Bryant Burns facts for kids

Bryant Robert Burns was an Australian politician. He was born on March 24, 1929. He was a member of the Australian Labor Party (ALP). From 1987 to 1996, he served as a Senator for Queensland. Before becoming a politician, he worked as a welder. He was also a leader in a big workers' union.

About Bryant Burns

His Early Life

Bryant Burns was born in Rockhampton, Queensland. This was on March 24, 1929. His parents were Alice Charlotte and Charles Robert Burns. He went to Leichhardt Ward Boys' School. He left school when he was 13 years old.

After leaving school, he worked for three years. He was a stockman and horsebreaker in North Queensland. Then he went back to Rockhampton. There, he learned a skill. He became a boilermaker at the Rockhampton Railway Workshops.

His Working Life

In 1956, Bryant Burns started a new job. He worked as a welder for the Brisbane City Council. Later, he worked at the Kangaroo Point shipyard. In 1969, he became an organiser for a union. This union was for boilermakers and blacksmiths.

His union later joined with others. It became the Amalgamated Metal Workers' Union (AMWU). In 1977, he became the state president of this large union. This meant he was a top leader for workers in Queensland.

His Time in Politics

Bryant Burns first tried to become a Senator in 1984. He was a candidate for the ALP. But he did not win that election. He was part of a group in the Labor Party called the Labor Left. This group had strong ideas.

In 1987, he tried again. He got support from another well-known politician. This helped him get a good spot on the party's list. He was elected as a Senator for Queensland. He was re-elected in 1990. He retired from politics in 1996. For some of his time in the Senate, he was a deputy whip. This job helps make sure party members vote together.

When he first spoke in the Senate, he promised to fight. He wanted to stop the government from selling off public services. This is called privatisation. However, he later voted for a small part of Qantas to be sold. Qantas is a big Australian airline.

He also supported Bob Hawke as the leader of the Labor Party. This was during a time when another politician, Paul Keating, wanted to be leader. But later, Bryant Burns spoke out. He was unhappy with the government's plan. They wanted people to pay a small fee for Medicare visits. Medicare is Australia's health care system.

His Family Life

Bryant Burns had seven children. His first wife, Lorraine, passed away in 1974. He later got married again.