Bill Taylor (naval officer) facts for kids

Commodore William Leonard Taylor, born on 14 September 1938, is a former Australian naval officer and politician. He was a high-ranking officer in the Royal Australian Navy. Later, he became a member of the federal parliament. He represented the Liberal Party in the House of Representatives from 1988 to 1998. He held the seat of Groom in Queensland. After his time in parliament, he served as the administrator for the Australian Indian Ocean Territories from 1999 to 2003.

Early Life and Education

Bill Taylor was born in Toowoomba, Queensland, on 14 September 1938. He went to Toowoomba Grammar School. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Campaspe College of Adult Education. He also has a Master of Literature degree from the University of New England.

Military Career Highlights

Taylor joined the Royal Australian Navy in 1957. He moved up through the ranks during his service. He became a lieutenant commander in 1971. In 1974, he was promoted to commander. He became a captain in 1981. His final rank was commodore in 1986. He left the Navy in 1988 to enter politics.

Political Journey

Bill Taylor joined the Liberal Party in 1972. He was elected to parliament in 1988. This happened during a special election called the 1988 Groom by-election. He took over from Nationals MP Tom McVeigh. Taylor received strong support, partly due to an endorsement from former state leader Joh Bjelke-Petersen.

Parliamentary Roles and Elections

While in parliament, Taylor worked on important committees. He was part of the Joint Statutory Committees on Public Works and Public Accounts. From 1996 to 1998, he led the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties. He was re-elected in the 1990, 1993, and 1996 federal elections. After the 1990 election, he even ran for the deputy leader position of the Liberal Party.

Views on Party Leadership

In 1994, Taylor became known for disagreeing with John Hewson's leadership of the Liberal Party. He believed the party would not win the next election under Hewson. He publicly stated that Hewson should "move on."

Retirement from Politics

Taylor decided to retire from politics before the 1998 election. He supported Ian Macfarlane to take his place. Years later, in 2015, Taylor wrote that he had "regretted my endorsement ever since." This was after Macfarlane tried to switch parties.

Life After Politics

From 1999 to 2003, Bill Taylor served as the administrator of the Australian Indian Ocean Territories. This role meant he was based on Christmas Island. His time as administrator was quite busy. It included events like the Tampa incident in 2001. This was when a ship carrying asylum seekers arrived near Christmas Island. He also oversaw the creation of the Christmas Island Detention Centre.