Colin Mason
Encyclopedia
Colin Victor James Mason (born 28 October 1926) is a New Zealand
-born Australia
n journalist, author and former politician.
Mason worked for 14 years as the first foreign correspondent of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation
and became deeply involved in Asian affairs. In 1968, he wrote Dragon Army, a popular history of Asian communism.
He joined the Australia Party
and rose to become its national convener (1976). He joined the Australian Democrats
and was elected to the Senate
at the 1977 election
as a senator for New South Wales
. He and Don Chipp
(Victoria
) were the first two Australian Democrats
elected to the Senate, although Janine Haines
(South Australia
) had earlier been appointed to a casual vacancy
.
He was re-elected at the 1983 double-dissolution election
for a three-year term, and again at the 1984 election for a three-year term ending on 30 June 1988. He retired in 1987 when another double-dissolution election was called.
He later wrote A Short History of Asia (2000), concerning imperialism and the modern history of many individual countries in Asia.
in 2003 Mason released The 2030 Spike: Countdown to Global Catastrophe, in which he describes a confluence of six 'drivers' that he argues will converge in the decade of 2030: depleted fuel supplies, massive population growth, poverty, global climate change, famine, growing water shortages and international lawlessness. He describes more than 100 steps to be taken to mitigate this convergence, including a form of world government. In 2006 he released a revised edition, A Short History Of The Future - Surviving the 2030 Spike
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
-born Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n journalist, author and former politician.
Mason worked for 14 years as the first foreign correspondent of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
and became deeply involved in Asian affairs. In 1968, he wrote Dragon Army, a popular history of Asian communism.
He joined the Australia Party
Australia Party
The Australia Party was the name of a minor political party in Australia ....
and rose to become its national convener (1976). He joined the Australian Democrats
Australian Democrats
The Australian Democrats is an Australian political party espousing a socially liberal ideology. It was formed in 1977, by a merger of the Australia Party and the New LM, after principals of those minor parties secured the commitment of former Liberal minister Don Chipp, as a high profile leader...
and was elected to the Senate
Australian Senate
The Senate is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of Australia, the lower house being the House of Representatives. Senators are popularly elected under a system of proportional representation. Senators are elected for a term that is usually six years; after a double dissolution, however,...
at the 1977 election
Australian federal election, 1977
Federal elections were held in Australia on 10 December 1977. All 124 seats in the House of Representatives, and 34 of the 64 seats in the Senate, were up for election....
as a senator for New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
. He and Don Chipp
Don Chipp
Donald Leslie Chipp, AO was an Australian politician, and the inaugural leader of the Australian Democrats.-Early life:...
(Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
) were the first two Australian Democrats
Australian Democrats
The Australian Democrats is an Australian political party espousing a socially liberal ideology. It was formed in 1977, by a merger of the Australia Party and the New LM, after principals of those minor parties secured the commitment of former Liberal minister Don Chipp, as a high profile leader...
elected to the Senate, although Janine Haines
Janine Haines
Janine Haines, AM , Australian politician, was the first female federal parliamentary leader of an Australian political party. An Australian Democrat, she was also the first member of that party to enter the federal parliament after the party's formation...
(South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
) had earlier been appointed to a casual vacancy
Casual vacancy
In the Parliament of Australia, a casual vacancy is caused when a member of either house :* dies* resigns mid-term * is expelled from Parliament and their seat is declared vacant, or...
.
He was re-elected at the 1983 double-dissolution election
Australian federal election, 1983
Federal elections were held in Australia on 5 March 1983. All 125 seats in the House of Representatives, and all 64 seats in the Senate, were up for election, following a double dissolution...
for a three-year term, and again at the 1984 election for a three-year term ending on 30 June 1988. He retired in 1987 when another double-dissolution election was called.
He later wrote A Short History of Asia (2000), concerning imperialism and the modern history of many individual countries in Asia.
in 2003 Mason released The 2030 Spike: Countdown to Global Catastrophe, in which he describes a confluence of six 'drivers' that he argues will converge in the decade of 2030: depleted fuel supplies, massive population growth, poverty, global climate change, famine, growing water shortages and international lawlessness. He describes more than 100 steps to be taken to mitigate this convergence, including a form of world government. In 2006 he released a revised edition, A Short History Of The Future - Surviving the 2030 Spike