John Button
Encyclopedia
John Norman Button was an Australian politician, who served as a senior minister in the Hawke
and Keating
Labor
governments. He was notable for the Button car plan
, which involved modernising Australia's car industry by reducing tariff
s and government protection.
, and was educated at The Geelong College
and the University of Melbourne
, where he graduated in arts and law. He became a prominent barrister and solicitor in Melbourne
, and was active in the Australian Labor Party
from the late 1950s. In the 1960s he joined a group of other middle-class Labor activists, such as John Cain
, Barry Jones
, Richard McGarvie
, Frank Costigan
and Michael Duffy
, known as "the Participants," whose objective was to end Left-wing control of the Victorian
branch of the Labor Party.
In 1970, the Participants formed an alliance with the federal Labor leader Gough Whitlam
and the President of the Australian Council of Trade Unions
, Bob Hawke
, to bring about intervention in the Victorian branch by the Federal Executive
. Button became part of the interim Advisory Council which took over the branch after intervention, and in 1974 he was elected to the Australian Senate
as a strong supporter of Whitlam. He remained a backbencher during the remaining 18 months of the Whitlam government.
Button was elected to the Opposition Shadow Ministry in 1976 and was elected Deputy Labor Leader in the Senate in 1977. From 1980 to 1983 he was Leader of the Opposition in the Senate and Shadow Minister for Communications. He was also a member of the Labor National Executive. Button became well known as a parliamentary tactician and for his dry sense of humour.
A close friend of Labor Leader Bill Hayden
, Button decided during 1982 that Hayden could not lead the party to victory at the election due in late 1983. When Liberal
Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser
called a snap election in February 1983
, it was Button who told Hayden that he must resign immediately to make way for Bob Hawke.
In 1983, when Hawke became Prime Minister, Button became Minister for Industry and Commerce, a post he held until 1993. During this period Button carried through major changes in industry policy, lowering tariffs and reducing other forms of protectionism
. This caused large job losses in manufacturing industry and provoked bitter opposition among Labor's trade union base.
Button was responsible for the Button car plan
, which reorganised the Australian car industry in an attempt to make it competitive without tariff protection. One component of the plan was the sharing of models by local manufacturers, for example, Holden
shared models with Toyota, and Ford shared models with Nissan. However, badge engineering
proved unpopular from buyers, who preferred original models to their rebadged versions, and with manufacturers themselves.
Button retired in 1993. In retirement he remained active in Labor affairs and published several volumes of amusing memoirs. He also led a number of trade missions, joined company boards and served as a professorial fellow at Monash University
. His son James Button is a prominent journalist.
John Button died on 8 April 2008, after months battling pancreatic cancer
.
Bob Hawke
Robert James Lee "Bob" Hawke AC GCL was the 23rd Prime Minister of Australia from March 1983 to December 1991 and therefore longest serving Australian Labor Party Prime Minister....
and Keating
Paul Keating
Paul John Keating was the 24th Prime Minister of Australia, serving from 1991 to 1996. Keating was elected as the federal Labor member for Blaxland in 1969 and came to prominence as the reformist treasurer of the Hawke Labor government, which came to power at the 1983 election...
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...
governments. He was notable for the Button car plan
Button car plan
The Button car plan, also known as the Button plan was the informal name given to the Motor Industry Development Plan. The plan was an Australian federal government initiative, intended to rationalise the Australian motor vehicle industry. Industry consultation had begun in 1984 with a proposed...
, which involved modernising Australia's car industry by reducing tariff
Tariff
A tariff may be either tax on imports or exports , or a list or schedule of prices for such things as rail service, bus routes, and electrical usage ....
s and government protection.
Biography
Button was born in Ballarat, VictoriaVictoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, and was educated at The Geelong College
The Geelong College
The Geelong College is an independent, co-educational, day and boarding school, located in Newtown, an inner-western suburb of Geelong, Victoria, Australia....
and the University of Melbourne
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
, where he graduated in arts and law. He became a prominent barrister and solicitor in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, and was active in 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...
from the late 1950s. In the 1960s he joined a group of other middle-class Labor activists, such as John Cain
John Cain (senior)
John Cain was an Australian politician, who became the 34th premier of Victoria, and was the first Australian Labor Party leader to win a majority in the Victorian Legislative Assembly. He was the only premier of Victoria whose son also served as premier.-Early life:Cain was born, one of 18...
, Barry Jones
Barry Jones (Australian politician)
Barry Owen Jones AO, FAA, FASSA, FAHA, FTSE, FACE is a writer, lawyer, social activist, quiz champion and former politician. He campaigned against the death penalty throughout the 1960s, particularly against the execution of Ronald Ryan, and remains against capital punishment...
, Richard McGarvie
Richard McGarvie
Richard Elgin McGarvie, AC, KStJ, QC was a judge in the Supreme Court of Victoria and Governor of Victoria from 1992 to 1997.-Early life:...
