John Coates (Australian politician)
Encyclopedia
John Coates is a retired Australia
n politician. Born in Melbourne
, he was educated at the University of Sydney
, after which he became a biochemist
at the University of Tasmania
. In 1972, he was elected to the Australian House of Representatives
as the Labor
member for Denison
, defeating sitting Liberal
MP Robert Solomon
. He was defeated by Liberal candidate Michael Hodgman
in 1975, but in 1980 returned to politics when he was elected to the Senate
. He remained a Senator until he resigned his place on 20 August 1996, six months after the federal election that had removed Labor from power.
Coates announced his resignation from the Senate on the same day that his ALP colleague Senator Mal Colston left the party and with Coalition support was elected Deputy President of the Senate. Senator Coates announced his resignation in the Senate just shortly after Colston's election as Deputy Senate President and when Senator Coates made this announcement there was an interjection from across the chamber from Liberal Senator Alan Ferguson.
In reference to the Colston defection earlier in the day, Senator Ferguson in response to Senator Coates' announcement said "Another one." Whilst still in the middle of making his resignation speech, Senator Coates responded in kind by saying, "From the Senate not from the Australian Labor Party."
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 politician. Born in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, he was educated at the University of Sydney
University of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
, after which he became a biochemist
Biochemistry
Biochemistry, sometimes called biological chemistry, is the study of chemical processes in living organisms, including, but not limited to, living matter. Biochemistry governs all living organisms and living processes...
at the University of Tasmania
University of Tasmania
The University of Tasmania is a medium-sized public Australian university based in Tasmania, Australia. Officially founded on 1 January 1890, it was the fourth university to be established in nineteenth-century Australia...
. In 1972, he was elected to the Australian House of Representatives
Australian House of Representatives
The House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia; it is the lower house; the upper house is the Senate. Members of Parliament serve for terms of approximately three years....
as the Labor
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...
member for Denison
Division of Denison
The Division of Denison is anAustralian Electoral Division in Tasmania.The division was created in 1903 and is named for Sir William Denison, who was Lt-Governor of Van Diemens Land 1847-55...
, defeating sitting Liberal
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
MP Robert Solomon
Robert Solomon (Australian politician)
Robert John Solomon AM is a retired Australian politician. Born in Condobolin, New South Wales, he was educated at Barker College, the University of Sydney and Oxford University before receiving a PhD from the University of Tasmania...
. He was defeated by Liberal candidate Michael Hodgman
Michael Hodgman
William Michael Hodgman, AM QC , is an Australian Liberal retired politician. He is a former member of the Tasmanian Legislative Council, the Tasmanian House of Assembly and the Australian House of Representatives....
in 1975, but in 1980 returned to politics when he 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,...
. He remained a Senator until he resigned his place on 20 August 1996, six months after the federal election that had removed Labor from power.
Coates announced his resignation from the Senate on the same day that his ALP colleague Senator Mal Colston left the party and with Coalition support was elected Deputy President of the Senate. Senator Coates announced his resignation in the Senate just shortly after Colston's election as Deputy Senate President and when Senator Coates made this announcement there was an interjection from across the chamber from Liberal Senator Alan Ferguson.
In reference to the Colston defection earlier in the day, Senator Ferguson in response to Senator Coates' announcement said "Another one." Whilst still in the middle of making his resignation speech, Senator Coates responded in kind by saying, "From the Senate not from the Australian Labor Party."