Peter Andren
| Peter Andren AM |
|
|---|---|
| Member of the Australian Parliament for Calare |
|
| In office 2 March 1996 – 17 October 2007 |
|
| Preceded by | David Simmons |
| Succeeded by | John Cobb |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 28 August 1946 Gulargambone, New South Wales |
| Died | 3 November 2007 (aged 61) |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Political party | Independent |
| Spouse(s) | Jenny Price (divorced) |
| Children | Greg, Josh |
| Alma mater | Macquarie University |
| Occupation | Teacher, journalist |
Peter James Andren AM (28 August 1946 – 3 November 2007) was an Australian politician. He was an independent member of the Australian House of Representatives from March 1996 until October 2007, representing the electorate of Calare, New South Wales.
Biography[edit]
Peter Andren was born in Gulargambone, New South Wales, and attended Normanhurst Boys' High School[1] and Macquarie University, Sydney. He was a teacher, television reporter, presenter and producer and radio and television news editor with CBN and 2GZ before entering politics.
He was elected to the House of Representatives for the seat of Calare at the 1996 election. He attempted to implement changes to politicians' superannuation, involving giving members the opportunity to opt out of the parliamentary scheme. He introduced a Private Member's Bill to this extent, which failed to pass through either house. He had been an active opponent of genetically modified crops, and was involved with the Standing Committee on Primary Industries and Regional Services. Andren was known to join with the other two rural independent members, Bob Katter and Tony Windsor, in raising regional issues with the Parliament and media. He was also a vocal critic of Australia's policy on asylum seekers, and the Iraq War. His two party-preferred vote of over 75 per cent in 2001 made Calare the second-safest seat in Australia.[2]
A redistribution of electoral boundaries in 2006 reduced Andren's notional majority, leading to speculation that he might have stood for the neighbouring seat of Macquarie, which now included former Calare cities Bathurst and Lithgow, at the next election.[3][4] On 29 March 2007, he instead made an announcement that he would stand down from Calare to contest a New South Wales seat in the Senate.[5] However he subsequently announced on 10 August 2007 that he had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and that "the diagnosis and available interventions to treat this cancer are not very encouraging." Due to his illness, he had to abandon his candidacy for a seat in the Senate[6] and he saw out his term as member for Calare until the parliament was dissolved on 17 October, before the 2007 election. He died less than three weeks later, on 3 November, survived by his partner Valerie Faber, his two sons Greg and Josh and his ex-wife Jenny Price.[7] [8] His funeral at Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Orange was attended by an estimated 600–1000 people.[9] [10]
Andren's seat of Calare was won by John Cobb for the National Party at the 2007 election.
On 9 June 2008 Andren was posthumously made a Member of the Order of Australia for his services in Parliament and to rural and regional Australia.[11][12]
After his death, the Orange Aboriginal Medical Service set up a $5,000 medical scholarship named in Andren's honour.[13]
References[edit]
- ^ "School Choice - 2006 NSW schools, Vic schools - Browse NSW schools".
- ^ Peter Andren, The Andren Report: An independent way in Australian politics, Scribe Publications, 2003
- ^ AAP (2006-06-30). "Seat redistribution angers politicians". The Age (Fairfax Media). Retrieved 2008-03-15.
- ^ "Redistribution forces Andren to decide on electorate". ABC News Online (ABC). 2006-09-14. Retrieved 2008-03-15.
- ^ AAP (29 March 2007). "NSW Independent Andren seeks Senate seat". Sydney Morning Herald.
- ^ Veness, Peter; Shelley Markham (2007-08-10). "I'll beat cancer, says federal MP". News.com.au (News Corporation).
- ^ "Andren dies after four-month illness". ABC News (ABC). 2007-11-03.
- ^ Davis, Mark (2007-11-05). "An independent voice silenced too soon". The Sydney Morning Herald (Fairfax Media). Retrieved 2007-11-10.
- ^ McFarland, Greg (2007-11-10). "Farewell to Andren, a beacon of decency". The Sydney Morning Herald (Fairfax Media). Retrieved 2007-11-10.
- ^ AAP (2007-11-09). "Andren remembered as an open-hearted man". The Sydney Morning Herald (Fairfax Media). Retrieved 2007-11-10.
- ^ "High honours for Howard and his right-hand man". The Sydney Morning Herald. 2008-06-10.
- ^ "The Queen's Birthday 2008 Honours" (Press release). Governor-General of Australia. 2008-06-09. Retrieved 2008-06-09. "For service to the Parliament of Australia, and to the rural and regional communities of central west New South Wales, particularly through support for a range of Indigenous, disability and health service organisations."
- ^ "Scholarship to honour Peter Andren’s memory". ABC News Online (ABC). 2007-07-11. Retrieved 2009-01-01.
External links[edit]
 |
Wikinews has related news: Peter Andren, Australian MP dies aged 61 |
- Official Website from The Parliament of Australia
- Cancer Announcement - Official Press Release
| Parliament of Australia | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by David Simmons |
Member for Calare 1996–2007 |
Succeeded by John Cobb |
|
- 1946 births
- 2007 deaths
- Australian television producers
- Australian television journalists
- Australian television presenters
- Independent politicians in Australia
- Macquarie University alumni
- Members of the Australian House of Representatives
- Members of the Australian House of Representatives for Calare
- Deaths from pancreatic cancer
- Members of the Order of Australia
