Alan Griffiths
Encyclopedia
Alan Gordon Griffiths is a former Australian politician who represented the Division of Maribyrnong
for the Australian Labor Party
from March 1983 to January 1996.
in 1979 with a Bachelor of Economics and a Bachelor of Laws
.
in 1990, the Minister for Tourism
in 1991 and the Minister for Industry, Technology and Regional Development
in 1993.
. An inquiry by the former head of the Department of Prime Minister, Michael Codd, into the scandal cleared Mr. Griffiths of any criminal wrongdoing. Mr. Griffiths was also cleared of any wrongdoing by the Australian Federal Police, who were alerted to the matter by Mr. Griffiths. .
Despite being cleared by the Codd inquiry - an investigation which Mr. Griffiths had also requested - he announced at the Victorian ALP Conference in April 1995 that he would not contest the 1996 election, which Labor lost. In his resignation speech, Mr. Griffiths acknowledged the allegations had taken "a lot of momentum out of my career". But he had waited for "total vindication" before declaring his resignation.
``I am in the happy situtation of being totally vindicated," he told the media at the time. "I spoke to the Prime Minister this morning who I might say tried to talk me out of announcing my resignation and who confirmed his previous public commitment that I would return to the Cabinet as soon as possible. But there is life after politics, and I intend to pursue life after politics.
In a statement, then prime minister Paul Keating praised Mr. Griffiths' contribution to the parliament and the cabinet from the time of his election in 1983. "It has always been my expectation and hope that the current inquiry into those matters will clear Alan Griffiths of any wrongdoing," Mr Keating said. "Alan Griffiths would have had sufficient support among his parliamentary colleagues to return to the ministry in due course. I would certainly have welcomed his return to Cabinet."
At the time, Mr. Codd had offered to give the prime minister an interim report which could have cleared the way for Mr. Griffiths to make an early return to the Cabinet. But the prime minister declined, preferring to await the final report which would take several more months.
However, it was stated in a book by a then opposition Liberal politician that the inquiry found aspects of his conduct were improper.
In addition to his business activities since leaving politics, Mr. Griffiths has been involved in public policy and philanthropic work as a member of the President's Council of the Brussels-based International Crisis Group.
| last = Hopkins
| first = Philip
| coauthors =
| title = Former rivals take Quantm to prominence
| newspaper = The Age
| location =
| pages =
| language =
| publisher =
| date = 10 May 2002
| url = http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2002/05/09/1020914030546.html
| accessdate = 6 October 2011}}
Division of Maribyrnong
The Division of Maribyrnong is an Australian Electoral Division in the state of Victoria. It is located in the north-western suburbs of Melbourne. It covers the suburbs of Moonee Ponds, Essendon, Niddrie, Keilor East, Avondale Heights, Tullamarine, Airport West, Sunshine and Brooklyn. Due to...
for the Australian Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
from March 1983 to January 1996.
Early life
Born in Melbourne, Griffiths graduated from Monash UniversityMonash University
Monash University is a public university based in Melbourne, Victoria. It was founded in 1958 and is the second oldest university in the state. Monash is a member of Australia's Group of Eight and the ASAIHL....
in 1979 with a Bachelor of Economics and a Bachelor of Laws
Bachelor of Laws
The Bachelor of Laws is an undergraduate, or bachelor, degree in law originating in England and offered in most common law countries as the primary law degree...
.
Political career
Entering the parliament in 1983, Griffiths became the Minister for ResourcesMinister for Resources and Energy (Australia)
The Australian Minister for Resources and Energy is Martin Ferguson, appointed on 3 December 2007. The Minister administers his portfolios through the Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism.-List of Ministers for Resources:...
in 1990, the Minister for Tourism
Minister for Tourism (Australia)
The Australian Minister for Tourism is Martin Ferguson, appointed on 3 December 2007. The Minister administers his portfolio through the Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism.-List of Ministers for Tourism:...
in 1991 and the Minister for Industry, Technology and Regional Development
Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research (Australia)
The current Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research is Kim Carr, appointed on 3 December 2007. He administers his portfolio through the Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research.-List of Ministers for Industry :...
in 1993.
