John Brown (Australian politician)

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John Joseph Brown AO (b. 19 December 1931) was an Australian politician.

Brown was born in the western suburbs of Sydney and was educated at Christian Brothers College, Burwood, St Patrick's College, Strathfield and the University of Sydney. He was one of the founders of Brown and Hatton, a meat distribution company and helped create the Pork and Bacon Marketing Council. He has been an active member of the Meat Industry Employees Union since that time, but was also chairman of the Employers Association for five years. In 1963, he married Jan Murray, who ran a public relation consultancy from 1982 to 1995,[1] and and they have five children. He was an alderman on Parramatta Council from 1977 to 1980.[2]

Brown was elected as the Australian Labor Party member for the seat of Parramatta in 1977. With the election of the Hawke Government in 1983, he was appointed Minister for Sport, Recreation and Tourism, a position he retained until 1988. He was also appointed Minister for Administrative Services until 1984, when he gained the position of Minister assisting the Minister for Defence.

Brown is notable for initiating a series of television advertisements commencing in 1986 for the American market by the Australian Tourism Commission starring Paul Hogan saying, "I'll slip an extra shrimp on the barbie for you". He gained notoriety for describing koalas as as "flea-ridden, piddling, stinking, scratching, rotten little things".[3] He was also responsible for substantially increasing expenditure on sports facilities around Australia and the Australian Institute of Sport.[2]

In July 1987, Brown entered cabinet with the expanded portfolio of Minister for Arts, Sport, the Environment, Tourism and Territories, which he held until his resignation in January 1988 for misleading the house[4] in response to a question from Neil Brown regarding in the assessment of tenders for the Australian Pavilion at Expo '88, which suggested possible impropriety.[5]. Prior to his resignation, he was the subject of national headlines due to revelations that he and wife Jan Murray had celebrated a victory one night on his parlimentary desk[6]. He did not stand for re-election in 1990.

[edit] Honours

Brown was made an Officer of the Order of Australia in 1993 for "service to the Australian parliament, tourism and sport and recreation".[7]

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Jan Murray. Entertainoz. Retrieved on 2007-10-03.
  2. ^ a b Speaker John Brown. ICMI. Retrieved on 2007-10-01.
  3. ^ Koala-ty Is Job One. Grist. Retrieved on 2007-10-01.
  4. ^ Howard, John (16 February 1988). Question without Notice: Mr John Brown: return to ministry. Hansard. Parliament of Australia. Retrieved on 2007-10-01.
  5. ^ Brown, Neil (10 December 1987). Question without Notice: Mr John Brown: World Expo 88. Hansard. Parliament of Australia. Retrieved on 2007-10-01.
  6. ^ Jan Murray - Celebrities > Television - Australia - EntertainOZ - The premier Australian entertainment directory - entertainment Australia, artists, celebrities, speakers, services, venues, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Canberra
  7. ^ Brown, John Joseph. Search Australian Honours. It's an Honours. Retrieved on 2007-10-01.
Political offices
Preceded by
Kevin Newman		 Minister for Administrative Services
1983 – 1984		 Succeeded by
Thomas Uren
New title Minister for Sport, Recreation and Tourism
1983 – 1987		 Succeeded by
Graham Richardson
Preceded by
Barry Cohen		 Minister for Arts, Sport, the Environment,
Tourism and Territories
1987 – 1988
Parliament of Australia
Preceded by
Philip Ruddock		 Member for Division of Parramatta
1977 – 1990		 Succeeded by
Paul Elliott


Persondata
NAME Brown, John Joseph
ALTERNATIVE NAMES
SHORT DESCRIPTION Australian politician
DATE OF BIRTH 19 December 1931
PLACE OF BIRTH Sydney
DATE OF DEATH Living
PLACE OF DEATH