Michael Townley (politician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Michael Townley
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Townley in 1974
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| Senator for Tasmania | |
| In office 1 July 1971 – 5 June 1987 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | 4 November 1934 Hobart, Tasmania, Australia |
| Political party | Independent (1971–1975, 1987) Liberal (1975–87) |
| Relations | Rex Townley (father) Athol Townley (uncle) |
| Profession | Pharmacist |
Michael Townley (born 4 November 1934) is a former Australian politician and pharmacist. He was a Senator for Tasmania from 1971 to 1987.
Michael Townley was born in Hobart, Tasmania. His father, Rex Townley, and his uncle, Athol Townley, were also well-known politicians. Before he became a politician, Michael Townley ran several pharmacies. He also appeared often on radio and television.
Townley was a member of the Liberal Party. However, he had disagreements with the party's leaders in Tasmania. In the 1970 Australian Senate election, he was chosen as an independent candidate. This means he ran for election without being officially supported by a major political party.
He was re-elected in 1974. The next year, he joined the Liberal Party in parliament. This helped the Liberal Party and their allies gain more power in the Senate. Townley spent the rest of his time in the Senate as a regular member. He often voted against his own party's decisions. He left the Liberal Party and retired from the Senate before the 1987 election.
Early Life and Work
Michael Townley was born on 4 November 1934 in Hobart, Tasmania. His mother was Winifred (née Jones). His father was Rex Townley, who was also a pharmacist. Rex Townley became a politician in 1946. He led the Liberal Party in Tasmania in the early 1950s. Michael's uncle, Athol Townley, was a federal politician. He held important jobs in the government led by Prime Minister Menzies.
Michael Townley went to schools in Sassafras and Kingston. He also attended the Friends' School and Hobart High School. In 1956, he finished his engineering degree at the University of Tasmania. He then studied radio astronomy in Canada for two years. This was at the University of Toronto.
When he returned, he studied pharmacy at Hobart Technical College. He became a registered pharmacist in 1964. By 1968, Townley owned three pharmacies. He also had a big share in a company that sold medicines under his own brand. He became famous in Tasmania as the "Chemist of the Air." He was on the radio regularly. He also appeared weekly on TNT and twice a week on TVT. These were TV stations in Tasmania.
Michael Townley's Political Journey
In 1964, Michael Townley was asked to run for the Liberal Party. This was for an election in Denison. His uncle had passed away, and there was a special election. But Townley said no because of his businesses. In 1968, he tried to become the Liberal candidate for Denison. However, he was not chosen. Another person, Robert Solomon, was picked instead.
After this, Townley decided to run in the 1969 Australian federal election. He ran as a Liberal, but without the party's official support. He almost won against Robert Solomon. He stayed as president of his local party branch until December 1969. He then resigned before the party could vote to remove him.
In May 1970, Townley announced he would run as an independent. This was for the 1970 Australian Senate election. The Liberal Party had not chosen him for their team. He was elected with a good number of votes. His term as Senator started on 1 July 1971. He sat in the Senate with other independent politicians.
After a special election in 1974, Townley was re-elected. He still ran as an independent. On 11 February 1975, he decided to join the Liberal Party in parliament. This change was important. It helped the Liberal Party and their allies gain more power in the Senate.
On 5 June 1987, Townley left the Liberal Party. He thought he would not get a good spot on the party's list for the next election. He said this was because he supported Andrew Peacock. Peacock was against the current party leader, John Howard.
Personal Life
Michael Townley learned to fly planes when he was young. He also trained with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). This was part of his national service. In July 1975, his plane was badly damaged. This happened after he tried to take off in Grovedale, Victoria. Luckily, he and his two passengers were not hurt.
Images for kids
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Townley in 1974