, Frank Costigan
Frank Costigan
Francis Xavier "Frank" Costigan, QC was an Australian lawyer who is most famous for chairing the Costigan Commission into organised crime.-Background and early life:...
and Michael Duffy
Michael Duffy (politician)
Michael John Duffy, ONZ , Australian politician, was an Australian Labor Party member of the Australian House of Representatives for the Division of Holt from 1980 to 1996...
, known as "the Participants," whose objective was to end Left-wing control of the Victorian
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
branch of the Labor Party.
In 1970, the Participants formed an alliance with the federal Labor leader Gough Whitlam
Gough Whitlam
Edward Gough Whitlam, AC, QC , known as Gough Whitlam , served as the 21st Prime Minister of Australia. Whitlam led the Australian Labor Party to power at the 1972 election and retained government at the 1974 election, before being dismissed by Governor-General Sir John Kerr at the climax of the...
and the President of the Australian Council of Trade Unions
Australian Council of Trade Unions
The Australian Council of Trade Unions is the largest peak body representing workers in Australia. It is a national trade union centre of 46 affiliated unions.-History:The ACTU was formed in 1927 as the "Australian Council of Trade Unions"...
, Bob Hawke
Bob Hawke
Robert James Lee "Bob" Hawke AC GCL was the 23rd Prime Minister of Australia from March 1983 to December 1991 and therefore longest serving Australian Labor Party Prime Minister....
, to bring about intervention in the Victorian branch by the Federal Executive
Australian Labor Party National Executive
The National Executive is the highest elected body of the Australian Labor Party, one of the major political parties in Australia. The Executive is elected by the party's National Conference, held every three years, and represents the party's state and territory branches. Many of its members are...
. Button became part of the interim Advisory Council which took over the branch after intervention, and in 1974 he was elected to 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,...
as a strong supporter of Whitlam. He remained a backbencher during the remaining 18 months of the Whitlam government.
Button was elected to the Opposition Shadow Ministry in 1976 and was elected Deputy Labor Leader in the Senate in 1977. From 1980 to 1983 he was Leader of the Opposition in the Senate and Shadow Minister for Communications. He was also a member of the Labor National Executive. Button became well known as a parliamentary tactician and for his dry sense of humour.
A close friend of Labor Leader Bill Hayden
Bill Hayden
William George "Bill" Hayden AC was the 21st Governor-General of Australia. Prior to this, he represented the Australian Labor Party in parliament; he was a minister in the government of Gough Whitlam, and later became Leader of the Opposition, narrowly losing the 1980 federal election to the...
, Button decided during 1982 that Hayden could not lead the party to victory at the election due in late 1983. When Liberal
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser
Malcolm Fraser
John Malcolm Fraser AC, CH, GCL, PC is a former Australian Liberal Party politician who was the 22nd Prime Minister of Australia. He came to power in the 1975 election following the dismissal of the Whitlam Labor government, in which he played a key role...
called a snap election in February 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...
, it was Button who told Hayden that he must resign immediately to make way for Bob Hawke.
In 1983, when Hawke became Prime Minister, Button became Minister for Industry and Commerce, a post he held until 1993. During this period Button carried through major changes in industry policy, lowering tariffs and reducing other forms of protectionism
Protectionism
Protectionism is the economic policy of restraining trade between states through methods such as tariffs on imported goods, restrictive quotas, and a variety of other government regulations designed to allow "fair competition" between imports and goods and services produced domestically.This...
. This caused large job losses in manufacturing industry and provoked bitter opposition among Labor's trade union base.
Button was responsible for the Button car plan
Button car plan
The Button car plan, also known as the Button plan was the informal name given to the Motor Industry Development Plan. The plan was an Australian federal government initiative, intended to rationalise the Australian motor vehicle industry. Industry consultation had begun in 1984 with a proposed...
, which reorganised the Australian car industry in an attempt to make it competitive without tariff protection. One component of the plan was the sharing of models by local manufacturers, for example, Holden
Holden
GM Holden Ltd is an automaker that operates in Australia, based in Port Melbourne, Victoria. The company was founded in 1856 as a saddlery manufacturer. In 1908 it moved into the automotive field, before becoming a subsidiary of the U.S.-based General Motors in 1931...
shared models with Toyota, and Ford shared models with Nissan. However, badge engineering
Badge engineering
Badge engineering is an ironic term that describes the rebadging of one product as another...
proved unpopular from buyers, who preferred original models to their rebadged versions, and with manufacturers themselves.
Button retired in 1993. In retirement he remained active in Labor affairs and published several volumes of amusing memoirs. He also led a number of trade missions, joined company boards and served as a professorial fellow at Monash University
Monash University
Monash University is a public university based in Melbourne, Victoria. It was founded in 1958 and is the second oldest university in the state. Monash is a member of Australia's Group of Eight and the ASAIHL....
. His son James Button is a prominent journalist.
John Button died on 8 April 2008, after months battling pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer refers to a malignant neoplasm of the pancreas. The most common type of pancreatic cancer, accounting for 95% of these tumors is adenocarcinoma, which arises within the exocrine component of the pancreas. A minority arises from the islet cells and is classified as a...
.
External links
- John Button, 1933–2008 Eulogy by James Button, May 2008