Joe Bullock
Joe Bullock | |
---|---|
Senator for Western Australia | |
In office 1 July 2014 – 13 April 2016 | |
Succeeded by | Pat Dodson |
Personal details | |
Born | Sydney, New South Wales | 13 April 1955
Nationality | Australian |
Political party | Liberal (2018–present) Labor (1979–2018) |
Spouse | Helen Bullock |
Occupation | Trade union official |
Joseph Warrington Bullock (born 13 April 1955) is a former Australian politician. He was a member of the Australian Senate for the state of Western Australia from 2013 to 2016, representing the Australian Labor Party.
Education and career
Bullock was born in
Bullock moved to Western Australia and became Assistant Secretary of the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association (SDA) in 1986. He became Western Australian state secretary of the union in 1996. He was National Vice-President of the union from 2004 to 2014. The SDA is one of the largest unions affiliated to the Labor Party and is influential in the party's right-wing faction.
Political career
As state secretary of the SDA, Bullock wielded considerable power in the WA branch of the Labor Party. He was influential in blocking Labor support of Sunday trading in WA, which the SDA opposes. He also unsuccessfully opposed changing Labor's policy to support same-sex marriage.[2]
Bullock ran for the state Legislative Assembly at the 1994 Helena by-election, caused by the resignation of former Labor minister Gordon Hill. The Labor Party suffered a negative swing of 2.3 points, which was enough to cost them the seat. Richard Court's Liberal government became the first state government since 1943 to increase their majority at a by-election.[3]
In the lead-up to the
On 1 March 2016, Bullock announced that he was resigning from the Senate after less than two years in the parliament. He cited the Labor Party's policy to bind parliamentary members to voting to support same-sex marriage after 2019, among other reasons, for his resignation.[5]
Bullock tendered his resignation to Senate President Stephen Parry on 13 April 2016.[6][7]
Controversy
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The Labor member for Perth
During the campaign for the
Bullock was blamed by figures from Labor's left faction for the party's poor showing in the Senate re-vote. United Voice, a left-wing union, called for Bullock to resign his Senate place.[11] Alannah MacTiernan accused Bullock of costing the party votes. "There are booths that six months ago we were leading and now we're coming third," she said. "We need people who can sell the message; we need to make sure we have people capable of inspiring people." Former Senator Chris Evans said "there's no question that the Labor Party has a serious problem with its preselection processes, particularly in Western Australia."[12]
Pratt issued a statement saying: "It is a blow to progressive voters that I would be replaced in the Senate by someone who I have known for many years to be deeply homophobic, to be anti-choice and, [it] has recently emerged, disloyal to the very party he has been elected to represent. Far from my views on these issues being fringe as he has claimed, it is Joe Bullock and other members of the SDA leadership who are on the fringe of mainstream views."[13]
Personal life
Bullock is a member of the
In May 2018, Bullock moved to Launceston, Tasmania and joined the Liberal Party.[16]
References
- ^ Marr, David (2012), Political Animal: The making of Tony Abbott, Quarterly Essay, issue 47
- ^ Jerga, Josh (26 June 2011). "WA Labor backs same-sex marriage". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 28 February 2014.
- ^ a b Graham, Larry (22 April 2013). "Nothing average about Joe's senate bid". WAToday.com.au. Retrieved 28 February 2014.
- ^ Crook, Andrew (12 April 2013). "Louise Pratt shafted in WA Labor Senate battle". Crikey. Retrieved 28 February 2014.
- ^ "Labor senator quits citing same-sex vote". 1 March 2016. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
- ^ "Bullock sends a history lesson". 15 April 2016. Retrieved 16 April 2016.
- ^ "Former Senator Joe Bullock".
- ^ Thomas, Beatrice (3 April 2013). "MacTiernan blasts ALP power play". The West Australian. Retrieved 28 February 2014.
- ^ Spagnolo, Joe (20 April 2013). "ALP's herd mentality". perthnow.com.au. Retrieved 28 February 2014.
- ^ "WA Senate election: Labor powerbroker Joe Bullock sorry over attack on Louise Pratt". ABC News. 4 April 2014. Retrieved 14 April 2014.
- ^ "Joe Bullock rejects United Voice union's call to relinquish WA Senate position over 'inexcusable' speech". ABC News. 10 April 2014. Retrieved 14 April 2014.
- ^ "Don't Blame Joe Bullock for Labor's Flop". 7 April 2014.
- ^ "Louise Pratt lashes 'deeply homophobic, disloyal' Labor colleague Joe Bullock". 16 April 2014.
- ^ Rebecca Carmody (11 February 2013). "Tough fight expected for Labor senate pre-selection" – Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
- ^ Nick Butterly (13 November 2014). "Bullock speaks against republic push" – The West Australian. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
- ^ "'Lonely' former Labor senator Joe Bullock defects to Liberals". ABC News. 31 May 2018. Retrieved 31 May 2018.