Stan Collard facts for kids

Stanley James Collard (born 25 March 1936) is a former Australian politician. He was a Senator for Queensland from 1975 to 1987. A Senator is a person elected to represent their state or territory in the Australian Parliament. Stan Collard was part of the National Party. In 1985, he became the leader of his party in the Senate. However, he did not get chosen to run again in the 1987 election. This was because he disagreed with a political campaign called "Joh for Canberra". Before becoming a politician, he worked as a train driver for Queensland Railways. He was also involved in a union, which is a group that helps workers.

Early Life and Work

Stan Collard was born on March 25, 1936, in Maleny, Queensland. He was the oldest of three sons. His family lived on a dairy farm in Maleny. His grandfather bought this farm in 1918.

Stan went to primary school in Maleny. Then he studied for two years at Nambour State High School. After that, he left school to help his family on the farm. Later, he moved to Brisbane. There, he started training to become a train driver with Queensland Railways.

For a short time, Stan ran a place for students to stay in Herberton. He then went back to working for Queensland Railways in Cloncurry. He became a locomotive driver, which means he drove trains. He was also a secretary for local groups of train workers' unions. He helped organize a strike in 1966. A strike is when workers stop working to ask for better conditions.

In 1971, Stan moved to Sarina. He drove very long coal trains from the Bowen Basin mines to the port at Hay Point. He kept working as a train driver until he was chosen to run for the Senate in 1975.

His Time in Politics

Getting Started in Politics

Stan Collard joined the Country Party in 1959. This party later became known as the National Party. He helped manage the election campaigns for Bob Katter Sr. in the area of Kennedy. He did this for three federal elections, starting in 1966.

Serving in the Senate

In 1975, Stan Collard was chosen by the National Party to run for the Senate in Queensland. He was elected in the 1975 federal election. He was re-elected in 1977 and again in 1983.

From 1981 to 1985, Stan was the National Party's whip and deputy leader in the Senate. A whip helps make sure party members vote together. In 1985, he became the party's Senate leader. He also served as a "shadow minister" for different areas. A shadow minister is a politician who watches over a government department. He looked after veterans' affairs from 1984 to 1985. Then he looked after arts, heritage, and the environment from 1985 to 1987.

During the "Joh for Canberra" campaign, Stan Collard believed the National Party should keep working with the Liberal Party. This was a long-standing partnership. However, the National Party's leaders in Queensland wanted to run for prime minister themselves. This caused a disagreement. Stan Collard left his shadow minister role in April 1987 because of this. He openly disagreed with the "Joh for Canberra" campaign. Because of his opposition, he was not chosen to run for the Senate again in the 1987 federal election. This ended his time as the party's Senate leader.

After the Senate

In 1990, Stan Collard tried to get chosen to run for the House of Representatives. This is the other part of the Australian Parliament. He tried for the area of Kennedy but was not chosen. He then ran for the area of Capricornia. However, he lost to the current member, Keith Wright, in the 1990 federal election.

Later Life and Community Work

After leaving the Senate, Stan Collard went back to his family farm. He was the president of the group that organized the Hinkler Bicentennial Air Race. This was a nine-day airplane race that honored Bert Hinkler. It finished in Brisbane on the first day of World Expo 88.

He also worked with Life Education Australia. This group teaches children about healthy choices. He was the state president for three years and served on the national board for ten years. From 1996 to 1999, he was also the deputy chairman of the Library Board of Queensland.

Personal Life

In 1958, Stan Collard married Gloria Auld. They had three children together. He was a lay preacher in the Methodist Church. Later, he held leadership roles in the Uniting Church.