Tom Burns (Australian politician)
Encyclopedia
Tom Burns AO was an Australia
n politician who led the Australian Labor Party
(ALP) in Queensland
between 1974 and 1978 and was Deputy Premier of Queensland between 1989 and 1996. He served as the Member for Lytton
in the Parliament of Queensland
between 1972 and 1996. Burns had previously served as the Federal President of the ALP between 1970 and 1973, playing a key role in modernising the party prior to the election of Gough Whitlam
as the Prime Minister of Australia
in 1972.
in October 1931. After attending Brisbane Grammar School
, he spent six years in the Royal Australian Air Force
before becoming involved in politics.
Burns worked as an organiser for the Labor Party between 1960 and 1965 before his promotion to the position as Queensland State Secretary of the ALP. As State Secretary, he played a critical role in persuading the Queensland delegates to the National Executive to vote against the expulsion of Whitlam from the ALP in 1966.
Senior people wanted Burns to become the National Secretary of the Australian Labor Party in 1969 where he would run the party's campaign in the 1969 Federal election
. When he was reluctant, Mick Young
was appointed as the National Secretary. .
He was elected as the National President of the ALP in 1970. Burns was heavily involved in Federal intervention in the New South Wales
and Victorian
branches, conducting a report into the affairs of the NSW Branch and taking over administrative responsibility with Young for the Victorian Branch. His report on the NSW Branch was critical of the running of the 1968 preselection of Paul Keating
as the candidate for the Division of Blaxland
. The Federal intervention into the Victorian and NSW branches was a critical factor in Labor's success in the 1972 Federal election
.
, which is a safe Labor seat. He took over the leadership of the Queensland branch of the Labor Party in 1974 after Labor was reduced to a "cricket
team" of 11 members. Burns managed to gain 12 seats in the 1977 election
but the Coalition continued to enjoy a healthy majority. He resigned as leader of the Labor Party in 1978.
In 1984, Burns was elected as Deputy Leader of the ALP with Nev Warburton
as Leader. He retained the Deputy Leadership when Wayne Goss
became the leader, and served as Deputy Premier between 1989 and 1996, holding a variety of ministerial portfolios. Burns retired from the Deputy Leadership and from the Parliament in 1996.
having been a member of the first Australia
n delegation to China in the 1970s led by Gough Whitlam. In July 1999, the Beattie
Government appointed him as Chair of the Queensland-China Council and he was made an Officer of the Order of Australia
in 2001 for his contribution to Australia's relationship with China.
Burns died in June 2007, aged 75.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n politician who led 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...
(ALP) in Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
between 1974 and 1978 and was Deputy Premier of Queensland between 1989 and 1996. He served as the Member for Lytton
Electoral district of Lytton
The district of Lytton is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Queensland.The district is based in the eastern suburbs of Brisbane, to the south of the Brisbane River. It is named for the suburb of Lytton and also includes the suburbs of Hemmant, Lota, Manly...
in the Parliament of Queensland
Parliament of Queensland
The Parliament of Queensland is the legislature of Queensland, Australia. According to the state's constitution, the Parliament consists of the Queen and the Legislative Assembly. It is the only unicameral state parliament in the country, the upper chamber, the Legislative Council, having been...
between 1972 and 1996. Burns had previously served as the Federal President of the ALP between 1970 and 1973, playing a key role in modernising the party prior to the election of 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...
as the Prime Minister of Australia
Prime Minister of Australia
The Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia is the highest minister of the Crown, leader of the Cabinet and Head of Her Majesty's Australian Government, holding office on commission from the Governor-General of Australia. The office of Prime Minister is, in practice, the most powerful...
in 1972.
Early life and career
Thomas James Burns was born in Maryborough, QueenslandMaryborough, Queensland
Maryborough is a city located on the Mary River in South East Queensland, Australia, approximately north of the state capital, Brisbane. The city is serviced by the Bruce Highway, and has a population of approximately 22,000 . It is closely tied to its neighbour city Hervey Bay which is...
in October 1931. After attending Brisbane Grammar School
Brisbane Grammar School
Brisbane Grammar School is an independent, non-denominational, day and boarding school for boys, located in Spring Hill, an inner suburb of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia...