Sandwich Shop Affair
In 1994, Mr. Griffiths resigned as Minister for Industry, Technology and Regional Development after the "Sandwich Shop Affair" came to light. It was alleged that ALP funds, resources and staff wages from Mr. Griffiths' electoral office were used to bail out his business partner from a failed sandwich shop venture in Melbourne's Moonee PondsMoonee Ponds, Victoria
Moonee Ponds is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 7 km north-west from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Moonee Valley.It is home to Queens Park and the Moonee Valley Racecourse...
. An inquiry by the former head of the Department of Prime Minister, Michael Codd, into the scandal cleared Mr. Griffiths of any criminal wrongdoing. Mr. Griffiths was also cleared of any wrongdoing by the Australian Federal Police, who were alerted to the matter by Mr. Griffiths. .
Despite being cleared by the Codd inquiry - an investigation which Mr. Griffiths had also requested - he announced at the Victorian ALP Conference in April 1995 that he would not contest the 1996 election, which Labor lost. In his resignation speech, Mr. Griffiths acknowledged the allegations had taken "a lot of momentum out of my career". But he had waited for "total vindication" before declaring his resignation.
``I am in the happy situtation of being totally vindicated," he told the media at the time. "I spoke to the Prime Minister this morning who I might say tried to talk me out of announcing my resignation and who confirmed his previous public commitment that I would return to the Cabinet as soon as possible. But there is life after politics, and I intend to pursue life after politics.
In a statement, then prime minister Paul Keating praised Mr. Griffiths' contribution to the parliament and the cabinet from the time of his election in 1983. "It has always been my expectation and hope that the current inquiry into those matters will clear Alan Griffiths of any wrongdoing," Mr Keating said. "Alan Griffiths would have had sufficient support among his parliamentary colleagues to return to the ministry in due course. I would certainly have welcomed his return to Cabinet."
At the time, Mr. Codd had offered to give the prime minister an interim report which could have cleared the way for Mr. Griffiths to make an early return to the Cabinet. But the prime minister declined, preferring to await the final report which would take several more months.
However, it was stated in a book by a then opposition Liberal politician that the inquiry found aspects of his conduct were improper.
After politics
After leaving politics, Mr Griffiths founded a technology company, Quantm, based on an advanced computer program developed by CSIRO The technology generated huge savings on Australasian, US and Chinese infrastructure projects, according to a report in the respected regional journal The Far Eastern Economic review. For instance, it saved the California High-Speed Rail Authority $US4.8 billion on just part of its proposed 1,100 kilometre track. Quantm's online system is based on algorithms. It automates the process through which roads are designed and costed and presents the planner with a range of options . Mr. Griffiths, the majority owner and founder of Quantm, and the Quantm board in 2006 agreed to sell the company to an arm of a U.S. construction conglomerate, Trimble Navigation Ltd, for what was believed to be a multi-million dollar price tag to pursue other entrepreneurial business ventures, including a United Kingdom-based high technology business. In early 2006, Quantm, as a leader in transport route optimisation, was selected by the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) - Transportation Research Board as one of eight technologies enabling highway and railroad planners to successfully factor in environmental concerns in transportation decisions Quantm, which by 2006 was already being used by 14 U.S. states, was chosen from a field of 70 technologies for the prestigious award In December 2010, Mr. Griffiths was also appointed as a non-executive director of Guildford Coal Limited.In addition to his business activities since leaving politics, Mr. Griffiths has been involved in public policy and philanthropic work as a member of the President's Council of the Brussels-based International Crisis Group.
| last = Hopkins
| first = Philip
| coauthors =
| title = Former rivals take Quantm to prominence
| newspaper = The Age
| location =
| pages =
| language =
| publisher =
| date = 10 May 2002
| url = http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2002/05/09/1020914030546.html
| accessdate = 6 October 2011}}