Michael Townley (Australian politician)
Encyclopedia
Michael Townley is a former Tasmanian senator. He served both as an Independent and as a Liberal Party of Australia
senator.
Townley was elected as an Independent Tasmanian Senator at the 1970 Half Senate election
and the 1974 Double Dissolution Election
.
In February 1975 he joined the Liberal party. This increased the Coalition's
numbers in the Senate from 29 to 30 out of 60, and so was a factor in the 1975 Australian constitutional crisis.
He remained a Liberal senator until his retirement at the Australian federal election, 1987.
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...
senator.
Townley was elected as an Independent Tasmanian Senator at the 1970 Half Senate election
Australian Senate election, 1970
Half-senate elections were held in Australia on 21 November 1970.Independents: Reg Turnbull , Michael Townley , Syd Negus -See also:*Candidates of the Australian Senate election, 1970...
and the 1974 Double Dissolution Election
Australian federal election, 1974
Federal elections were held in Australia on 18 May 1974. All 127 seats in the House of Representatives, and all 60 seats in the Senate were up for election, due to a double dissolution...
.
In February 1975 he joined the Liberal party. This increased the Coalition's
Coalition (Australia)
The Coalition in Australian politics refers to a group of centre-right parties that has existed in the form of a coalition agreement since 1922...
numbers in the Senate from 29 to 30 out of 60, and so was a factor in the 1975 Australian constitutional crisis.
He remained a Liberal senator until his retirement at the Australian federal election, 1987.
External links
- Members of the Senate since 1901 - Australian Parliament