to the new seat of Charlton, representing it from 1984 to 1998. He served as Minister for Land Transport from 1988 to 1993. He retired in 1998, and was succeeded in Charlton by his daughter, Kelly Hoare.[1]

Honours

On 11 June 2007, Brown was named a Member of the Order of Australia for "service to the Australian Parliament, particularly in the area of transport policy, to the community of the Hunter Region through local government, heritage and sporting organisations, and to economics education."[2]

References

Political offices
Preceded by
Peter Morris
Minister for Land Transport (and Shipping Support)
1988 1993
Title abolished
Parliament of New South Wales
Preceded by
George Neilly
Member for Cessnock
1978 1980
Succeeded by
Stan Neilly
Parliament of Australia
Preceded by
Bert James
Member for Hunter
1980 1984
Succeeded by
Eric Fitzgibbon
New division Member for Charlton
1984 1998
Succeeded by
Kelly Hoare