John Madigan (politician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Madigan
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John Madigan circa 2010
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| Senator for Victoria | |
| In office 1 July 2011 – 2 July 2016 |
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| Leader of John Madigan's Manufacturing and Farming Party | |
| In office 8 April 2015 – 13 September 2016 |
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| Preceded by | Party established |
| Succeeded by | Party dissolved |
| Leader of the Democratic Labour Party in the Senate |
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| In office 1 July 2011 – 4 September 2014 |
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| Leader | David McCabe Paul Funnell |
| Preceded by | Office established |
| Succeeded by | Office abolished |
| Leader of the Democratic Labour Party in Victoria |
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| In office 21 August 2010 – 4 September 2014 |
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| Deputy | Rachel Carling-Jenkins |
| Preceded by | Peter Kavanagh |
| Succeeded by | Rachel Carling-Jenkins |
| Deputy Leader of the Democratic Labour Party in Victoria | |
| In office 2008–2009 |
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| Leader | Peter Kavanagh |
| Preceded by | Maugerita Kavanagh |
| Succeeded by | Rachel Carling-Jenkins |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
John Joseph Madigan
21 July 1966 Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
| Died | 16 June 2020 (aged 53) Ballarat Victoria, Australia |
| Political party | Democratic Labour (until 2014; 2020) |
| Other political affiliations |
Independent (2014–15) Manufacturing and Farming (2015–16) Country (2016–20) |
| Spouse | Teresa Madigan |
| Children | 2 |
| Residences | Ballarat, Victoria, Australia |
| Occupation | Blacksmith Politician |
John Joseph Madigan (born July 21, 1966 – died June 16, 2020) was an Australian politician and a skilled blacksmith. He served as a Senator for Victoria, which means he was a representative for that state in Australia's national parliament, from 2011 to 2016.
He was first elected to the Senate in 2010 as a member of the Democratic Labour Party (DLP). Later, he left the DLP to become an independent politician. In 2015, he started his own group called "John Madigan's Manufacturing and Farming Party."
John Madigan was not re-elected in the 2016 federal election. His party was later officially closed down in September 2016.
Contents
Early Life and Career
John Madigan was born into a Catholic family in Melbourne. When he was younger, he was part of a youth group.
Before becoming a politician, Madigan worked as a blacksmith and boilermaker from 1983 to 2011. He owned his own engineering workshop in Hepburn Springs, Victoria. He also completed an apprenticeship in Structural Steel Fabrication. He lived in Ballarat and had two children.
Political Journey
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John Madigan was the vice-president of the Victorian DLP from 2008 to 2009. He was then elected to the Senate in the 2010 election.
On September 4, 2014, Madigan decided to leave the DLP and become an independent Senator. He explained that this decision was due to ongoing disagreements within the party.
Winning a Senate Seat in 2010
At the 2010 federal election, John Madigan won the sixth and final Senate seat for Victoria. The DLP usually received a small number of votes. However, in this election, they gained extra votes from other smaller parties.
This allowed Madigan to win the seat. He became the first DLP Senator from Victoria since 1974. He officially started his role in the Senate on July 1, 2011.
At that time, the government did not have a majority of seats. This meant that the votes of smaller parties and independent senators, like Madigan, could be important.
The 2016 Election Campaign
In 2016, there was a special election called a "double dissolution." This meant that all seats in both parts of parliament were up for election. Because of this, John Madigan's term in parliament ended earlier than planned.
His new party, John Madigan's Manufacturing and Farming Party, supported him and Mark George as candidates for the Senate in Victoria. However, Madigan was not re-elected in this election. His party was officially closed down on September 13, 2016.
Later Years and Passing
After leaving parliament, John Madigan joined the Australian Country Party in September 2016.
In December 2018, he shared that he was battling cancer. John Madigan passed away on June 16, 2020, at the age of 53. He died at a care facility near his home in Ballarat, Victoria. Former prime minister Tony Abbott spoke kindly of Madigan, calling him a "fine representative."
Political Beliefs
John Madigan held strong views on several important topics:
- Refugee and Protection Conventions: He strongly supported laws that protect refugees.
- Gambling Reforms: He pushed for changes to gambling rules to make them safer.
- Wind Turbines: Madigan was against wind turbines. He even led a special committee in 2015 that looked into them. He believed the government should not support the wind energy industry.
- Same-Sex Marriage: As a member of the DLP, he did not support laws for same-sex marriage.
- Public Infrastructure: He was against selling off public services and buildings.
- Carbon Tax: He did not support a carbon tax, saying it would be a tax on people and their lives.
- Weekend Trading Hours: He was against limiting how long shops could be open on weekends.
- Protectionist Economics: He believed in protecting Australian industries and jobs by limiting imports.
Madigan also admired Senator Nick Xenophon. They shared similar views on gambling reform and wind turbines. They even worked together to set up the Select Committee on Wind Turbines.
