Brian Howe (politician)

For other people with this name, see Brian Howe (disambiguation).
The Honourable
Brian Howe
AO
8th Deputy Prime Minister of Australia
In office
3 June 1991  20 June 1995
Prime Minister Bob Hawke
Paul Keating
Preceded by Paul Keating
Succeeded by Kim Beazley
Deputy Leader of the Labor Party
In office
3 June 1991  20 June 1995
Leader Bob Hawke
Paul Keating
Preceded by Paul Keating
Succeeded by Kim Beazley
Minister for Regional Development
In office
25 March 1994  11 March 1996
Prime Minister Paul Keating
Preceded by Peter Cook
Succeeded by John Sharp
Minister for Local Government
In office
24 March 1993  25 March 1994
Prime Minister Paul Keating
Preceded by David Simmons
Succeeded by Warwick Smith
Minister for Housing
In office
7 May 1990  11 March 1996
Prime Minister Bob Hawke
Paul Keating
Preceded by Peter Staples
Minister for Community Services
In office
4 April 1990  25 March 1994
Prime Minister Bob Hawke
Paul Keating
Preceded by Neal Blewett
Succeeded by Carmen Lawrence
Minister for Health
In office
4 April 1990  24 March 1993
Prime Minister Bob Hawke
Paul Keating
Preceded by Neal Blewett
Succeeded by Graham Richardson
Minister for Social Security
In office
13 December 1984  4 April 1990
Prime Minister Bob Hawke
Preceded by Don Grimes
Succeeded by Graham Richardson
Minister for Defence Support
In office
11 March 1983  13 December 1984
Prime Minister Bob Hawke
Preceded by Ian Viner
Member of the Australian Parliament
for Batman
In office
10 December 1977  29 January 1996
Preceded by Horrie Garrick
Succeeded by Martin Ferguson
Personal details
Born (1936-01-23) 23 January 1936
Melbourne
Nationality Australian
Political party Australian Labor Party
Alma mater University of Melbourne
Occupation Minister
Religion Methodist Church of Australasia
Uniting Church

Brian Leslie Howe, AO (born 23 January 1936), is an Australian former politician who served as the Deputy Prime Minister of Australia in the Labor government under prime ministers Bob Hawke and Paul Keating from 1991 to 1995.

Howe was born in Melbourne. He spent his early childhood in the suburb of Malvern and was educated at Melbourne High School and the University of Melbourne. He later studied theology in Chicago (1967–69) and then returned to Australia. He served as a minister with the Methodist Church and the Uniting Church in various parts of VictoriaMorwell, Eltham and Fitzroy.

Howe was elected to the House of Representatives in 1977 representing the northern Melbourne metropolitan electoral Division of Batman. He defeated the incumbent Horrie Garrick for Labor preselection in a hard-fought contest.[1] A member of the Socialist Left faction of the Labor Party, he was Minister for Defence Support in the government of Bob Hawke from 1983. In 1984 he became Minister for Social Security and carried out various radical reforms to Australia's welfare system.[2]

Howe appeared to face significant opposition within his electorate in 1988, when up to 60 members of the Greek Westgarth branch of the ALP defected to join the Australian Democrats. One of the defectors, tram-conductor George Gogas, contested Batman as a Democrat candidate in 1990, but polled only 12.9 per cent of the vote.[3]

After the 1990 election Howe was appointed to the post of Minister for Community Services and Health. When Paul Keating resigned from Cabinet in 1991, Howe succeeded him as Deputy Prime Minister. He became Minister for Health, Housing and Community Services in the Keating government in December 1991, dropping the health part of the portfolio in 1993. In June 1995 he resigned as Deputy Prime Minister and was succeeded by Kim Beazley. He did not stand for re-election at the 1996 election. Although he was succeeded by Beazley as Deputy Prime Minister, Howe's last months as Deputy Prime Minister was marred by speculation that he would be replaced by Carmen Lawrence. There were reports that there were hopes within the ALP that due to her personal popularity that the instalment of Lawrence as Deputy Prime Minister would help bolster the popularity of the Keating Government which was struggling in the opinion polls. Lawrence however was subject of a royal commission into the suicide of Penny Easton at the time the Deputy Prime Ministership became vacant but denied that the royal commission was the reason for not standing for the position.[4][5]

The ACTU commissioned Howe to chair their inquiry into insecure work. In this capacity he has spoken widely about the issue to the media and addressed the National Press Club.[6]

Howe is a member of the Patrons Council of the Epilepsy Foundation of Victoria.

Honours

Howe was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in January 2001,[7] and promoted to Officer level (AO) in January 2008.[8]

Notes

  1. Lyle Allan (1978), "Ethnic Politics – Migrant Organization and the Victorian ALP", Ethnic Studies Vol. 2, No. 2, p. 27.
  2. "Biography for Howe, the Hon. Brian Leslie". ParlInfo Web. Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 22 November 2007.
  3. Ainsley Symons (2012), "The Democrats and Local Government. Were they ever a threat to the ALP?" in Recorder (Australian Society for the Study of Labour History, Melbourne Branch) No. 274, Page 7.
  4. https://www.greenleft.org.au/content/loose-cannons-117
  5. https://www.businessnews.com.au/article/WA-this-week-10-years-ago-8
  6. http://www.smh.com.au/national/poverty-danger-in-jobs-divide-says-howe-20120418-1x7ny.html
  7. It’s an Honour: AM
  8. It’s an Honour: AO
Political offices
Preceded by
Paul Keating
Deputy Prime Minister of Australia
1991–1995
Succeeded by
Kim Beazley
Preceded by
Ian Viner
Minister for Defence Support
1983–1984
Succeeded by
Ros Kelly
Preceded by
Don Grimes
Minister for Social Security
1984–1990
Succeeded by
Graham Richardson
Preceded by
Neal Blewett (community
services and health)

Peter Staples (housing)
Minister for Community Services and Health
1990–1991
Succeeded by
Graham Richardson
health
Minister for Health, Housing
and Community Services

1991–1993
Preceded by
David Simmons
local government
Minister for Housing, Local Government
and Community Services

1993–1994
Succeeded by
Carmen Lawrence
human services
John Sharp
regional development
Minister for Housing and
Regional Development

1994–1996
Parliament of Australia
Preceded by
Horrie Garrick
Member for Batman
1977–96
Succeeded by
Martin Ferguson
Party political offices
Preceded by
Paul Keating
Deputy Leader of the Australian Labor Party
1991–95
Succeeded by
Kim Beazley
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