John Halfpenny
Encyclopedia
John Francis Halfpenny AM (7 April 1935 – 20 January 2003) was an Australian unionist.
in Victoria and joined the Communist Party
, travelling to Moscow in 1960 as head of the Eureka Youth League. A metal worker, he became an organiser for the Amalgamated Engineering Union in 1969 and was elected its secretary in 1970. In 1972 he became state secretary of the Amalgamated Workers Union. Halfpenny resigned from the Communist Party in 1979 and joined the Australian Labor Party
in 1982, running unsuccessfully for the Senate
in 1987. He was secretary of the Victorian Trades Hall Council
(VTHC) from 1987 to 1995 and also served as an executive of the Australian Council of Trade Unions
.
He was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in the Australia Day
Honours of 26 January 1998.
In December 1998 he was fined $4,000, but not convicted, for falsely claiming $26,000 in compensation while employed by the VTHC. In February 2000 he came to public attention again when he sought damages for an ankle injury he had sustained on his way to work 46 years earlier, in 1954.
Halfpenny died in 2003 from heart disease
.
His daughter Bronwyn Halfpenny
is currently a member of the Victorian Parliament.
Biography
Halfpenny was born in DonaldDonald, Victoria
Donald is a town in Victoria, Australia, located on the Richardson River, at the junction of Sunraysia Highway and Borung Highway, in the Shire of Buloke. The town is named after William Donald, a Scottish pastoralist who was the first settler in the area in 1844...
in Victoria and joined the Communist Party
Communist Party of Australia
The Communist Party of Australia was founded in 1920 and dissolved in 1991; it was succeeded by the Socialist Party of Australia, which then renamed itself, becoming the current Communist Party of Australia. The CPA achieved its greatest political strength in the 1940s and faced an attempted...
, travelling to Moscow in 1960 as head of the Eureka Youth League. A metal worker, he became an organiser for the Amalgamated Engineering Union in 1969 and was elected its secretary in 1970. In 1972 he became state secretary of the Amalgamated Workers Union. Halfpenny resigned from the Communist Party in 1979 and 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 1982, running unsuccessfully for the 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,...
in 1987. He was secretary of the Victorian Trades Hall Council
Victorian Trades Hall Council
The Victorian Trades Hall Council is a representative body of trade union organisations, known as a Labour council, in the State of Victoria, Australia...
(VTHC) from 1987 to 1995 and also served as an executive 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"...
.
He was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in the Australia Day
Australia Day
Australia Day is the official national day of Australia...
Honours of 26 January 1998.
In December 1998 he was fined $4,000, but not convicted, for falsely claiming $26,000 in compensation while employed by the VTHC. In February 2000 he came to public attention again when he sought damages for an ankle injury he had sustained on his way to work 46 years earlier, in 1954.
Halfpenny died in 2003 from heart disease
Heart disease
Heart disease, cardiac disease or cardiopathy is an umbrella term for a variety of diseases affecting the heart. , it is the leading cause of death in the United States, England, Canada and Wales, accounting for 25.4% of the total deaths in the United States.-Types:-Coronary heart disease:Coronary...
.
His daughter Bronwyn Halfpenny
Bronwyn Halfpenny
Bronwyn Halfpenny is an Australian politician, and has been the member for Thomastown in the Victorian Legislative Assembly since 2010....
is currently a member of the Victorian Parliament.