Michael Considine facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Michael Considine
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| Member of the Australian Parliament for Barrier |
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| In office 5 May 1917 – 16 December 1922 |
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| Preceded by | Josiah Thomas |
| Succeeded by | Seat abolished |
| Personal details | |
| Born | c. 26 January 1885 County Mayo, Ireland |
| Died | 2 November 1959 (aged 74) |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Political party | Labor (1917–20) (1926+) Socialist Labor (1920–21) Industrial Labor Party (1921-) |
| Spouse | Bessie Washington |
| Occupation | Unionist |
Michael Patrick Considine (born around 1885, died 1959) was an important person in Australian politics. He was born in Ireland and later became an Australian politician and a unionist. A unionist is someone who works to protect the rights of workers.
He was a member of the House of Representatives for the area called Barrier. He served from 1917 to 1922. Michael Considine was known for his strong opinions. He was even asked to leave the Australian Labor Party (ALP) at one point.
In 1919, he won an election as an independent candidate, meaning he didn't belong to a major political party. Later, he joined the Socialist Labor Party. However, his political area, Barrier, was removed before the 1922 election. He tried to get elected in a different area called Darling but was not successful.
Early Life and Activism
Michael Considine was born in County Mayo, Ireland. He moved to New South Wales, Australia, with his mother in 1890. They first lived in Kempsey and then in Sydney.
He was very active in workers' rights. In 1908, he was a key figure in a strike by tramway workers. He also belonged to a group called the Socialist Federation of Australia.
In 1910, he was sent to prison for six months. This happened after he protested against the government and the jailing of another activist, Peter Bowling. After he was released, Considine moved to Broken Hill in 1911.
During World War I, Michael Considine was the president of a strong miners' union. He was also part of the Australian Socialist Party, but he left because he strongly supported unions. In 1918, he married Bessie Washington in Eaglehawk, Victoria.
Political Career
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In 1917, Michael Considine was elected to the House of Representatives. He represented the Barrier area for the Labor Party. He quickly became known as a strong voice for the far-left side of the party.
He even acted as a representative for the Bolshevik government of Russia. The Bolsheviks were a political group that took power in Russia around that time. Considine faced legal trouble for his strong opinions, including a short time in prison in 1919. He was also temporarily removed from the House for saying the government was helping forces against the Bolsheviks in Russia.
After some disagreements within the New South Wales Labor Party in 1919, Considine felt a lot of pressure. He decided to leave the party in 1920. In the 1922 election, he ran as a candidate for the Industrial Socialist Labor Party in the Darling area. He received a good number of votes but did not win.
In 1926, he rejoined the Labor Party. He tried again to be chosen to run for the Darling area, but he was not successful.
Later Life
In 1927, Michael Considine moved to Melbourne. He worked in different jobs and stayed involved in the union movement. He continued to speak out at Labor conferences in the 1930s and 1940s.
He passed away suddenly on November 2, 1959. He was survived by his wife, a son, and two daughters.
