Paul Howes
Encyclopedia
Paul Howes is the National Secretary of The Australian Workers' Union
, a position he has held since the age of 26. He is also Vice President of the Australian Council of Trade Unions and serves on a number of Government boards.
He was elected National Secretary of the Australian Workers' Union
following the election of former AWU National Secretary Bill Shorten
to the Australian House of Representatives
in November 2007.
Howes entered politics while still at Blaxland High School in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales, joining the far-left political groups Democratic Socialist Party
and Resistance
. He never finished high school, leaving in Year 9. However by the age of 17 Howes abandoned far-left politics and joined the Australian Labor Party
.
Howes became a union official at the age of 17 when he was employed as a research officer by the Labor Council of New South Wales
(now Unions New South Wales). He joined the Australian Workers' Union as an official in New South Wales
in 2002 and was later recruited to the National Office of the union. In 2005 he was elected as the union's National Vice President, becoming the youngest ever national official in the history of the union. As AWU National Secretary, Howes is a Director of AustralianSuper, one of the largest superannuation trusts in Australia. He is also a member of the powerful National Executive of the Australian Labor Party
.
Howes came to national attention as a union spokesperson for the miners during the Beaconsfield Mine Disaster.
In December 2008, Howes was elected Vice President of the Australian Council of Trade Unions
. In February 2009, he was reelected unopposed for a four year term as AWU National Secretary. An episode of ABC
program Australian Story
, broadcast August 2010, highlighted his influence within Labor, especially leading up to the Australian federal election, 2010. Others reported to have been influential, in addition to Howes in 2010, include Labor 'powerbrokers' (or 'faceless men'): Mark Arbib
, Don Farrell
, David Feeney
and former AWU secretary Bill Shorten.
In November 2010 Howes published Confessions of a Faceless Man, his autobiographical analyses of the election and 18 months in Australian politics. He also gave a speech to the Sydney Institute
, which The Australian
published as an opinion piece headed: "ALP's faceless men must learn to tolerate dissent."
Howes lives in Sydney, New South Wales is married to Lucy, and has three children.
Australian Workers' Union
The Australian Workers' Union is one of Australia's largest and oldest trade unions. It traces its origins to unions founded in the pastoral and mining industries in the 1880s, and currently has approximately 135,000 members...
, a position he has held since the age of 26. He is also Vice President of the Australian Council of Trade Unions and serves on a number of Government boards.
He was elected National Secretary of the Australian Workers' Union
Australian Workers' Union
The Australian Workers' Union is one of Australia's largest and oldest trade unions. It traces its origins to unions founded in the pastoral and mining industries in the 1880s, and currently has approximately 135,000 members...
following the election of former AWU National Secretary Bill Shorten
Bill Shorten
William Richard "Bill" Shorten is an Australian politician, the Member for Maribyrnong in the Australian Parliament, Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Superannuation and Financial Services. He was the Parliamentary Secretary for Disability and Children's Services in the Rudd/Gillard Government...
to the Australian House of Representatives
Australian House of Representatives
The House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia; it is the lower house; the upper house is the Senate. Members of Parliament serve for terms of approximately three years....
in November 2007.
Howes entered politics while still at Blaxland High School in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales, joining the far-left political groups Democratic Socialist Party
Democratic Socialist Perspective
The Democratic Socialist Perspective was an Australian Marxist political group, which operated as the largest component of a broad-left socialist formation, the Socialist Alliance...
and Resistance
Resistance (socialist youth organisation)
Resistance is a Revolutionary Socialist youth organisation with its national headquarters in Sydney. Resistance is an independent affiliate of the Socialist Alliance with a strong historical relationship with the Democratic Socialist Perspective, which dissolved into the Socialist Alliance in...
. He never finished high school, leaving in Year 9. However by the age of 17 Howes abandoned far-left politics 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...
.
Howes became a union official at the age of 17 when he was employed as a research officer by the Labor Council of New South Wales
Labor Council of New South Wales
The Labor Council of New South Wales is a representative body of Trade union organisations in the State of New South Wales, Australia. As of 2005 there are 67 unions and 8 Rural and Regional Trades & Labor Councils affiliated to the Labor Council, representing 800,000 workers in NSW...
(now Unions New South Wales). He joined the Australian Workers' Union as an official in New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
in 2002 and was later recruited to the National Office of the union. In 2005 he was elected as the union's National Vice President, becoming the youngest ever national official in the history of the union. As AWU National Secretary, Howes is a Director of AustralianSuper, one of the largest superannuation trusts in Australia. He is also a member of the powerful National Executive of 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...
.
Howes came to national attention as a union spokesperson for the miners during the Beaconsfield Mine Disaster.
In December 2008, Howes was elected Vice 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"...
. In February 2009, he was reelected unopposed for a four year term as AWU National Secretary. An episode of ABC
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
program Australian Story
Australian Story
Australian Story is a national weekly documentary series, produced and broadcast on ABC Television.Since 1996 Australian Story has featured many Australians from diverse backgrounds and reputations...
, broadcast August 2010, highlighted his influence within Labor, especially leading up to the Australian federal election, 2010. Others reported to have been influential, in addition to Howes in 2010, include Labor 'powerbrokers' (or 'faceless men'): Mark Arbib
Mark Arbib
Mark Victor Arbib is an Australian politician. He has been a Labor member of the Australian Senate since July 2008, representing the state of New South Wales. He was the Australian Labor Party State Secretary of the New South Wales branch from 2004 to 2007...
, Don Farrell
Don Farrell
Donald Edward Farrell is an Australian 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...
, David Feeney
David Feeney
David Ian Feeney is an Australian politician. He has been a Labor member of the Australian Senate since July 2008.Feeney was born in Adelaide. His father is a immigrant from Northern Ireland. Raised Catholic, he attended Mercedes College, Adelaide before moving to Melbourne, where he attended...
and former AWU secretary Bill Shorten.
In November 2010 Howes published Confessions of a Faceless Man, his autobiographical analyses of the election and 18 months in Australian politics. He also gave a speech to the Sydney Institute
Sydney Institute
The Sydney Institute, founded in 1989, is a privately funded, conservative, Australian current affairs forum. The Sydney Institute took over the resources of the Sydney Institute of Public Affairs which ceased activity in the late 1980s...
, which The Australian
The Australian
The Australian is a broadsheet newspaper published in Australia from Monday to Saturday each week since 14 July 1964. The editor in chief is Chris Mitchell, the editor is Clive Mathieson and the 'editor-at-large' is Paul Kelly....
published as an opinion piece headed: "ALP's faceless men must learn to tolerate dissent."
Howes lives in Sydney, New South Wales is married to Lucy, and has three children.