John Woodley
Encyclopedia
John Woodley is a Christian
Minister of religion
and was a Senator representing the state of Queensland
, Australia
, in the Australian Senate
.
and Brisbane College of Theology
.
after Church union in June 1977.
During his ministry, Woodley worked mainly in rural churches and had extensive contact with Aboriginal people.
He served as Director of Social Responsibility in the Uniting Church, Queensland Synod, from 1977 to December 1984 and was very active fighting for justice during the Joh Bjelke-Petersen era in Queensland.
He was also a member of the Uniting Church in Australia's National Social Justice Committee between 1977 and 1982.
After his election, Woodley wished to remain a "Minister of the Word" and the church deemed his parish
to be the Senate and his parishioners to be the people of Queensland.
He officially retired as a Uniting Church minister on the grounds of age on 1 September 2001. The 23rd Synod meeting of The Uniting Church in Australia, Queensland Synod, in October 2002 received a minute of appreciation for his ministry.
.
Woodley was elected in March 1993 as the second Australian Democrats Senator for Queensland and appointed to his seat in July 1993. Woodley was for a time the Democrats' spokesperson on Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander Affairs, Family Services, Regional Development and Agriculture.
Woodley resigned from the Senate in August 2001 with three years to run in his second term, not long after the party's members voted for Natasha Stott Despoja
to replace Meg Lees as the Parliamentary Leader of the Democrats. The reason given for his resignation was health reasons, but he also stated that "I don't have the same commitment to the new leadership team." Woodley was among the Democrat Senators who voted with Meg Lees to introduce the GST. The casual vacancy for his seat for the Democrats was filled by Senator John Cherry.
, the breakaway party set up by Meg Lees
after she resigned from the Democrats. He served as the National President of this Party, which wound up after unsuccessfully contesting the 2004 federal election.
In retirement, Woodley continues to be active in church circles in Queensland.
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
Minister of religion
Minister of religion
In Christian churches, a minister is someone who is authorized by a church or religious organization to perform functions such as teaching of beliefs; leading services such as weddings, baptisms or funerals; or otherwise providing spiritual guidance to the community...
and was a Senator representing the state of Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, 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...
, in the Australian 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,...
.
Education
Woodley was educated at the Melbourne College of DivinityMelbourne College of Divinity
The Melbourne College of Divinity is a theological education organisation located in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.The MCD is an ecumenical consortium of a number of theological colleges from a number of denominations...
and Brisbane College of Theology
Brisbane College of Theology
Brisbane College of Theology, in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, was an ecumenical theological education consortium, comprising St Francis' Theological College , St Paul's Theological College and Trinity Theological College . It was based at Raymont Lodge in Auchenflower and offered both...
.
Christian Ministry
Prior to entering politics, Woodley was a Christian minister with the Methodist Church (ordained in October 1962) and its successor, the Uniting Church in AustraliaUniting Church in Australia
The Uniting Church in Australia was formed on 22 June 1977 when many congregations of the Methodist Church of Australasia, the Presbyterian Church of Australia and the Congregational Union of Australia came together under the Basis of Union....
after Church union in June 1977.
During his ministry, Woodley worked mainly in rural churches and had extensive contact with Aboriginal people.
He served as Director of Social Responsibility in the Uniting Church, Queensland Synod, from 1977 to December 1984 and was very active fighting for justice during the Joh Bjelke-Petersen era in Queensland.
He was also a member of the Uniting Church in Australia's National Social Justice Committee between 1977 and 1982.
After his election, Woodley wished to remain a "Minister of the Word" and the church deemed his parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
to be the Senate and his parishioners to be the people of Queensland.
He officially retired as a Uniting Church minister on the grounds of age on 1 September 2001. The 23rd Synod meeting of The Uniting Church in Australia, Queensland Synod, in October 2002 received a minute of appreciation for his ministry.
Politician
Before his election Woodley had been Queensland President of the Australian DemocratsAustralian 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...
.
Woodley was elected in March 1993 as the second Australian Democrats Senator for Queensland and appointed to his seat in July 1993. Woodley was for a time the Democrats' spokesperson on Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Torres Strait
The Torres Strait is a body of water which lies between Australia and the Melanesian island of New Guinea. It is approximately wide at its narrowest extent. To the south is Cape York Peninsula, the northernmost continental extremity of the Australian state of Queensland...
Islander Affairs, Family Services, Regional Development and Agriculture.
Woodley resigned from the Senate in August 2001 with three years to run in his second term, not long after the party's members voted for Natasha Stott Despoja
Natasha Stott Despoja
Natasha Jessica Stott Despoja AM is an Australian former politician and former leader of the Australian Democrats. She was a Democrats senator for South Australia from 1995 to 2008...
to replace Meg Lees as the Parliamentary Leader of the Democrats. The reason given for his resignation was health reasons, but he also stated that "I don't have the same commitment to the new leadership team." Woodley was among the Democrat Senators who voted with Meg Lees to introduce the GST. The casual vacancy for his seat for the Democrats was filled by Senator John Cherry.
After politics
Woodley made several public statements about Democrats' internal politics, consistently voicing support for former Leader Meg Lees. He left the Democrats not long after retiring from the Senate and soon joined the Australian Progressive AllianceAustralian Progressive Alliance
The Australian Progressive Alliance was a minor liberal party in Australia, formed by Meg Lees, an independent senator and former leader of the Australian Democrats, in April 2003...
, the breakaway party set up by Meg Lees
Meg Lees
Meg Heather Lees was a member of the Australian Senate from 1990 to 2005, representing the state of South Australia. She represented the Australian Democrats from 1990 to 2002, and was an independent senator between 2002 and 2005, adopting the party designation Australian Progressive Alliance from...
after she resigned from the Democrats. He served as the National President of this Party, which wound up after unsuccessfully contesting the 2004 federal election.
In retirement, Woodley continues to be active in church circles in Queensland.
Memberships
- Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee
- Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation (October 1997-February 1999)