Don Farrell
Encyclopedia
Donald Edward Farrell is an Australia
n politician and former trade union leader. He has been a Labor
member of the Australian Senate
since 1 July 2008, representing the state of South Australia
. He was appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Sustainability and Urban Water on 14 September 2010. Before entering the Senate, Farrell was the South Australia
n secretary and the National President of the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association
(SDA) union
and a leader of Labor Unity in South Australia.
to a family of Irish
-Catholic origins, and attended St Theresa's Primary School and Blackfriars Priory School
while living in the Adelaide
suburb of Daw Park
. His father, Edward, ran as a Democratic Labor Party
candidate throughout the 1960s and 70s and had a guiding influence on the young Farrell. Farrell completed a law degree at the University of Adelaide
.
Farrell joined the SDA as a lawyer after completing his degree and attained the position of assistant secretary in 1980. At a 1988 by-election
for the Division of Adelaide
after the retirement of Chris Hurford
, Farrell was preselected and ran as the Labor candidate; however, he was defeated by the Liberal candidate, Mike Pratt
.
A leader within the Labor Unity faction since the 1980s, Farrell's influence contributed to negotiating the shift of the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union
to Unity in early 2006, which gave Labor Unity a majority in the state caucus. Farrell was responsible for the internal deal that saw Premier Mike Rann
become leader of the state Labor Party in 1994, and he has been instrumental in the election of various figures in South Australia, notably the Federal Minister for Employment Participation and Childcare and the Minister for the Status of Women, Kate Ellis
, who represents the Electorate of Adelaide.
Farrell lives in the Adelaide Hills
suburb of Waterfall Gully
with his wife Nimfa and his daughters Mary, Tess and Emily. He is a member of the Adelaide Football Club and the West Adelaide Football Club
.
ticket in the 2007 election and he was subsequently the first elected senator for South Australia at the general election.
Following the 2010 Australian Election, he was appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Sustainability and Urban Water. The Hon. Tony Burke
MP is the Cabinet Minister for the new portfolio of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities.
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 and former trade union leader. He has been a Labor
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...
member of the Australian Senate
Australian Senate
The Senate is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of Australia, the lower house being the House of Representatives. Senators are popularly elected under a system of proportional representation. Senators are elected for a term that is usually six years; after a double dissolution, however,...
since 1 July 2008, representing the state of South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
. He was appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Sustainability and Urban Water on 14 September 2010. Before entering the Senate, Farrell was the South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
n secretary and the National President of the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association
Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association
The Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees' Association is the largest trade union in Australia with more than 230,000 members and branches in every state and one in the Newcastle, Hunter Valley and Central Coast region. The SDA is the union for retail and fast-food workers, but does have other...
(SDA) union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
and a leader of Labor Unity in South Australia.
Background
Farrell was born in Murray BridgeMurray Bridge, South Australia
Murray Bridge is the fourth most populous city in South Australia after Adelaide, Mount Gambier and Whyalla. It is located east-southeast of Adelaide and north of Meningie....
to a family of Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
-Catholic origins, and attended St Theresa's Primary School and Blackfriars Priory School
Blackfriars Priory School
Blackfriars Priory School is a private Roman Catholic school situated in Prospect, a suburb of Adelaide, South Australia, conducted by the Dominican Friars of the Province of the Assumption. For over 50 years the school has provided an education program for boys from Year 3 to Year 12, however, in...
while living in the Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
suburb of Daw Park
Daw Park, South Australia
Daw Park is an inner southern suburb of Adelaide, Australia, in the Local Government Area of the City of Mitcham. The suburb is divided into two parts, with a smaller exclave separated from the larger southern part by a section of Colonel Light Gardens...
. His father, Edward, ran as a Democratic Labor Party
Democratic Labor Party
The Democratic Labor Party is a political party in Australia that espouses social conservatism and opposes neo-liberalism. The first "DLP" Senator in decades, party vice-president John Madigan was elected to the Australian Senate with 2.3 percent of the primary vote in Victoria at the 2010 federal...
candidate throughout the 1960s and 70s and had a guiding influence on the young Farrell. Farrell completed a law degree at the University of Adelaide
University of Adelaide
The University of Adelaide is a public university located in Adelaide, South Australia. Established in 1874, it is the third oldest university in Australia...
