Maurie Keane
Encyclopedia
Maurice Francis "Maurie" Keane (born 21 September 1923) is a former Australia
n politician. He was the Labor
member for Woronora
in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
from 1973 to 1988.
Born in Croydon Park
in Sydney
to Maurice and Desiree Keane, he attended Homebush
High School and De La Salle College in Ashfield
. After leaving school he became a proof-reader for a printing company in Sydney in 1940, before becoming a salesman in 1941. He enlisted in the AIF
in 1942 and was a signalman
with the 2nd Australian Corps of Signals. He returned to sales after the war's end in 1945. On 15 December 1951 he married Patricia Lucy Christmas, with whom he would have three children.
In 1957, Keane joined the Australian Labor Party
; he would go on to hold a number of positions within the party, including President of the Sutherland
Branch, President of the Hughes
Federal Electoral Council, and President of the Sutherland
and Woronora
State Electoral Councils. In 1962 he was elected to Sutherland Shire Council
, and in 1965 became Secretary of the Sydney Water Board
.
In 1973, a new state seat, Woronora, was created in the Sutherland area, with a notional Labor majority. Keane was selected as the Labor candidate and won the seat with a 2% margin. He held the seat until 1988, when it was renamed Sutherland
and Keane was defeated by Liberal
candidate Chris Downy
. Subsequent to his defeat, he was Executive Director of the Aboriginal Land Council (1990–93) and Director of the Mandela Foundation of Australia (1994–95).
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. He was 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 Woronora
Electoral district of Woronora
Woronora was a former electoral district for the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales, named after Woronora. It was created in 1894 and abolished in 1904. It was recreated in 1973 and abolished in 1988.-Members for Woronora:...
in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
New South Wales Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of New South Wales, an Australian state. The other chamber is the Legislative Council. Both the Assembly and Council sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney...
from 1973 to 1988.
Born in Croydon Park
Croydon Park, New South Wales
Croydon Park is a suburb, in the inner-west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Croydon Park is about 13 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district and is divided between the local government areas of the City of Canterbury, Burwood Council and Municipality of...
in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
to Maurice and Desiree Keane, he attended Homebush
Homebush, New South Wales
Homebush is an inner western suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Homebush is located 15 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the Municipality of Strathfield. Homebush West and Homebush Bay are separate suburbs...
High School and De La Salle College in Ashfield
Ashfield, New South Wales
Ashfield is a suburb in the inner-west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Ashfield is about 9 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre for the local government area of the Municipality of Ashfield.The official name for the...
. After leaving school he became a proof-reader for a printing company in Sydney in 1940, before becoming a salesman in 1941. He enlisted in the AIF
Australian Imperial Force
The Australian Imperial Force was the name given to all-volunteer Australian Army forces dispatched to fight overseas during World War I and World War II.* First Australian Imperial Force * Second Australian Imperial Force...
in 1942 and was a signalman
Signalman (rank)
Signalman was a U.S. Navy rating for sailors that specialized in visual communication. See Signaller for more about the roles of Signalmen.-U.S. Navy:A signal lamp is a visual signaling device for optical communication...
with the 2nd Australian Corps of Signals. He returned to sales after the war's end in 1945. On 15 December 1951 he married Patricia Lucy Christmas, with whom he would have three children.
In 1957, Keane joined the 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...
; he would go on to hold a number of positions within the party, including President of the Sutherland
Sutherland, New South Wales
Sutherland is a suburb in southern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Sutherland is located 26 kilometres south of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre for the local government area of the Sutherland Shire....
Branch, President of the Hughes
Division of Hughes
The Division of Hughes is an Australian Electoral Division in New South Wales. The division was created in 1955 and is named for Billy Hughes, who was Prime Minister of Australia 1915-23...
Federal Electoral Council, and President of the Sutherland
Electoral district of Sutherland
Sutherland was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales from 1950 to 1971 before it was abolished. The seat was reformed in 1988 until 1999...
and Woronora
Electoral district of Woronora
Woronora was a former electoral district for the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales, named after Woronora. It was created in 1894 and abolished in 1904. It was recreated in 1973 and abolished in 1988.-Members for Woronora:...
State Electoral Councils. In 1962 he was elected to Sutherland Shire Council
Sutherland Shire
The Sutherland Shire is a Local Government Area in the Southern Sydney region of Sydney, Australia. Geographically, it is the area to the south of Botany Bay and the Georges River...
, and in 1965 became Secretary of the Sydney Water Board
Sydney Water
Sydney Water is a New South Wales government owned corporation that provides drinking water, wastewater and some stormwater services to Sydney, Illawarra and the Blue Mountains, in Australia...
.
In 1973, a new state seat, Woronora, was created in the Sutherland area, with a notional Labor majority. Keane was selected as the Labor candidate and won the seat with a 2% margin. He held the seat until 1988, when it was renamed Sutherland
Electoral district of Sutherland
Sutherland was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales from 1950 to 1971 before it was abolished. The seat was reformed in 1988 until 1999...
and Keane was defeated by 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...
candidate Chris Downy
Chris Downy
Christopher John "Chris" Downy is a former Australian politician. He was the Liberal Party member for Sutherland in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1988 to 1997, and Minister for Sport, Recreation and Racing from 1993 to 1995....
. Subsequent to his defeat, he was Executive Director of the Aboriginal Land Council (1990–93) and Director of the Mandela Foundation of Australia (1994–95).