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Tom Jones (Australian politician)
Encyclopedia
Thomas Henry Jones OAM
(born 2 March 1924) is a retired Australia
n politician and trade union
leader. He served the Australian Labor Party
as member for
Collie
from 1968 until his retirement in 1989.
, Western Australia
. He worked as a call boy with the railways at the beginning of his career after moving to Collie
in 1929. In 1947 he joined the coal
mining industry and in 1951 was elected General Secretary of the Coal Miners Industrial Union - the youngest person ever elected to that position. He also served as Secretary of the Collie Coal Miners Combined Union. Tom Jones was also responsible as an industrial advocate for winning the 35-hour week as an Award Condition for Australian workers.
in 1968 and served as the Labor
Member for 21 years. His retirement in 1989 saw the National Party candidate Hilda Turnbull become the member for Collie.
During his parliamentary career he was active in the policies of Government for the coal mining industry. He was Chairman of the State Parliamentary Party during the period of the John Tonkin
Government.
, and for his service to the trade union movement and the welfare of the elderly.
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"...
(born 2 March 1924) is a retired 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 politician and trade union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
leader. He served 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...
as member for
Electoral district of Collie-Wellington
The Electoral district of Collie-Preston is a Legislative Assembly electorate in the state of Western Australia. While the seat was known as Collie for just over a century of its existence as an electorate, the seat was known as South West Mining from 1901 to 1904, and Collie-Wellington from 2005...
Collie
Collie, Western Australia
-External links:*...
from 1968 until his retirement in 1989.
Early life
Jones was born in DonnybrookDonnybrook, Western Australia
-Tourism:Donnybrook has many town icons bearing the apple. On the main street, apple-shaped lights line the entrance of the Old Railway Station. These lights have recently been restored. Atop the east Donnybrook hill is a high tower with an apple at the top...
, Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
. He worked as a call boy with the railways at the beginning of his career after moving to Collie
Collie
The collie is a distinctive type of herding dog, including many related landraces and formal breeds. It originates in Scotland and Northern England. It is a medium-sized, fairly lightly built dog with a pointed snout, and many types have a distinctive white pattern over the shoulders. Collies...
in 1929. In 1947 he joined the coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
mining industry and in 1951 was elected General Secretary of the Coal Miners Industrial Union - the youngest person ever elected to that position. He also served as Secretary of the Collie Coal Miners Combined Union. Tom Jones was also responsible as an industrial advocate for winning the 35-hour week as an Award Condition for Australian workers.
Political life
Jones was elected as member for Collie-WellingtonElectoral district of Collie-Wellington
The Electoral district of Collie-Preston is a Legislative Assembly electorate in the state of Western Australia. While the seat was known as Collie for just over a century of its existence as an electorate, the seat was known as South West Mining from 1901 to 1904, and Collie-Wellington from 2005...
in 1968 and served as the 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...
Member for 21 years. His retirement in 1989 saw the National Party candidate Hilda Turnbull become the member for Collie.
During his parliamentary career he was active in the policies of Government for the coal mining industry. He was Chairman of the State Parliamentary Party during the period of the John Tonkin
John Tonkin
John Trezise Tonkin AC , popularly known as "Honest John", was the 20th Premier of Western Australia , taking power after the almost 12 year term of Liberal Sir David Brand....
Government.
Medal of the Order of Australia
Jones holds the Medal of the Order of Australia, granted for his service as a member of the Western Australian Legislative AssemblyWestern Australian Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of parliament in the Australian state of Western Australia. It sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Perth....
, and for his service to the trade union movement and the welfare of the elderly.