Tim Fischer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tim Fischer
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Fischer as deputy prime minister
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| 10th Deputy Prime Minister of Australia | |
| In office 11 March 1996 – 20 July 1999 |
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| Prime Minister | John Howard |
| Preceded by | Kim Beazley |
| Succeeded by | John Anderson |
| 9th Leader of the National Party Elections: 1993, 1996, 1998 |
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| In office 10 April 1990 – 20 July 1999 |
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| Deputy | Bruce Lloyd John Anderson |
| Preceded by | Charles Blunt |
| Succeeded by | John Anderson |
| Minister for Trade | |
| In office 11 March 1996 – 20 July 1999 |
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| Prime Minister | John Howard |
| Preceded by | Bob McMullan |
| Succeeded by | Mark Vaile |
| Australian Ambassador to the Holy See | |
| In office 30 January 2009 – 20 January 2012 |
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| Nominated by | Kevin Rudd |
| Preceded by | Anne Plunkett |
| Succeeded by | John McCarthy |
| Member of the Australian Parliament for Farrer |
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| In office 1 December 1984 – 8 October 2001 |
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| Preceded by | Wal Fife |
| Succeeded by | Sussan Ley |
| Member of the New South Wales Parliament for Murray |
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| In office 13 September 1980 – 18 October 1984 |
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| Preceded by | Mary Meillon |
| Succeeded by | Jim Small |
| Member of the New South Wales Parliament for Sturt |
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| In office 13 February 1971 – 12 August 1980 |
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| Preceded by | New district |
| Succeeded by | John Sullivan |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Timothy Andrew Fischer
3 May 1946 Lockhart, New South Wales, Australia |
| Died | 22 August 2019 (aged 73) East Albury, New South Wales, Australia |
| Political party | National Party of Australia |
| Children | 2 |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Australia |
| Branch/service | Australian Army |
| Years of service | 1966–1969 |
| Rank | Second Lieutenant |
| Unit | 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment |
| Battles/wars | Vietnam War |
| Service number | 2784385 |
Timothy Andrew Fischer (3 May 1946 – 22 August 2019) was an important Australian politician and diplomat. He led the National Party from 1990 to 1999. He also served as the Deputy Prime Minister from 1996 to 1999. This was during the time John Howard was Prime Minister.
Fischer was born in Lockhart, New South Wales. He served in the Australian Army during the Vietnam War. After the war, he bought a farm in Boree Creek. He started his political career in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, serving from 1971 to 1984. Later, he was elected to the House of Representatives in 1984. He represented the area of Farrer until he retired in 2001.
As leader of the National Party, he became Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade. After leaving politics, he continued to serve Australia. He was chairman of Tourism Australia and later became the Ambassador to the Holy See.
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Early Life and Army Service
Tim Fischer was born on 3 May 1946 in Lockhart, New South Wales. He was one of five children. His parents came from families that had faced tough times during the Great Depression. His father worked as a farmer and ran a business in Boree Creek.
Fischer grew up on the family farm. He went to Boree Creek Public School. From 1958, he attended Xavier College in Melbourne. In 1966, he was chosen to join the Australian Army. He became a second lieutenant.
He served with the 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (1RAR). From 1966 to 1969, he was part of the Vietnam War. During this time, he was injured in a battle. After returning from Vietnam, Fischer took over his family's farm. He also became active in politics, joining the Country Party, which is now called the National Party.
Becoming a Politician
State Politics
Tim Fischer started his political career in New South Wales. He represented the area of Sturt from 1971 to 1980. Then he represented Murray from 1980 to 1984. During this time, he was part of the opposition team.
Federal Politics
In 1984, Fischer was elected to the Australian Parliament. He won the seat of Farrer for the National Party of Australia. He quickly became a well-liked figure in parliament. People saw him as a smart politician, even though he sometimes seemed a bit clumsy with words.
In 1990, he became the leader of the National Party. He took over from Charles Blunt. Fischer was a strong supporter of new economic plans. However, his party lost the 1993 election to Paul Keating's Labor Party.
In 1994, Fischer was in a car accident and was injured. He took a month off from politics to recover. His deputy, John Anderson, led the party during this time.
Important Roles in Government
In 1996, the Liberal Party, led by John Howard, won the election. Tim Fischer became the Deputy Prime Minister. He also became the Minister for Trade. Even though the Liberal Party had a strong majority, Fischer was very active in his roles.
After a terrible event in Port Arthur in 1996, Fischer supported strict gun control laws. This was a brave move, as many people in his party's rural areas were against it. He worked with Prime Minister John Howard to make these changes.
Fischer also faced challenges from a new political party called One Nation. This party was popular in country areas, which were traditionally the National Party's strongholds. In the 1998 election, Fischer worked hard to fight against One Nation's ideas. He helped the National Party keep most of its seats.
He was known for his busy schedule. He would often visit many rural meetings in a short time. This earned him the nickname "Two-Minute Tim." He would arrive, speak for a few minutes, and then move on to his next stop.
In 1999, Fischer surprised everyone by resigning as party leader and minister. He also announced he would retire from politics in 2001. One reason for his decision was to spend more time with his family. His son, Harrison, has autism, and Fischer wanted to be there for him. Fischer himself believed he had "high functioning" autism.
Tim Fischer is the only person to have been Deputy Prime Minister for his entire time as a minister.
Life After Politics
After retiring from politics, Tim Fischer returned to farming. He also became involved in charity work. He helped groups like the St Vincent de Paul Society and the Fred Hollows Foundation. He also supported Autism New South Wales.
From 2004 to 2007, he was chairman of Tourism Australia. This role helped promote Australia to the world. He also supported international agricultural research. He was a strong supporter of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, which stores seeds from around the world. He also served as chairman of the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
In 2008, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd chose Fischer to be Australia's first Ambassador to the Holy See. He worked closely with the Vatican. He helped with the process of making Australia's first Roman Catholic saint, Mary MacKillop. He finished this role in 2012.
His Love for Trains
Fischer was very passionate about rail transport. He was known as a "railfan." As a child, he loved studying train tracks from all over the world. After leaving politics, he continued his connection with trains. He was a special envoy for the Adelaide to Darwin railway line. He even traveled on the first freight train and the first Ghan passenger train to Darwin in 2004. A train locomotive is named after him.
He also hosted a podcast called The Great Train Show. It covered many topics about trains around the world.
Awards and Recognition
Tim Fischer received many awards for his service. In 2005, he was made a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC). This is one of Australia's highest honors. It recognized his work in politics, trade, and helping others.
He also received medals for his military service in Vietnam. These included the Australian Active Service Medal 1945–1975 and the Vietnam Medal. He also received medals from other countries, like Argentina, Chile, and Brazil. In 2012, he was given an award from the Holy See.
Personal Life
In 1992, Tim Fischer married Judy Brewer. They had two sons.
In October 2018, Fischer was diagnosed with a serious illness. He passed away on 22 August 2019, at the age of 73. A state funeral was held for him in Albury.
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