Greg Barns
Encyclopedia
Greg Barns is an Australia
n barrister
, author
, political commentator and former political candidate based in Hobart, Tasmania.
(1988–1991), his successor and later Federal Minister for Finance, John Fahey
(1991–1996), and the Howard government
.
In 2002, Barns was disendorsed as the Liberal candidate for the Tasmanian seat of Denison
in 2002, due to his criticism of the Howard
government's asylum-seeker policies. Blaming John Howard, Barns said, "Dissent within the party is just not tolerated."
Criticising the Liberal Party, Barns said, "The weakness of the liberal wing of the party and in particular supposedly liberal ministers like Robert Hill
, for example, or (former attorney-general) Daryl Williams
, a range of them who thought of themselves as being liberals who have been prepared to go along for the ride".
He later joined the Australian Democrats
for around two years.
's 1999 referendum
campaign and he succeeded Malcolm Turnbull
as ARM chair in 2000.
More frequent contributions appear in Online Opinion, Crikey
and the Hobart Mercury
on issues pertaining to sport, law and politics (including the Australian federal election in 2007).
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 barrister
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
, author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
, political commentator and former political candidate based in Hobart, Tasmania.
Political career
Barns was an adviser to New South Wales premier Nick GreinerNick Greiner
Nicholas "Nick" Frank Hugo Greiner AC, is an Australian businessman and former politician. He was the 37th Premier New South Wales from 1988 to 1992. He was Leader of the New South Wales Division of the Liberal Party from 1983 to 1992 and Leader of the Opposition from 1983 to 1988. He is married...
(1988–1991), his successor and later Federal Minister for Finance, John Fahey
John Fahey (politician)
John Joseph Fahey, AC is a former Premier of New South Wales and Federal Minister for Finance in Australia. John Fahey is currently the President of the World Anti-Doping Agency. He was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1984 to 1996 and the federal House of Representatives...
(1991–1996), and the Howard government
Howard Government
The Howard Government refers to the federal Executive Government of Australia led by Prime Minister John Howard. It was made up of members of the Liberal–National Coalition, which won a majority of seats in the Australian House of Representatives at four successive elections. The Howard Government...
.
In 2002, Barns was disendorsed as the Liberal candidate for the Tasmanian seat of Denison
Division of Denison (state)
The Electoral Division of Denison is one of the 5 electorates in the Tasmanian House of Assembly. The division is named after Sir William Denison, who was Lieutenant Governor of Van_Diemen's Land 1847-55, and Governor of New South Wales 1855-61. The division shares its name and boundaries with the...
in 2002, due to his criticism of the Howard
John Howard
John Winston Howard AC, SSI, was the 25th Prime Minister of Australia, from 11 March 1996 to 3 December 2007. He was the second-longest serving Australian Prime Minister after Sir Robert Menzies....
government's asylum-seeker policies. Blaming John Howard, Barns said, "Dissent within the party is just not tolerated."
Criticising the Liberal Party, Barns said, "The weakness of the liberal wing of the party and in particular supposedly liberal ministers like Robert Hill
Robert Hill (Australian politician)
Robert Murray Hill is Chancellor of the University of Adelaide and a former Australian politician. He also currently heads the Australian Carbon Trust.-Early life and family:...
, for example, or (former attorney-general) Daryl Williams
Daryl Williams
Daryl Robert Williams AM QC , Australianpolitician, was a Liberal member of the Australian House of Representatives from March 1993 to October 2004, representing the Division of Tangney, Western Australia.-Biography:...
, a range of them who thought of themselves as being liberals who have been prepared to go along for the ride".
He later 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...
for around two years.
Republican
Barns was the political campaign director of the Australian Republican MovementAustralian Republican Movement
The Australian Republican Movement is a non-partisan lobby group advocating constitutional change in Australia to a republican form of government, from a constitutional monarchy.-Foundation:...
's 1999 referendum
Referendum
A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This may result in the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy. It is a form of...
campaign and he succeeded Malcolm Turnbull
Malcolm Turnbull
Malcolm Bligh Turnbull is an Australian politician. He has been a member of the Australian House of Representatives since 2004, and was Leader of the Opposition and parliamentary leader of the Liberal Party from 16 September 2008 to 1 December 2009.Turnbull has represented the Division...
as ARM chair in 2000.
Author and columnist
Barns is the author of What’s Wrong with the Liberal Party? (2003) and Selling the Australian Government: Politics and Propaganda from Whitlam to Howard (2005).More frequent contributions appear in Online Opinion, Crikey
Crikey
Crikey is an independent Australian electronic magazine comprising an open access website and an email newsletter available to subscribers. Well known in Australian political, media and business circles, Crikey was described by former Federal Opposition Leader Mark Latham as the "most popular...
and the Hobart Mercury
The Mercury (Hobart)
The Mercury is a daily newspaper, published in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, by Davies Brothers Pty Ltd, part of News Limited and News Corporation...
on issues pertaining to sport, law and politics (including the Australian federal election in 2007).
Prison reform
Barns is a spokesperson for the Prison Action and Reform Group Inc which is an independent coalition of individuals formed in response to community concerns awakened by the deaths of five people in Tasmanian prison institutions between August 1999 and January 2000. Prison Action and Reform aims to provide a forum to advocate on behalf of a silenced group (prisoners); for the improvement of existing conditions within the Tasmanian Corrections System; and for the development of a corrections system that is appropriate for Tasmania, complies with all applicable domestic and international human rights laws and accords with world best practice and benchmarks.Sources
- http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/author.asp?id=84
- http://www.tasmanianbar.com.au/barristers/gregbarns.html
- http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/07/14/2302577.htm