Brian McGowan (Australian politician)
Encyclopedia
Brian McGowan was an Australia
n politician, elected as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
.
Brian McGowan was born in the Sydney
suburb of Stanmore
. Leaving school at 14, he worked as an office boy, telephone technician, tram conductor, and professional fireman. After training at Wagga Wagga
Teachers College, McGowan worked at Tocumwal Primary School, Shepardstown Small School in 1961, Nowra High School, and was promoted to The Entrance High School to take up the position of English and History Master.
His political career began when he joined the Australian Labor Party
in 1968. He was elected President of the Nowra-Bomaderry Branch in 1971, and stood in the State election for Gosford
in 1973. Though defeated in that year, McGowan gained election in 1976 by a mere 74 votes, and held the seat of Gosford until 1988. While in Parliament he was concerned with social and educational issues.
Upon his defeat in the 1988 election he subsequently entered Gosford Council where he served one and half years. His wife Margaret stood for the seat at the by-election and served the remainder of Brian's term, and was re-elected for a second term.
Following McGowan's death from cancer, a condolence motion was moved in the New South Wales Parliament on 10 March 1994.
A bridge linking Gosford to West Gosford was named in honour of Brian McGowan on 10 December 1995.
He married Margaret Jackson in 1958; they had one son, Stewart, and two daughters Megan and Meredith.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n politician, elected as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
New South Wales Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of New South Wales, an Australian state. The other chamber is the Legislative Council. Both the Assembly and Council sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney...
.
Brian McGowan was born in the Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
suburb of Stanmore
Stanmore, New South Wales
Stanmore is a suburb in the inner-west of Sydney, in New South Wales, Australia. Stanmore is located 6 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district and is part of the local government area of Marrickville Council.-History:...
. Leaving school at 14, he worked as an office boy, telephone technician, tram conductor, and professional fireman. After training at Wagga Wagga
Wagga Wagga, New South Wales
Wagga Wagga is a city in New South Wales, Australia. Straddling the Murrumbidgee River, and with an urban population of 46,735 people, Wagga Wagga is the state's largest inland city, as well as an important agricultural, military, and transport hub of Australia...
Teachers College, McGowan worked at Tocumwal Primary School, Shepardstown Small School in 1961, Nowra High School, and was promoted to The Entrance High School to take up the position of English and History Master.
His political career began when he joined the Australian Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
in 1968. He was elected President of the Nowra-Bomaderry Branch in 1971, and stood in the State election for Gosford
Electoral district of Gosford
Gosford is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is represented by Chris Holstein of the Liberal Party. The former district of Gosford was renamed Terrigal for the 2007 state election...
in 1973. Though defeated in that year, McGowan gained election in 1976 by a mere 74 votes, and held the seat of Gosford until 1988. While in Parliament he was concerned with social and educational issues.
Upon his defeat in the 1988 election he subsequently entered Gosford Council where he served one and half years. His wife Margaret stood for the seat at the by-election and served the remainder of Brian's term, and was re-elected for a second term.
Following McGowan's death from cancer, a condolence motion was moved in the New South Wales Parliament on 10 March 1994.
A bridge linking Gosford to West Gosford was named in honour of Brian McGowan on 10 December 1995.
He married Margaret Jackson in 1958; they had one son, Stewart, and two daughters Megan and Meredith.