John Anderson (Australian politician)

John Duncan Anderson AO (born 14 November 1956) is a former Australian politician who was the Deputy Prime Minister of Australia and leader of the National Party from 1999 to 2005. He was a member of the House of Representatives from 1989 to 2007, and served as Minister for Primary Industries and Energy (1996–1998) and Minister for Transport and Regional Development (1998–2005) in the Howard Government.

The Honourable John Anderson AO
Deputy Prime Minister of Australia
In office 20 July 1999 – 6 July 2005
Prime Minister	John Howard
Preceded by	Tim Fischer
Succeeded by	Mark Vaile
Leader of the National Party of Australia Elections: 2001, 2004
In office 20 July 1999 – 6 July 2005
Deputy	Mark Vaile
Preceded by	Tim Fischer
Succeeded by	Mark Vaile
Minister for Transport and Regional Development
In office 21 October 1998 – 6 July 2005
Prime Minister	John Howard
Preceded by	Mark Vaile
Succeeded by	Warren Truss
Deputy Leader of the National Party of Australia
In office 23 March 1993 – 20 July 1999
Leader	Tim Fischer
Preceded by	Bruce Lloyd
Succeeded by	Mark Vaile
Minister for Primary Industries and Energy
In office 11 March 1996 – 21 October 1998
Prime Minister	John Howard
Preceded by	Bob Collins
Succeeded by	Mark Vaile
Member of Parliament for Gwydir
In office 15 April 1989 – 17 October 2007
Preceded by	Ralph Hunt
Succeeded by	Division abolished
Personal details
Born	14 November 1956 Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Political party	National Party of Australia
Spouse(s)	Julia Robertson
Children	5
Alma mater	The King's School, Parramatta, University of Sydney

As a cabinet minister and later Deputy Prime Minister, Anderson was responsible for primary industry deregulation, transport infrastructure building and reform of water rights.[1]

After politics, Anderson launched a podcast and video series, Conversations with John Anderson, featuring public figures such as Canadian psychologist Jordan Peterson and former federal opposition leader Kim Beazley.

Early life and education

Anderson was born in Sydney to Duncan Anderson and Beryl Mann.[2] His family had been graziers and landowners of Mullaley in northern New South Wales since the 1840s.[3] When he was three years old, his mother died of cancer. His father was an acting sergeant in north Africa during World War II, where he sustained significant injuries.[4] Anderson had a younger sister, Jane, who died in childhood as a result of a sporting accident.[5][6]

Anderson has described his religious upbringing as "very, very nominal Presbyterian."[7]

As a young child, Anderson was tutored at home by his Aunt, Margaret, through Blackfriars Correspondence School.[7] At age nine, he was sent to board in Gunnedah where he attended Gunnedah South Public School.[8] Anderson was then sent to The King's School in Parramatta, boarding at Waddy House.[9]

He began a degree in arts and laws at the University of Sydney, where he was a resident of St Paul’s College, but dropped law shortly after commencing.[7] Anderson graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in history and returned to the family property where he was a farmer and grazier, and completed a Master of Arts during this time.[10]

Early parliamentary career

Anderson became chair of the National Party's Tambar Springs branch in 1984.[11] A few weeks later, MP Frank O'Keefe recommended Anderson run for the seat of Paterson, where he was current member,[12] but the seat was abolished in 1984.[13] In 1989, Ralph Hunt, the sitting MP in the neighbouring seat of Gwydir, retired and supported Anderson to replace him.[14] The ensuing pre-selection contest to become the National Party candidate for the next election was close, Anderson winning over contenders that included future MP, Tony Windsor.[15][16] Facing the by-election he faced right wing candidates John Uebergang, who would later create the Confederate Action Party of Australia, and the anti-immigration Bevan O’Regan, who would later join One Nation.[17]

Anderson won the by election, with a two-party preferred result of 56%.[18] His first remarks to the House of Representatives were part of a condolence motion for his mentor, and former MP, Frank O'Keefe, who had died two weeks before.[19] Anderson gave his official maiden speech on 17 August 1989, describing the country as “in grave economic trouble"[20] Initially, he was seen as a protege of former party leader Ian Sinclair.[21]

In parliament, Anderson advocated reducing interest rates to lower the cost of production, distanced himself from economic rationalists, and supported liberal-conservative political views. Anderson served in parliamentary committees in Transport, Communications and Infrastructure.

After the 1990 federal election, Anderson joined the shadow ministry. He was seen as a protégé of former party leader Ian Sinclair.[21] In April 1992, he was made parliamentary secretary to the Shadow Minister for Industrial Relations.[22][23] In March 1993, following the Coalition's defeat at the 1993 election, Anderson was elected deputy leader of the Nationals in place of Bruce Lloyd. With the backing of Sinclair, who unsuccessfully challenged Tim Fischer for the party leadership, he defeated three more senior candidates – Peter McGauran, John Sharp and Bruce Scott. At the time he was described in The Canberra Times as "a young, good-looking man with a long lineage in farming who has been tipped for party leadership ever since he entered politics because he bridges the traditional interests of the former Country Party and its need to update its image for the 1990s".[21] He was subsequently included in John Hewson's shadow cabinet as Shadow Minister for Primary Industry.[11] As shadow minister he criticised the minister Simon Crean on matters such as the government-set wool floor price.[24]

Anderson served as acting leader of the Nationals for around a month starting in January 1994, in the absence of Fischer who had been badly injured in a car accident.[25]

Cabinet minister

Anderson became the Minister for Primary Industries and Energy upon the Coalition's victory at the 1996 federal election, where he had promised the establishment of a $1 billion fund “to restore the national estate, including programs to arrest soil degradation". Anderson also reached a high of 68.51% in the two party preferred vote for his seat of Gwydir.

Upon becoming a minister, Anderson was asked by Prime Minister John Howard to join a five-person committee with the brief of making radical cuts to government spending. The goal of the so-called “razor gang” was to cut $6 to $8 billion in expenditure and was led by the new treasurer, Peter Costello. Anderson advocated that agricultural research and development, diesel fuel rebates and the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service should be protected from spending cuts.

In response to the Port Arthur massacre in which 35 people were killed by a lone gunman, the Coalition government had passed the National Firearms Agreement, which created an agreement between the states and territories to ban automatic and semiautomatic weapons and create a national register for all other firearms.

Minister for Primary Industries and Energy

Anderson’s three years in the primary industries portfolio were marked by conflict as government protection of primary industries were removed. During his ministry, the government had significantly deregulated the wool, wheat and dairy sectors, and privatised much of the meat and livestock industry. Anderson lead a delegation of Australian business leaders to visit Taiwan in September 1996 in his role as primary industries minister, which the People's Republic of China said contravened the One China policy.

In response to the government-owned Australian Wool Corporation (AWC) being left with a surplus of 4 million bales of unsold wool and a debt of around $2 billion, Anderson and the Coalition government gave wool producers a pay-out of $300 million, drawing down against their equity in the wool stockpile, despite objections from many National Party members who preferred a policy of freezing sales from the stockpile. The government wool-owning entity was entirely privatised, to become Woolstock Australia, by August 2001.

Anderson announced significant restructures of the meat and livestock industry in 1997, which were supported with some reservations by farmers groups, such as NSW Farmers. In 1998, Meat & Livestock Australia was created from the two organisations, with the goal of becoming a less costly, producer-owned service delivery body.

Minister for Transport and Regional Development

In September 1997, Anderson assumed the portfolio for Transport and Regional Development, giving him responsibility for developing national rail, road and water infrastructure. Anderson oversaw the creation of the Australian Rail Track Corporation, a Commonwealth body set up to own or hold long-term leases over much of the continental rail network.

In response to criticism over industry deregulation, the privatisation of Telstra and gun control laws, Fischer and Anderson scheduled a party meeting on 5 August 1998 to declare their leadership positions vacant, inviting their party room critics, particularly Bob Katter and De-Anne Kelly, to replace them. Anderson and Fischer nominated for the positions they had vacated and were re-elected unopposed.

During the 1998 federal election, private polling indicated that up to 49% of people in Anderson's seat of Gwydir intended to vote for the new Pauline Hanson's One Nation. Anderson suffered a 16.18% swing against him with a primary vote of 46.14%, the only time his first round votes were below 50%.

Deputy Prime Minister

Following the resignation of Deputy Prime Minister and Nationals leader Tim Fischer, Anderson was elected unopposed as the new leader and become Deputy Prime Minister himself on 20 July 1999. Anderson kept his ministerial responsibilities in Transport and Regional Development and were extended to the delivery of government services, such as health, to regional and remote centres, and a role in the National Security Committee. Anderson also assumed the role of Acting Prime Minister when John Howard was overseas, such as during the September 11 attacks and in the aftermath of the 2002 Bali bombings.

Anderson is regarded as having succeeded in delaying the privatisation of Telstra.

Anderson's ministerial department was responsible for paying outstanding wages and entitlements for former employees of the insolvent airline Ansett Australia, though allowing it to collapse.

During Anderson's tenure as Deputy Prime Minister, the Coalition government established the National Water Initiative in 2004, allowing producers to gain ongoing access entitlements for a share of water available for use, rather than fixed-term entitlements with no guarantee of renewal.

On 17 November 2004, the MP for New England Tony Windsor accused John Anderson of offering him, via businessman Greg Maguire, of a diplomatic or trade posting if Windsor would surrender his seat. As the statement was made under parliamentary privilege, it was protected from litigation for defamation. Anderson strongly repudiated the claims. A Senate inquiry and the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions found that there were no grounds to lay any charges under the Commonwealth Electoral Act.

On the last sitting day of Parliament before the winter recess of 2005, John Anderson announced his resignation from the leadership of the National Party, and as Deputy Prime Minister, citing a citing a "debilitating but thankfully benign prostate condition". He was succeeded in both positions by Mark Vaile, and retired from parliament at the 2007 federal election.

Later activities

Anderson served as chairman of Eastern Star Gas (ESG) from October 2007 until 2011 when the publicly-listed company and its flagship Narrabri Gas Project was acquired by Santos in a $924 million deal.[26] The ESG board led by Anderson unanimously recommended that shareholders approve the offer in an announcement released to the Australian Securities Exchange on 18 July 2011.

On 13 June 2011, Anderson was named an Officer of the Order of Australia for distinguished service to the Parliament of Australia, particularly for supporting rural and regional communities, transport development, and water management initiatives.[27]

Prior to the 2017 Australian Marriage Law Postal Survey, Anderson was interviewed on ABC television speaking about his opposition to same-sex marriage.[28]

In the late 2010s, Anderson made an increased presence in online media, as well as newspaper opinion pieces and television appearances. Since 2018, Anderson has hosted a podcast and YouTube channel, interviewing public figures.[29]

Personal life

In 1998, Anderson and his wife Julia's fifth child was born in January of that year, with Down’s syndrome and Hirschsprung's disease, and died six months later.

References

1. pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au https://pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au/release/transcript-20897. Retrieved 4 January 2021. Missing or empty |title= (help)
2. Gallagher, Paul (2006). Faith and Duty: the John Anderson Story. Sydney: Random House. p. 48. ISBN 9781741665642.
3. "Autumn for a man of all seasons". The Age. 24 June 2005. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
4. Gallagher, Paul (2006). Faith and Duty: the John Anderson Story. 2006: Random House. p. 7. ISBN 9781741665642.CS1 maint: location (link)
5. Gallagher, Paul (2006). Faith and Duty: the John Anderson Story. Sydney: Random House. p. 13. ISBN 9781741665642.
6. Frame, Tom (2017). The Ascent to Power, 1996: The Howard Government. Australia.
7. "Resources | Sydney University Evangelical Union". www.sueu.org.au. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
8. "Faces of Gunnedah Pollies". Namoi Valley Independent. 6 June 2013. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
9. "Faith & Duty: The John Anderson Story". Sydney Anglicans. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
10. Gallagher, Paul (2006). Faith and Duty: the John Anderson Story. Sydney: Random House. p. 62. ISBN 9781741665642.
11. "Hon John Anderson MP". Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
12. Gallagher, Paul (2006). Faith and Duty: the John Anderson Story. Sydney: Random House. p. 41. ISBN 9781741665642.
13. corporateName=Australian Electoral Commission; address=10 Mort Street, Canberra ACT 2600; contact=13 23 26. "2001 Profile of the division of Paterson". Australian Electoral Commission. Retrieved 19 January 2021.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
14. Gallagher, Paul (2006). Faith and Duty: the John Anderson Story. Sydney: Random House. p. 41. ISBN 9781741665642.
15. readSeptember 11, Piers Akerman4 min; Telegraph, 2010-7:24PMThe Daily (11 September 2010). "ALP caught in trap of its own making by two rats". dailytelegraph. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
16. Devine, Miranda (29 October 2011). "Windsor down but long way from out". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
17. Malone, Paul (30 March 1989). "Coalition Set To Reject Wheat Regulation". The Canberra Times.
18. "Pressure on Kennet for Coalition". The Canberra Times. 17 April 1989. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
19. Gallagher, Paul (2006). Faith and Duty: the John Anderson story. Sydney: Random House. p. 71. ISBN 9781741665642.
20. "ParlInfo - APPROPRIATION BILL (No. 1) 1989-90". parlinfo.aph.gov.au. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
21. Connors, Tom (24 March 1993). "'Kind' challenge won by Fischer". The Canberra Times.
22. "Hewson front bench switch". The Canberra Times. 29 April 1992.
23. "HEWSON RESHUFFLES SHADOW MINISTRY". Australian Financial Review. 29 April 1992. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
24. Iffland, Katrina (17 April 1993). "Opposition calls for wool tax guarantee". The Canberra Times.
25. "Fischer makes 'bonus days' count". The Canberra Times. 15 February 1994.
26. https://www.santos.com/news/santos-to-acquire-100-of-eastern-star-gas/
27. "Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) entry for Anderson, John Duncan". It's an Honour, Australian Honours Database. Canberra, Australia: Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 13 June 2011. Retrieved 13 June 2011. For distinguished service to the Parliament of Australia, particularly through support of rural and regional communities, transport development, and water management initiatives.
28. "Former National Party Leader John Anderson – Some home truths". ABC News. 22 August 2017.
29. Sheridan, Greg (11 May 2019). "John Anderson's second coming". The Weekend Australian. Retrieved 27 September 2020.

External links

• National Party of Australia website
• John Anderson website

External video
Australia is in a new culture war says John Anderson, Matter Of Fact With Stan Grant, ABC News