Neil Brown (Australian politician)

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David McKenzie
Personal details
Born (1940-02-22) 22 February 1940 (age 85)
Victoria, Australia
Political partyLiberal (1955–2001)
Alma materUniversity of Melbourne
OccupationBarrister

Neil Anthony Brown KC (born 22 February 1940) is an Australian former politician. He was deputy leader of the Liberal Party and deputy opposition leader from 1985 to 1987, under John Howard. He served as Minister for Employment and Youth Affairs (1981–1982) and Minister for Communications (1982–1983) in the Fraser government.

Early life

Brown grew up in

Queen's Counsel in 1980.[2]

Politics

Early years

Brown campaign with Billy Snedden in Greensborough in October 1969

Brown joined the Liberal Party in 1955, at the age of 15. He was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1969, standing in the Division of Diamond Valley. He was 29 years old at the time, making him the Coalition's youngest MP. He was defeated by the Labor candidate David McKenzie in 1972, and returned to his legal practice, focusing primarily on industrial law. Brown reclaimed Diamond Valley at the 1975 election in a rematch against McKenzie.[2] In 1980, he spent several weeks in Zimbabwe as the head of a team of Australian observers at the 1980 elections.[3]

Fraser government

In April 1981, Brown was elevated to the ministry as

Minister for Business and Consumer Affairs following the forced resignation of John Moore in April 1982. His major act in that portfolio was the announcement of an inquiry into the "colour-television affair" which had led to the resignations of Moore and Michael MacKellar.[5] The following month Brown was promoted to cabinet as Minister for Communications. He held that position until the Fraser government was defeated at the 1983 election; he again lost the seat of Diamond Valley to a Labor candidate, in this case, Peter Staples.[6]

Opposition

At the early

a leadership spill was called in the aftermath of the party's defeat at the 1987 election. After several other candidates emerged, he did not recontest the position and was replaced by Andrew Peacock (an unsuccessful challenger for the leadership against Howard).[9]

Peter Shack, who was an unsuccessful candidate to replace Brown as deputy, made a criticism of Brown as he stated that coming after the Liberals' defeat at the recent 1987 election, its third consecutive defeat, the Liberal Party needed a deputy leader who could give "visible and effective political and parliamentary support to the leader".[10]

Brown remained a Coalition frontbencher – under Howard, Peacock, and John Hewson – until his unexpected resignation from parliament in February 1991. He returned to his law practice. The resulting by-election was won by the Liberal candidate Kevin Andrews.[11]

Later life

In 1993, Brown published a memoir titled On the Other Hand: Sketches and Reflections From Political Life. Reviewing the book for

Alan Clark Diaries and described the author as "one of the more remarkable politicians to ever reach the top, or near top, of the Liberal Party".[12]

Brown let his membership of the Liberal Party lapse in 2001, due to dissatisfaction with the actions of the Howard government.[13] As of 2006, he was a mediator and arbitrator in domestic and international commercial, trade and construction matters and in Internet domain name disputes.[14][15]

Brown writes a weekly column for The Spectator Australia.[16]

Personal life

Brown married in 1985,

bisexual was applicable. He was one of the first Australian politicians – serving or otherwise – to come out publicly.[17]

Honours

References

  1. ^ a b "New deputy is out of the political wilderness". The Canberra Times. 6 September 1985.
  2. ^ a b "A Liberal since the age of 15: Neil Brown". The Canberra Times. 10 May 1981.
  3. ^ "Australians". The Canberra Times. 1 February 1980.
  4. ^ "Brown tight-lipped on impending Ministry". The Canberra Times. 16 April 1981.
  5. ^ "Shake-up in Customs under way". The Canberra Times. 1 February 1980.
  6. ^ "Peacock's bouncer goes for six". The Canberra Times. Vol. 60, no. 18, 238. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 6 September 1985. p. 7. Retrieved 30 June 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. ^ "Summary of yesterday's scenes and what led to them". The Canberra Times. 6 September 1985.
  8. ^ "Howard on leave". The Canberra Times. 30 November 1985.
  9. ^ "Peacock to challenge on Friday". The Canberra Times. 15 July 1987.
  10. ^ "Peacock to challenge on Friday". The Canberra Times. 15 July 1987. p. 1. Retrieved 24 October 2021 – via trove.nla.gov.au.
  11. ^ "Beale back as Brown bows out". The Canberra Times. 26 February 1991.
  12. ^ "Vanquished minister tells (nearly) all". The Canberra Times. 17 November 1993.
  13. ^ "Running a house of ill repute". The Age. 20 March 2002.
  14. ^ Miller, Nick (19 September 2006). "Aussie by any name". The Age. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 20 April 2007.
  15. ^ Miller, Nick (19 September 2006). "Arbitrator backs claim domain name use was 'conduct in bad faith'". The Age. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 20 April 2007.
  16. ^ Neil Brown
  17. ^
    The Sunday Age
    . 14 June 1998.
  18. ^ "Bad news for Cain Govt is no help to Liberals". The Canberra Times. 27 March 1989.
  19. ^ It's An Honour, Australian Government.
Parliament of Australia
New division Member for Diamond Valley
1969–1972 		Succeeded by
David McKenzie
Preceded by
David McKenzie
 Member for Diamond Valley
1975–1983 		Succeeded by
New division Member for Menzies
1984–1991 		Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by
Minister for Employment and Youth Affairs

1981–1982 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
Minister for Business and Consumer Affairs

1982 		Succeeded by
Andrew Peacock
(Industry and Commerce)
Barry Cohen
(Consumer Affairs)
Preceded by
Minister for Communications

1982–1983 		Succeeded by
Party political offices
Preceded by Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party of Australia
1985–1987 		Succeeded by
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