John Barnes (Australian politician)
Encyclopedia
John Barnes was a union official and Australian federal politician representing the Labor Party
.
, South Australia, the son of John Thomas Barnes, a drover who had emigrated from Somerset
, England, and his wife, Mary, née Comerford, from County Clare
, Ireland. Barnes was educated at a local primary school but left to obtain work as a farm labourer, shearer, miner and general bush worker; his father had died when the boy was six. In his swag
he carried copies of works by Henry George
, Robert Blatchford
, Henry Lawson
and other writers on economic and social questions and he thus became largely self-educated.
), became General Secretary in 1908 and afterwards President. He was Secretary of the Victoria-Riverina branch for a period, and held that position when he was elected a federal Senator
for Victoria in 1913. He was defeated at the 1919 general election but was again elected in 1922 and in 1928. He was Assistant Minister for Works and Railways from 22 October 1929 to 3 March 1931 and then Vice-President of the Executive Council
and Leader of the Government in the Senate until 6 January, 1932. He was then Leader of the Opposition in the Senate until 30 June 1935. Though he held his seat until this date, he had been defeated at the general election held in 1934. He was re-elected to the Senate in 1937, his term due to begin on 1 July 1938.
on 31 January 1938 as a Senator-elect. He left a widow, one son and five daughters. He was given a state funeral, the procession travelling through the city, pausing at Trades Hall, and continuing to the Melbourne General Cemetery
.
Barnes, at the time, was the most notorious practical joker
in Australian federal politics. His sense of humour went along with earnestness and a belief in the cause of Labour. He was well regarded amongst colleagues and in union circles, where he was for many years a leader before entering politics.
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...
.
Early life
Barnes was born at HamiltonHamilton, South Australia
Hamilton is a small township in the Mount Lofty Ranges in South Australia. It is about 120 km northeast of Adelaide, South Australia, about 20 km north of Kapunda....
, South Australia, the son of John Thomas Barnes, a drover who had emigrated from Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, England, and his wife, Mary, née Comerford, from County Clare
County Clare
-History:There was a Neolithic civilisation in the Clare area — the name of the peoples is unknown, but the Prehistoric peoples left evidence behind in the form of ancient dolmen; single-chamber megalithic tombs, usually consisting of three or more upright stones...
, Ireland. Barnes was educated at a local primary school but left to obtain work as a farm labourer, shearer, miner and general bush worker; his father had died when the boy was six. In his swag
Swag
In Australia and New Zealand, a swag is a bundle of belongings rolled in a traditional fashion to be carried by a foot traveller in the bush. Before motor transport was common, foot travel over long distances was essential to agriculture in the Australian bush....
he carried copies of works by Henry George
Henry George
Henry George was an American writer, politician and political economist, who was the most influential proponent of the land value tax, also known as the "single tax" on land...
, Robert Blatchford
Robert Blatchford
Robert Peel Glanville Blatchford was a socialist campaigner, journalist and author in the United Kingdom. He was a prominent atheist and opponent of eugenics. He was also an English patriot...
, Henry Lawson
Henry Lawson
Henry Lawson was an Australian writer and poet. Along with his contemporary Banjo Paterson, Lawson is among the best-known Australian poets and fiction writers of the colonial period and is often called Australia's "greatest writer"...
and other writers on economic and social questions and he thus became largely self-educated.
Career
Barnes was an early member of the Shearers' Union, (later named the Australian Workers' UnionAustralian Workers' Union
The Australian Workers' Union is one of Australia's largest and oldest trade unions. It traces its origins to unions founded in the pastoral and mining industries in the 1880s, and currently has approximately 135,000 members...
), became General Secretary in 1908 and afterwards President. He was Secretary of the Victoria-Riverina branch for a period, and held that position when he was elected a federal Senator
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,...
for Victoria in 1913. He was defeated at the 1919 general election but was again elected in 1922 and in 1928. He was Assistant Minister for Works and Railways from 22 October 1929 to 3 March 1931 and then Vice-President of the Executive Council
Vice-President of the Executive Council
The Vice-President of the Federal Executive Council is a position in Australian federal governments, whose holder acts as presiding officer of the Federal Executive Council in the absence of the Governor-General....
and Leader of the Government in the Senate until 6 January, 1932. He was then Leader of the Opposition in the Senate until 30 June 1935. Though he held his seat until this date, he had been defeated at the general election held in 1934. He was re-elected to the Senate in 1937, his term due to begin on 1 July 1938.
Late life and legacy
Barnes, however was suffering from cancer and died in East MelbourneEast Melbourne, Victoria
East Melbourne is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, adjacent to Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Melbourne. At the 2006 Census, East Melbourne had a population of 4,330....
on 31 January 1938 as a Senator-elect. He left a widow, one son and five daughters. He was given a state funeral, the procession travelling through the city, pausing at Trades Hall, and continuing to the Melbourne General Cemetery
Melbourne General Cemetery
The Melbourne General Cemetery is a large necropolis located north of the city of Melbourne in the suburb of Carlton North.-History:...
.
Barnes, at the time, was the most notorious practical joker
Practical joke
A practical joke is a mischievous trick played on someone, typically causing the victim to experience embarrassment, indignity, or discomfort. Practical jokes differ from confidence tricks in that the victim finds out, or is let in on the joke, rather than being fooled into handing over money or...
in Australian federal politics. His sense of humour went along with earnestness and a belief in the cause of Labour. He was well regarded amongst colleagues and in union circles, where he was for many years a leader before entering politics.