Brian Harradine facts for kids

Richard William Brian Harradine (born January 9, 1935 – died April 14, 2014) was an important Australian politician. He served as a Senator for Tasmania from 1975 to 2005. He was known for being an independent politician, meaning he did not belong to a major political party. He was the longest-serving independent federal politician in Australia's history. He was also called the "Father of the Senate" because he was the longest-serving Senator at the time.

Early Life

Brian Harradine was born in a town called Quorn in South Australia. He later moved to Tasmania in 1959.

Political Career

Brian Harradine started his career working for trade unions. These are groups that represent workers and their rights. He was a leader for the Federated Clerks' Union. From 1964 to 1976, he was the Secretary-General of the Tasmanian Trades and Labour Council. He was also part of the executive of the Australian Council of Trade Unions.

In 1975, Brian Harradine was removed from the Australian Labor Party (ALP). This happened after he was accused of being involved with another group. Even though the Tasmanian State Executive did not want to remove him, the Federal Executive decided to.

After this, Brian Harradine chose to run for the Australian Senate as an independent candidate in the 1975 election. He won easily. He continued to be a Senator until he decided not to run again in the 2004 election. His time as a Senator ended on June 30, 2005.

Father of the Senate

From 1993 to 1999, Brian Harradine and another Senator named Mal Colston shared the title of "Father of the Senate". This title is given to the Senator who has served the longest. After 1999, Brian Harradine held the title alone until 2005.

Important Role in the Senate

Brian Harradine played a very important role in the Senate between 1994 and 1999. During this time, his vote was often crucial for passing new laws.

• From December 1994 to March 1996, the government needed his vote to pass their laws. His support was very valuable.
• After the March 1996 election, his vote, along with another independent Senator's, was enough to help the new government pass their laws.

He helped pass important laws like the Native Title Amendment Act 1998. He also supported the partial sale of Telstra, which is a large telecommunications company. In return for his support on the Telstra law, he secured $350 million for communication and environmental projects in Tasmania. However, he refused to support the Goods and Services Tax. After July 1, 1999, the government had more votes in the Senate, so Brian Harradine's single vote became less critical.

Brian Harradine held strong Catholic values, which influenced his socially conservative views.

Death

Brian Harradine passed away in April 2014 at his home in Tasmania. He was 79 years old and had suffered several strokes. The Prime Minister at the time, Tony Abbott, offered his family a state funeral, which is a special public funeral. The funeral was held on April 23, 2014, at St Mary's Cathedral, Hobart.

See also

In Spanish: Brian Harradine para niños