Michael Tate
Encyclopedia
Michael Carter Tate AO
(born 6 July 1945) is a former Australian Labor Party
politician who later became an ambassador and then a Catholic priest.
Michael Tate was born in Sydney in 1945. He gained a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Tasmania
, and a Master of Arts from Oxford. He was a Lecturer in Law at the University of Tasmania, becoming Dean of the Faculty in 1977. He was the Legal Adviser to the Tasmanian Parliamentary Delegation to the Australian Constitutional Conventions 1973–77.
He was a member of the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace 1972–78.
He was elected to the Senate representing Tasmania
, at the 1977 election, his term commencing on 1 July 1978. He was re-elected in 1983, 1987 and 1993. He was President of the Parliamentary Christian Fellowship 1985–88.
He served as Minister for Justice
1987–93 in the Hawke
and Keating
governments, in addition to other portfolios.
He resigned from the Senate on 5 July 1993. After leaving politics he was appointed Australian Ambassador to the Netherlands
and the Holy See
, before retiring early to enter the priesthood.
In the Australia Day
Honours of 1996, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia
(AO).
In 2002, he told the ABC
's 7.30 Report
that during his last audience with Pope John Paul II as Ambassador to the Holy See, the pontiff asked him what his next posting would be. John Paul was somewhat surprised when Tate told him he would be studying for the priesthood.
As of September 2011 Tate was the parish priest of the Roman Catholic parish of the Holy Spirit in Sandy Bay, Tasmania
.
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 6 July 1945) is a 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...
politician who later became an ambassador and then a Catholic priest.
Michael Tate was born in Sydney in 1945. He gained a Bachelor of Laws from 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...
, and a Master of Arts from Oxford. He was a Lecturer in Law at the University of Tasmania, becoming Dean of the Faculty in 1977. He was the Legal Adviser to the Tasmanian Parliamentary Delegation to the Australian Constitutional Conventions 1973–77.
He was a member of the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace 1972–78.
He was elected to the Senate representing Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
, at the 1977 election, his term commencing on 1 July 1978. He was re-elected in 1983, 1987 and 1993. He was President of the Parliamentary Christian Fellowship 1985–88.
He served as Minister for Justice
Minister for Justice (Australia)
The Australian Minister for Justice is the Hon Brendan O'Connor MP. The position supports the Attorney-General. Michael Tate was appointed the first minister with this title on 18 September 1987 and there have ministers with responsibilities for justice ever since except between 3 December 2007...
1987–93 in the 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 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...
governments, in addition to other portfolios.
He resigned from the Senate on 5 July 1993. After leaving politics he was appointed Australian Ambassador to the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
and the Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
, before retiring early to enter the priesthood.
In the Australia Day
Australia Day
Australia Day is the official national day of Australia...
Honours of 1996, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia
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"...
(AO).
In 2002, he told the ABC
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
's 7.30 Report
The 7.30 Report
The 7.30 Report is an Australian nightly television current affairs program, that was shown on ABC1 and ABC News 24 at , Mondays–Thursdays...
that during his last audience with Pope John Paul II as Ambassador to the Holy See, the pontiff asked him what his next posting would be. John Paul was somewhat surprised when Tate told him he would be studying for the priesthood.
As of September 2011 Tate was the parish priest of the Roman Catholic parish of the Holy Spirit in Sandy Bay, Tasmania
Sandy Bay, Tasmania
Sandy Bay is a suburb of the city of Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, located immediately south of the central business district.The suburb is home to many large homes, and adjoins the waterfront Salamanca area and Battery Point. The suburb is known as one of the city's prestigious areas...
.