Kevin Newman (politician)

Kevin Eugene Newman AO (10 October 1933 – 17 July 1999) was an Australian soldier and politician.

Army career

He rose to the rank of Colonel in the Australian Army, serving in Malaysia and the Vietnam War.^[1]

Political career

Newman entered political life through a 1975 by-election for the Division of Bass, Tasmania, in the House of Representatives, as the Liberal candidate. The previous member, former Labor Deputy Prime Minister Lance Barnard, had held it for 21 years without serious difficulty. However, Newman took the seat off Labor with a massive 14-point swing, turning Bass into a safe Liberal seat at one stroke. His primary vote margin was actually large enough to win without the need for preferences. This shock result is reckoned as the beginning of the end for the Whitlam government, as Newman's victory emboldened the Coalition to push for new elections for a House of Representatives barely a year old--even to the point of blocking supply. The Whitlam government was dismissed six months later.

Newman easily retained his seat at the December 1975 general election. With the election of the Fraser government, he was appointed Minister for Repatriation in the second Fraser Ministry. In July 1976, he became Minister for Environment, Housing and Community Development when Ivor Greenwood became ill. He was responsible for environment issues when the decision was taken to cease sand mining on world heritage listed Fraser Island.

In December 1978, Newman was appointed Minister for National Development in the third Fraser Ministry. In December 1979 he was appointed Minister for Productivity and in November 1980 he was appointed Minister for Administrative Services in the fourth Fraser Ministry, a position he retained until the defeat of the government in the 1983 election. He retired from the parliament prior to the 1984 election.

Post-political activities

In retirement, Newman was appointed President of the National Trust Tasmania, a member of the board of the Menzies Foundation and a director of the Australian Stockman's Hall of Fame in Longreach, Queensland.

Newman was the Chairman of the Old Parliament House Governing Council from 1997 to 1999.

He was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia in the Queen's Birthday Honours of 1994.^[2]

Family

Newman was married to Jocelyn Newman, a Senator for Tasmania, and Minister for Family and Community Services and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Status of Women in the Howard government. They had two children: Kate and Campbell. Campbell Newman was the Lord Mayor of Brisbane 2004-11, and was Premier of Queensland from March 2012 to February 2015.

References