, he spent six years in the Royal Australian Air Force
Royal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
before becoming involved in politics.
Burns worked as an organiser for the Labor Party between 1960 and 1965 before his promotion to the position as Queensland State Secretary of the ALP. As State Secretary, he played a critical role in persuading the Queensland delegates to the National Executive to vote against the expulsion of Whitlam from the ALP in 1966.
Senior people wanted Burns to become the National Secretary of the Australian Labor Party in 1969 where he would run the party's campaign in the 1969 Federal election
Australian federal election, 1969
Federal elections were held in Australia on 25 October 1969. All 125 seats in the House of Representatives were up for election. The incumbent Liberal Party of Australia led by Prime Minister of Australia John Gorton with coalition partner the Country Party led by John McEwen defeated the Australian...
. When he was reluctant, Mick Young
Mick Young
Michael Jerome Young was an Australian politician. He rose through the Australian Labor Party to become its National Secretary, before serving as a Labor member of the House of Representatives from the 1974 election to 1988...
was appointed as the National Secretary. .
He was elected as the National President of the ALP in 1970. Burns was heavily involved in Federal intervention in the 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...
and 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....
branches, conducting a report into the affairs of the NSW Branch and taking over administrative responsibility with Young for the Victorian Branch. His report on the NSW Branch was critical of the running of the 1968 preselection of Paul 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...
as the candidate for the Division of Blaxland
Division of Blaxland
The Division of Blaxland is an Australian Electoral Division in New South Wales. It is based in the western suburbs of Sydney, and includes the working-class suburbs of Bass Hill, Birrong, Carramar, Chester Hill, Condell Park, Fairfield East, Georges Hall, Guildford West, Old Guildford,...
. The Federal intervention into the Victorian and NSW branches was a critical factor in Labor's success in the 1972 Federal election
Australian federal election, 1972
Federal elections were held in Australia on 2 December 1972. All 125 seats in the House of Representatives were up for election. The Liberal Party of Australia had been in power since 1949, under Prime Minister of Australia William McMahon since March 1971 with coalition partner the Country Party...
.
Parliamentary career
Burns was elected as the member for LyttonElectoral district of Lytton
The district of Lytton is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Queensland.The district is based in the eastern suburbs of Brisbane, to the south of the Brisbane River. It is named for the suburb of Lytton and also includes the suburbs of Hemmant, Lota, Manly...
, which is a safe Labor seat. He took over the leadership of the Queensland branch of the Labor Party in 1974 after Labor was reduced to a "cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
team" of 11 members. Burns managed to gain 12 seats in the 1977 election
Queensland state election, 1977
Elections were held in the Australian state of Queensland on 12 November 1977 to elect the 82 members of the state's Legislative Assembly.The election resulted in a fourth consecutive victory for the National-Liberal Coalition under Joh Bjelke-Petersen...
but the Coalition continued to enjoy a healthy majority. He resigned as leader of the Labor Party in 1978.
In 1984, Burns was elected as Deputy Leader of the ALP with Nev Warburton
Nev Warburton
Neville George Warburton was a Queensland politician, who served as leader of the opposition from 1984 to 1988, and as a minister in the Goss Ministry from 1989 to 1992.-Early career:...
as Leader. He retained the Deputy Leadership when Wayne Goss
Wayne Goss
Wayne Keith Goss was Premier of Queensland from 7 December 1989 until 19 February 1996.-Early life:He was born at Mundubbera, Queensland and educated at Inala High School and the University of Queensland...
became the leader, and served as Deputy Premier between 1989 and 1996, holding a variety of ministerial portfolios. Burns retired from the Deputy Leadership and from the Parliament in 1996.
Later years
Burns remained active in public life after his retirement from politics. He had a long-term interest in ChinaChina
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
having been a member of the first Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n delegation to China in the 1970s led by Gough Whitlam. In July 1999, the Beattie
Peter Beattie
Peter Douglas Beattie , Australian politician, was the 36th Premier of the Australian state of Queensland for nine years and leader of the Australian Labor Party in that state for eleven and a half years...
Government appointed him as Chair of the Queensland-China Council and he was made an Officer of the Order of Australia
Order 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 2001 for his contribution to Australia's relationship with China.
Burns died in June 2007, aged 75.