John Kerin
Encyclopedia
John Charles Kerin, AM
(born 21 November 1937) is an Australian economist and former Australian Labor Party
(ALP) politician.
(ABARE) before being elected to the Commonwealth Parliament
as the Labor member
for Macarthur
in the 1972 federal election
. He lost his seat in the Labor defeat in the 1975 election
and returned to the ABARE. He was re-elected as the ALP member for Werriwa
in 1978 following the retirement of former prime minister Gough Whitlam
as the member for Werriwa.
Kerin served as Minister for Primary Industries
(1983–1987), Minister for Primary Industries and Energy (1987–1991), Minister for Transport and Communications
(1991), and Treasurer
(1991) in the Labor government of Bob Hawke
and later Minister for Trade and Overseas Development
(1992–1993) in the Labor Government of Paul Keating
.
Kerin replaced Paul Keating
as Australian Treasurer in June 1991 after Keating resigned following an unsuccessful challenge to Hawke as Labor leader and Prime Minister, although Bob Hawke himself was treasurer for a day after Paul Keating resigned. Kerin was highly regarded as Minister for Primary Industry but his period as Treasurer was a difficult one, not least because of the ongoing tension between Bob Hawke and Paul Keating. Kerin resigned as Treasurer shortly before Keating's second, successful, bid for leadership in December 1991. Keating later appointed Kerin as Minister for Trade and Overseas Development.
. In October 2010 he was appointed Chair of the Crawford Fund which aims to increase Australia's engagement in international agricultural research, development and education.
In 2011 he resigned from the ALP in protest at what he saw as the increasingly highly-centralised nature of control over the operations of the organisation. He said that the administrative arm of the ALP had become increasingly involved in policy formulation leaving little room for meaningful participation by rank and file members of the ALP.
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
(born 21 November 1937) is an Australian economist and former 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...
(ALP) politician.
Career in politics
Kerin worked at the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource EconomicsAustralian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics
The Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics , is located in Canberra, Australia. ABARE, established in 1945, is an Australian government economic research agency, it is also involved in commercial consultancy.Their mission is:...
(ABARE) before being elected to the Commonwealth Parliament
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 member
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...
for Macarthur
Division of Macarthur
The Division of Macarthur is an Australia Federal electoral division covering outer south-west Sydney. Its present boundaries cover the southern suburbs of Campbelltown, all of the local government area of Camden and small parts of Wollondilly. It covers 537 km² and is named after John...
in the 1972 federal election
Australian federal election, 1972
Federal elections were held in Australia on 2 December 1972. All 125 seats in the House of Representatives were up for election. The Liberal Party of Australia had been in power since 1949, under Prime Minister of Australia William McMahon since March 1971 with coalition partner the Country Party...
. He lost his seat in the Labor defeat in the 1975 election
Australian federal election, 1975
Federal elections were held in Australia on 13 December 1975. All 127 seats in the House of Representatives, and all 64 seats in the Senate were up for election following a double dissolution of both Houses....
and returned to the ABARE. He was re-elected as the ALP member for Werriwa
Division of Werriwa
The Division of Werriwa is a Federal Electoral Division for the Australian House of Representatives.The name Werriwa derives from a local Aboriginal name for Lake George, which was located in the division when it was established in 1900. The division was one of the original 75 divisions first...
in 1978 following the retirement of former prime minister Gough Whitlam
Gough Whitlam
Edward Gough Whitlam, AC, QC , known as Gough Whitlam , served as the 21st Prime Minister of Australia. Whitlam led the Australian Labor Party to power at the 1972 election and retained government at the 1974 election, before being dismissed by Governor-General Sir John Kerr at the climax of the...
as the member for Werriwa.
Kerin served as Minister for Primary Industries
Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (Australia)
The current Australian Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry is Senator the Hon Joe Ludwig.-Portfolio responsibilities:The minister administers his portfolio through the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, and its component bodies:...
(1983–1987), Minister for Primary Industries and Energy (1987–1991), Minister for Transport and Communications
Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government (Australia)
The Australian Minister for Infrastructure and Transport is the Hon Anthony Albanese. On 3 December 2007 he replaced the Minister for Transport and Regional Services, the Hon Mark Vaile, who held office since August 2006, and the Minister for Local Government, Territories and Roads, the Hon Jim...
(1991), and Treasurer
Treasurer of Australia
The Treasurer of Australia is the minister in the Government of Australia responsible for government expenditure and revenue raising. He is the head of the Department of the Treasury. The Treasurer plays a key role in the economic policy of the government...
(1991) in the Labor government of Bob Hawke
Bob Hawke
Robert James Lee "Bob" Hawke AC GCL was the 23rd Prime Minister of Australia from March 1983 to December 1991 and therefore longest serving Australian Labor Party Prime Minister....
and later Minister for Trade and Overseas Development
Minister for Trade (Australia)
The Australian Minister for Trade has been Dr. Craig Emerson since 14 September 2010.-Portfolio:Currently the Minister for Trade administers the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade jointly with the Minister for Foreign Affairs, although prior to 1987 there was a separate Department of Trade...
(1992–1993) in the Labor Government of Paul Keating
Paul Keating
Paul John Keating was the 24th Prime Minister of Australia, serving from 1991 to 1996. Keating was elected as the federal Labor member for Blaxland in 1969 and came to prominence as the reformist treasurer of the Hawke Labor government, which came to power at the 1983 election...
.
Kerin replaced Paul Keating
Paul Keating
Paul John Keating was the 24th Prime Minister of Australia, serving from 1991 to 1996. Keating was elected as the federal Labor member for Blaxland in 1969 and came to prominence as the reformist treasurer of the Hawke Labor government, which came to power at the 1983 election...
as Australian Treasurer in June 1991 after Keating resigned following an unsuccessful challenge to Hawke as Labor leader and Prime Minister, although Bob Hawke himself was treasurer for a day after Paul Keating resigned. Kerin was highly regarded as Minister for Primary Industry but his period as Treasurer was a difficult one, not least because of the ongoing tension between Bob Hawke and Paul Keating. Kerin resigned as Treasurer shortly before Keating's second, successful, bid for leadership in December 1991. Keating later appointed Kerin as Minister for Trade and Overseas Development.
Activities since leaving parliament
After leaving politics in 1994, Kerin held senior positions with the Australian Meat and Livestock Corporation and numerous other bodies. Kerin remains active across a range of activities in public policy in Australia. In October 2008 he was appointed to the board of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research OrganisationCommonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation is the national government body for scientific research in Australia...
. In October 2010 he was appointed Chair of the Crawford Fund which aims to increase Australia's engagement in international agricultural research, development and education.
In 2011 he resigned from the ALP in protest at what he saw as the increasingly highly-centralised nature of control over the operations of the organisation. He said that the administrative arm of the ALP had become increasingly involved in policy formulation leaving little room for meaningful participation by rank and file members of the ALP.