.
Farrell joined the SDA as a lawyer after completing his degree and attained the position of assistant secretary in 1980. At a 1988 by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
for the Division of Adelaide
Division of Adelaide
The Division of Adelaide is an Australian Electoral Division in South Australia. The division was created in 1903 and is named for the city of Adelaide, South Australia's capital. The seat has always been based in the inner suburbs of Adelaide...
after the retirement of Chris Hurford
Chris Hurford
Christopher John "Chris" Hurford, AO, was a Labor member of the Australian House of Representatives seat of Adelaide from 1969 to 1987...
, Farrell was preselected and ran as the Labor candidate; however, he was defeated by the Liberal candidate, Mike Pratt
Mike Pratt (Australian politician)
Michael Philip "Mike" Pratt is a former Liberal member of the Australian House of Representatives. He was born in Blyth, South Australia and was a farmer and grazier before entering Parliament...
.
A leader within the Labor Unity faction since the 1980s, Farrell's influence contributed to negotiating the shift of the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union
Australian Manufacturing Workers Union
The Australian Manufacturing Workers Union, or more fully, the Automotive, Food, Metals, Engineering, Printing and Kindred Industries Union is an Australian trade union that is registered with the Australian Industrial Relations Commission and is affiliated with the Australian Council of Trade...
to Unity in early 2006, which gave Labor Unity a majority in the state caucus. Farrell was responsible for the internal deal that saw Premier Mike Rann
Mike Rann
Michael David Rann MHA, CNZM , Australian politician, served as the 44th Premier of South Australia. He led the South Australian branch of the Australian Labor Party to minority government at the 2002 election, before attaining a landslide win at the 2006 election...
become leader of the state Labor Party in 1994, and he has been instrumental in the election of various figures in South Australia, notably the Federal Minister for Employment Participation and Childcare and the Minister for the Status of Women, Kate Ellis
Kate Ellis
Katherine Margaret "Kate" Ellis, MP is an Australian politician, representing the federal division of Adelaide since 2004 and is currently the Minister for Employment Participation and Childcare and the Minister for the Status of Women in the Gillard Government.-Early life and career:Ellis was...
, who represents the Electorate of Adelaide.
Farrell lives in the Adelaide Hills
Adelaide Hills
The Adelaide Hills are part of the Mount Lofty Ranges, east of the city of Adelaide in the state of South Australia. It is unofficially centred on the largest town in the area, Mount Barker, which has a population of around 29,000 and is also one of Australia's fastest growing towns.- History :The...
suburb of Waterfall Gully
Waterfall Gully, South Australia
Waterfall Gully is an outer suburb of the South Australian capital city of Adelaide. It is located in the foothills of the Mount Lofty Ranges around east-south-east of Adelaide's central business district . For the most part, the suburb encompasses one long gully with First Creek at its centre and...
with his wife Nimfa and his daughters Mary, Tess and Emily. He is a member of the Adelaide Football Club and the West Adelaide Football Club
West Adelaide Football Club
West Adelaide Football Club is an Australian rules football club in the South Australian National Football League . Commonly known as The Bloods and Westies, the clubs home base is City Mazda Stadium located in Richmond, an inner-western suburb of Adelaide.-Early Years :West Adelaide was formed in...
.
Federal parliament
In June 2007, Farrell won preselection for the first position on Labor's SenateAustralian Senate
The Senate is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of Australia, the lower house being the House of Representatives. Senators are popularly elected under a system of proportional representation. Senators are elected for a term that is usually six years; after a double dissolution, however,...
ticket in the 2007 election and he was subsequently the first elected senator for South Australia at the general election.
Following the 2010 Australian Election, he was appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Sustainability and Urban Water. The Hon. Tony Burke
Tony Burke
Anthony Stephen 'Tony' Burke is an Australian politician representing the Labor Party, and the current Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities . He first entered public office in 2003 as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council...
MP is the Cabinet Minister for the new portfolio of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities.