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John Dawkins
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For the South Australian state Liberal politician, see John Dawkins (South Australian politician).

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John Sydney "Joe"[1] Dawkins, AO (born 2 March 1947), Australian politician, was

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Treasurer in the Keating Labor government from December 1991 to December 1993.

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He is notable for his reforms of tertiary education as Minister for Employment,

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Education and Training, his period as Treasurer when he attempted to increase taxes

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in order to balance the budget and his abrupt exit from politics.[citation needed]

The Honourable

John Dawkins
AO

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About Wikipedia

1 Early life

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2 Political career

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3 Post political career

Contact page

4 References

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Early life

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Dawkins was born in Perth, Western Australia. He was educated at Roseworthy

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Agricultural College gaining a Diploma in Agriculture, then at the University of Western

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Australia, where he graduated in economics.[2]

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Political career

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In 1974, aged 27, Dawkins was elected to the House of Representatives for the
marginal seat of Tangney, but he was defeated at the 1975 election by Liberal Peter

Treasurer of Australia
In office
27 December 1991 22 December 1993

Richardson which followed the dismissal of the Whitlam government.[2]

Prime Minister Paul Keating

In 1977 Dawkins returned to the House as member for the safe Labor seat of

Preceded by

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Ralph Willis

Succeeded by Ralph Willis

Deutsch

Fremantle, succeeding Kim Beazley (senior), and defeating his son, Kim Beazley, for
Edit links

Succeeded by Ralph Willis

the Labor preselection. In 1980 he was promoted to the Opposition front bench and

Minister for Employment, Education and

was Shadow Education Minister from 1980 to 1983. He became Minister for Finance

Training

following the election of the first Hawke government in 1983. In the second Hawke
Ministry (19841987) he was Minister for Trade. From 1987 to 1991 he was Minister
for Employment, Education and Training.[2] It was in this position where he brought in a
series of reforms of the higher education sector, which included expansion of
Australian universities, the forced mergers of universities and colleges of advanced
education, and the re-introduction of university fees (abolished by Kim Beazley senior
in 1973) in the form of the HECS. This later became known as the Dawkins Revolution
and aroused bitter opposition among academics and university administrators.

In office
24 July 1987 27 December 1991
Prime Minister Bob Hawke
Paul Keating
Preceded by

Susan Ryan

Succeeded by Kim Beazley

Minister for Trade
In office
13 December 1984 24 July 1987

A key supporter of Paul Keating, Dawkins became Treasurer following Keating's

Prime Minister Bob Hawke

unseating of Hawke as ALP leader and Prime Minister, in his second and successful

Preceded by

leadership challenge in December 1991. After Keating's unexpected victory in the 1993

Succeeded by Michael Duffy

federal election, Dawkins brought down a budget which contained a series of highlyunpopular revenue measures which were seen as an attack on Labor's traditional
supporters. The Cabinet, which had hitherto grudgingly accepted Keating's neo-liberal

Lionel Bowen

Minister for Finance

In office
11 March 1983 13 December 1984

policies, rebelled against the Dawkins budget. Dawkins didn't help his stock when he

Prime Minister Bob Hawke

taunted Liberal MP Kathy Sullivan by calling her "sweetheart," angering several female

Preceded by

MPs from his own party.

Succeeded by Peter Walsh

In December 1993 Dawkins, frustrated at what he saw as the lack of economic realism
of his colleagues, suddenly announced his resignation, and quit politics altogether soon
after. It was during his farewell speech that he suggested that the date of presenting
the Budget be moved from August to May, a practice that would be started by his

Dame Margaret Guilfoyle

Member of the Australian Parliament

for Fremantle
In office
10 December 1977 4 February 1994

successor Ralph Willis in May 1994. He was succeeded in Fremantle by former West

Preceded by

Australian Premier Dr Carmen Lawrence.

Succeeded by Carmen Lawrence

Post political career

[edit]

Since leaving politics, Dawkins has had an active business career. He has been non-

Kim Beazley

Member of the Australian Parliament

for Tangney
In office
18 May 1974 13 December 1975

executive Chair of Elders Rural Bank, LawCentral, Integrated Legal Holdings, The

Preceded by

Retail Energy Market Company which operates the retail gas markets in South

Succeeded by Peter Richardson

Australia and Western Australia, Fortuna Funds Management and director of Genetic
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New seat

Personal details

Technologies and MGM Wireless.[3]

Born

2 March 1947 (age 67)

Perth, Western Australia

international trade as foundation Chairman of the Cairns Group, to the reform of the

Nationality

Australian

federal budget, education and training, and to the Australian Parliament.[4]

Political party Australian Labor Party

In 2000 he was a made an Officer of the Order of Australia for service to the reform of

In 2000, Dawkins's family agreed to use 104 hectares of their sizeable holdings of
grazing land in Forrestdale outside Perth in a property venture where the profits from

Alma mater

University of Western Australia

Occupation

Economist

land sales would be invested in research and development for technology that is
conducted at the CY O'Connor ERADE Village, including research laboratories, offices and accommodation, at the entrance of the
twelve hectare estate. The development was believed to be worth around $100 million.[5]
His principal employment is as Director of the Adelaide office of Government Relations Australia, a lobbying firm.[6] He has also
worked as a consultant to large Australian and foreign companies and the World Bank and the OECD. He has been awarded
honorary doctorates from the University of South Australia and the Queensland University of Technology.
He is currently board chairman of the gold exploration company Sovereign (ASX:SOC).[7] A cousin of the same name, John
Dawkins, is a current Liberal member of the South Australian Legislative Council.

References

[edit]

1. ^ Ramsey, Alan (1 March 2003). "A stroll back up the stairs"

2. ^

a bc

"Biography for Dawkins , the Hon. John Sydney"

3. ^ "The Hon John Dawkins AO Bec"

4. ^ "Dawkins, John Sydney"

. smh.com.au. Retrieved 15 June 2011.

. Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 23 January 2010.

. Integrated Legal Holdings Limited. Retrieved 18 October 2010.

. Officer of the Order of Australia. It's an Honour. Retrieved 23 January 2010.

5. ^ "Dawkins family commits to $100m high-technology park". The Australian. 3 November 2000. p. 41.
6. ^ "John Dawkins, Director"

. Our People. Government Relations Australia. Retrieved 24 January 2010.

7. ^ "Sovereign Gold Company website"

. Retrieved 2 December 2013.

Political offices

Preceded by

Minister for Finance

Succeeded by

Margaret Guilfoyle

19831984

Peter Walsh

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Preceded by

Minister for Trade

Succeeded by

Lionel Bowen

19841987

Michael Duffy

Preceded by

Minister for Employment, Education and Training

Succeeded by

Susan Ryan

19871991

Kim Beazley

Preceded by

Treasurer

Succeeded by

Ralph Willis

19911993

Ralph Willis

Parliament of Australia
Preceded by

Member for Tangney

Succeeded by

None

19741975

Peter Richardson

Preceded by

Member for Fremantle

Succeeded by

Kim Beazley (senior)

19771994

Carmen Lawrence

First Keating Ministry (199193)

v t e
Authority control

VIAF: 23867597

Categories: 1947 births

[show]

Living people

Australian Labor Party politicians

Members of the Australian House of Representatives for Fremantle

Members of the Australian House of Representatives for Tangney
Members of the Cabinet of Australia

Treasurers of Australia

Members of the Australian House of Representatives

Officers of the Order of Australia

This page was last modified on 3 January 2015, at 02:59.

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