Ken Aldred
Encyclopedia
Kenneth James Aldred was an Australia
n politician who represented the Liberal Party
in the Australian House of Representatives
between 1975 and 1996.
Aldred was elected to represent the Division of Henty
in Victoria
in the 1975 federal election
and re-elected in 1977
, before being defeated by his predecessor in Henty, Labor
candidate Joan Child
, in the 1980 federal election
.
After the resignation of Speaker of the House
Billy Snedden
following the Coalition's defeat in the 1983 federal election
, Aldred successfully stood in the by-election
for his seat in the Division of Bruce
. He was re-elected in Bruce in the 1984 and 1987 federal elections. Following an electoral redistribution he was elected to represent the Division of Deakin
in the 1990 and 1993 federal elections.
Aldred was disendorsed by the Liberal Party for Deakin in 1995 for the 1996 Federal election. As a parting shot and with nothing to lose he used parliamentary privilege
to make allegations of involvement in espionage and drug trafficking against a prominent Jewish lawyer and a senior foreign affairs official, using documents that were later found to be forged, which had been supplied to him by Lyndon LaRouche
front organisation the Citizens Electoral Council
. He also alleged that the Department of Foreign Affairs
had 20 pedophiles in its senior ranks, and named one senior diplomat, who was charged and subsequently exonerated.
In 1999, Aldred presented further false documents to a newspaper alleging that John Howard, Paul Keating and Bob Hawke had taken money from Indonesia to bias foreign policy towards them.
In 2007, controversy ensued when the local Liberal Party branch endorsed Aldred as their candidate for the marginal seat of Holt
. However the Administrative Committee of the Liberal Party in Victoria voted unanimously to veto his endorsement. In March 2009, he nominated for the seat of Deakin again, but was once more unsuccessful.
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 who represented the Liberal Party
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...
in 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....
between 1975 and 1996.
Aldred was elected to represent the Division of Henty
Division of Henty
The Division of Henty was an Australian Electoral Division in Victoria. The division was created in 1913 and abolished in 1990. It was named for the Henty family of Portland, the first European settlers in Victoria. It was located in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne, including at various times...
in Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
in the 1975 federal 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 re-elected in 1977
Australian federal election, 1977
Federal elections were held in Australia on 10 December 1977. All 124 seats in the House of Representatives, and 34 of the 64 seats in the Senate, were up for election....
, before being defeated by his predecessor in Henty, 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...
candidate Joan Child
Joan Child
Gloria Joan Liles Child AO is a former Australian politician. She was the first, and so far only, woman to be Speaker of the Australian House of Representatives....
, in the 1980 federal election
Australian federal election, 1980
Federal elections were held in Australia on 18 October 1980. All 125 seats in the House of Representatives, and 34 of the 64 seats in the Senate, were up for election. The incumbent Liberal Party of Australia led by Malcolm Fraser with coalition partner the National Country Party led by Doug...
.
After the resignation of Speaker of the House
Speaker of the Australian House of Representatives
The Speaker of the House of Representatives is the presiding officer of the House of Representatives, the lower house of the Parliament of Australia. The presiding officer in the upper house is the President of the Senate....
Billy Snedden
Billy Snedden
Sir Billy Mackie Snedden, KCMG, QC was an Australian politician representing the Liberal Party. He was Leader of the Opposition at the 1974 federal election, failing to defeat the Labor incumbent Gough Whitlam.-Early life:...
following the Coalition's defeat in the 1983 federal election
Australian federal election, 1983
Federal elections were held in Australia on 5 March 1983. All 125 seats in the House of Representatives, and all 64 seats in the Senate, were up for election, following a double dissolution...
, Aldred successfully stood in the by-election
Bruce by-election, 1983
A by-election was held for the Australian House of Representatives seat of Bruce on 28 May 1983. This was triggered by the resignation of Liberal Party MP Billy Snedden.-Results:...
for his seat in the Division of Bruce
Division of Bruce
The Division of Bruce is an Australian Electoral Division in Victoria. The division was created in 1955 and is named for Stanley Bruce, who was Prime Minister of Australia from 1923 to 1929. It is located in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne...
. He was re-elected in Bruce in the 1984 and 1987 federal elections. Following an electoral redistribution he was elected to represent the Division of Deakin
Division of Deakin
The Division of Deakin is anAustralian Electoral Division in Victoria. It is named for Alfred Deakin, three times Prime Minister of Australia. The division was created in 1937, initially as a rural seat, but since 1949 it has been located in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne, today taking in...
in the 1990 and 1993 federal elections.
Aldred was disendorsed by the Liberal Party for Deakin in 1995 for the 1996 Federal election. As a parting shot and with nothing to lose he used parliamentary privilege
Parliamentary privilege
Parliamentary privilege is a legal immunity enjoyed by members of certain legislatures, in which legislators are granted protection against civil or criminal liability for actions done or statements made related to one's duties as a legislator. It is common in countries whose constitutions are...
to make allegations of involvement in espionage and drug trafficking against a prominent Jewish lawyer and a senior foreign affairs official, using documents that were later found to be forged, which had been supplied to him by Lyndon LaRouche
Lyndon LaRouche
Lyndon Hermyle LaRouche, Jr. is an American political activist and founder of a network of political committees, parties, and publications known collectively as the LaRouche movement...
front organisation the Citizens Electoral Council
Citizens Electoral Council
The Citizens Electoral Council of Australia is a minor nationalist political party in Australia affiliated with the international LaRouche Movement, led by American political activist and conspiracy theorist Lyndon LaRouche. It reported having 549 members in 2007...
. He also alleged that the Department of Foreign Affairs
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Australia)
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is a department of the government of Australia charged with advancing the interests of Australia and its citizens internationally...
had 20 pedophiles in its senior ranks, and named one senior diplomat, who was charged and subsequently exonerated.
In 1999, Aldred presented further false documents to a newspaper alleging that John Howard, Paul Keating and Bob Hawke had taken money from Indonesia to bias foreign policy towards them.
In 2007, controversy ensued when the local Liberal Party branch endorsed Aldred as their candidate for the marginal seat of Holt
Division of Holt
The Division of Holt is anAustralian Electoral Division in Victoria. The division was created in 1969 and is named for Harold Holt, who was Prime Minister of Australia 1966-67. It is located in...
. However the Administrative Committee of the Liberal Party in Victoria voted unanimously to veto his endorsement. In March 2009, he nominated for the seat of Deakin again, but was once more unsuccessful.
Further reading
- Aldred, Ken; Andrews, KevinKevin AndrewsKevin Andrews may refer to:* Kevin Andrews , former Australian federal minister* Kevin Andrews , American writer and archaeologist...
and Filing, PaulPaul FilingPaul Anthony Filing was an Australian politician. Born in Wegberg, Germany, he was a police officer and company manager in Australia before entering politics. From 1987 to 1989, he was Campaign Co-ordinator for the Liberal Party in Western Australia...
(eds.)(1994), The Heart of Liberalism. The Albury Papers, Mitcham, Victoria. ISBN 0 646 21290 7