John Brown (Australian politician)
Encyclopedia
John Joseph Brown AO (born 19 December 1931) is a retired Australian politician.
Brown was born in the western suburbs
of Sydney and was educated at Christian Brothers College, Burwood
, St Patrick's College, Strathfield
and the University of Sydney
. He was one of the founders of Brown and Hatton, a meat distribution company and helped create the Pork and Bacon Marketing Council. He has been an active member of the Meat Industry Employees Union since that time, but was also chairman of the Employers Association for five years. In 1963, he married Jan Murray, who ran a public relation consultancy from 1982 to 1995, and they have five children. He was an alderman
on Parramatta Council
from 1977 to 1980.
Brown was elected as the Australian Labor Party
member for the seat of Parramatta
in 1977
. With the election of the Hawke Government
in 1983
, he was appointed Minister for Sport
, Recreation and Tourism, a position he retained until 1988. He was also appointed Minister for Administrative Services until 1984
, when he gained the position of Minister assisting the Minister for Defence.
Brown is notable for initiating a series of television advertisements commencing in 1986 for the American market by the Australian Tourism Commission
starring Paul Hogan
saying, "I'll slip an extra shrimp on the barbie
for you". He gained notoriety for describing koala
s as "flea-ridden, piddling, stinking, scratching, rotten little things". He was also responsible for substantially increasing expenditure on sports facilities around Australia and the Australian Institute of Sport
.
In July 1987
, Brown entered cabinet
with the expanded portfolio of Minister for Arts, Sport, the Environment
, Tourism and Territories, which he held until his resignation in January 1988 for misleading the house in response to a question from Neil Brown
regarding in the assessment of tenders for the Australian Pavilion at Expo '88
, which suggested possible impropriety. Prior to his resignation, he was the subject of national headlines due to revelations that he and his then wife Jan Murray had celebrated a victory one night by having sex on his desk in his office at Parliament House. He did not stand for re-election in 1990. He and Jan Murray later divorced.
John continues to work for things he believes in. He established The Sport and Tourism Youth Foundation (formerly the John Brown Foundation) to award scholarships to talented young Australians in both sport and tourism. A member of the Sydney Olympics 2000 Bid Committee, John was also a founding Director of the Sydney Olympic Games Organising Committee (SOCOG). He has held positions including Director of Macquarie Tourism and Leisure, Director of Canterbury Bankstown Leagues Club and a consultant to Service Corporation International Australia.
in 1993 for "service to the Australian parliament, tourism and sport and recreation".
Brown was born in the western suburbs
Greater Western Sydney
Greater Western Sydney is a term used to describe the western region of the metropolitan area of Sydney, Australia. The University of Western Sydney defines Greater Western Sydney as comprising 14 local government areas...
of Sydney and was educated at Christian Brothers College, Burwood
Christian Brothers College, Burwood
Christian Brothers College, Burwood was a Catholic high school located in Burwood, Sydney Australia.The school was founded in 1909. It was announced on 25 March 2008 that the school would close at the end of 2009, due to a decline in enrolments arising from a change in demographics in the suburbs...
, St Patrick's College, Strathfield
St Patrick's College, Strathfield
St Patrick's College is an independent, Roman Catholic, day school for boys, located in Strathfield in the inner west of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
and the University of Sydney
University of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
. He was one of the founders of Brown and Hatton, a meat distribution company and helped create the Pork and Bacon Marketing Council. He has been an active member of the Meat Industry Employees Union since that time, but was also chairman of the Employers Association for five years. In 1963, he married Jan Murray, who ran a public relation consultancy from 1982 to 1995, and they have five children. He was an alderman
Alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
on Parramatta Council
City of Parramatta
The City of Parramatta is a Local Government Area in western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia.Initially in 1861 it was formed as Municipality of Parramatta...
from 1977 to 1980.
Brown was elected as 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...
member for the seat of Parramatta
Division of Parramatta
The Division of Parramatta is an Australian Electoral Division in New South Wales. The division was created in 1900 and was one of the original 75 divisions contested at the first federal election. It is named for the locality of Parramatta. The name Parramatta has been sourced to an Aboriginal...
in 1977
Australian federal election, 1977
Federal elections were held in Australia on 10 December 1977. All 124 seats in the House of Representatives, and 34 of the 64 seats in the Senate, were up for election....
. With the election of the Hawke Government
First Hawke Ministry
The First Hawke Ministry was the fifty-fifth Australian Commonwealth ministry, and held office from 11 March 1983 to 13 December 1984.Australian Labor Party-Cabinet:*Hon Bob Hawke, AC MP: Prime Minister...
in 1983
Australian federal election, 1983
Federal elections were held in Australia on 5 March 1983. All 125 seats in the House of Representatives, and all 64 seats in the Senate, were up for election, following a double dissolution...
, he was appointed Minister for Sport
Minister for Sport (Australia)
The Australian Minister for Sport is Mark Arbib, who was appointed on 14 September 2010, following the Labor Party's win at the 2010 election. The ministry is located within the Prime Minister and Cabinet portfolio.-List of Ministers for Sport:...
, Recreation and Tourism, a position he retained until 1988. He was also appointed Minister for Administrative Services until 1984
Second Hawke Ministry
The Second Hawke Ministry was the fifty-sixth Australian Commonwealth ministry, and held office from 13 December 1984 to 24 July 1987.Australian Labor Party-Cabinet:*Hon Bob Hawke, AC MP: Prime Minister...
, when he gained the position of Minister assisting the Minister for Defence.
Brown is notable for initiating a series of television advertisements commencing in 1986 for the American market by the Australian Tourism Commission
Tourism Australia
Tourism Australia is a statutory authority of the Government of Australia, with responsibility for tourism marketing within Australia and internationally, as well as research and forecasting of domestic and global tourism trends...
starring Paul Hogan
Paul Hogan
Paul Hogan, AM is an Australian actor best known for his role as Michael "Crocodile" Dundee from the Crocodile Dundee film series, for which he won a Golden Globe award.-Early life and career:...
saying, "I'll slip an extra shrimp on the barbie
Shrimp on the barbie
"Shrimp on the barbie" is an often-quoted phrase that originated in a series of television advertisements by the Australian Tourism Commission starring Paul Hogan from 1984 through to 1990. The actual quote spoken by Hogan is "I'll slip an extra shrimp on the barbie for you", and the actual slogan...
for you". He gained notoriety for describing koala
Koala
The koala is an arboreal herbivorous marsupial native to Australia, and the only extant representative of the family Phascolarctidae....
s as "flea-ridden, piddling, stinking, scratching, rotten little things". He was also responsible for substantially increasing expenditure on sports facilities around Australia and the Australian Institute of Sport
Australian Institute of Sport
The Australian Institute of Sport is a sports training institution in Australia with world class facilities and support services. The Institute's headquarters is situated in Canberra, the capital city of Australia. The 66.0 hectare site campus is in the northern suburb of Bruce, but some of the...
.
In July 1987
Third Hawke Ministry
The Third Hawke Ministry was the fifty-seventh Australian Commonwealth ministry, and held office from 24 July 1987 to 4 April 1990.Australian Labor Party-Cabinet:*Hon Bob Hawke, AC MP: Prime Minister...
, Brown entered cabinet
Cabinet of Australia
The Cabinet of Australia is the council of senior ministers of the Crown, responsible to parliament. The Cabinet is appointed by the Governor-General, on the advice of the Prime Minister the Head of Her Majesty's Australian Government, and serves at the former's pleasure. The strictly private...
with the expanded portfolio of Minister for Arts, Sport, the Environment
Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts (Australia)
The current Australian Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities is Tony Burke, who took over from Peter Garrett . The Minister and department change took effect in the Second Gillard Ministry on 14 September 2010...
, Tourism and Territories, which he held until his resignation in January 1988 for misleading the house in response to a question from Neil Brown
Neil Brown (Australian politician)
Neil Anthony Brown, QC is an Australian lawyer, arbitrator, mediator and former Member of the Federal Parliament of Australia and Minister in the Federal Government....
regarding in the assessment of tenders for the Australian Pavilion at Expo '88
Expo '88
World Expo 88, also known as Expo '88, was a World's Fair held in Brisbane, the state capital of Queensland, Australia, during a six-month period between Saturday, 30 April 1988 and Sunday, 30 October 1988...
, which suggested possible impropriety. Prior to his resignation, he was the subject of national headlines due to revelations that he and his then wife Jan Murray had celebrated a victory one night by having sex on his desk in his office at Parliament House. He did not stand for re-election in 1990. He and Jan Murray later divorced.
John continues to work for things he believes in. He established The Sport and Tourism Youth Foundation (formerly the John Brown Foundation) to award scholarships to talented young Australians in both sport and tourism. A member of the Sydney Olympics 2000 Bid Committee, John was also a founding Director of the Sydney Olympic Games Organising Committee (SOCOG). He has held positions including Director of Macquarie Tourism and Leisure, Director of Canterbury Bankstown Leagues Club and a consultant to Service Corporation International Australia.
Honours
Brown was made an Officer of the Order of AustraliaOrder of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
in 1993 for "service to the Australian parliament, tourism and sport and recreation".