Ted Mack (politician)
Encyclopedia
Edward Carrington Mack (born 20 December 1933) is an Australia
n politician. He is the only person ever to have been elected and re-elected as an independent to local, state and federal government in Australia, and is often referred to as the "father of the independents".
suburb of Paddington
and educated at Sydney Boys High School
and trained as an architect at the University of New South Wales
, graduating with a B.Arch
in 1958. He married Wendy in 1957 and has two daughters and two sons.
approved construction of a 17-storey office block against his back fence. He subsequently ran for election to the council in 1974 and was successful, serving until 1988. He was elected Mayor of North Sydney in 1980, holding the position until his retirement from council in 1988. During his term as mayor, Mack sold the mayoral Mercedes-Benz
car, buying buses instead and instituting reforms to improve accountability.
In 1981, Mack decided to shift into state politics, and ran as an independent for the recently created New South Wales Legislative Assembly
seat of North Shore
. He was successful in what would normally have been a safe Liberal
seat, and served as a state MP until 1988, when he retired two days before he was due to qualify for his parliamentary pension entitlements, as a statement against the excesses of public political office.
in 1990, defeating incumbent Liberal MP John Spender
. During his time in federal politics, Mack opposed unilateral tariff removal, privatisation
, Australian involvement in the Gulf War
and the appointment of an Indonesian general as ambassador to Australia. Mack retired at the 1996 election for the same reasons he had quit state politics eight years previously.
Mack was elected as an independent Republican delegate to the 1998 Constitutional Convention
. He opposed the model favoured by the Australian Republican Movement
. Along with Clem Jones
, he is a director of Real Republic, and is known to be a proponent of Citizen Initiated Referenda.
Despite living nearby, for a time he refused to travel across the Sydney Harbour Bridge
or through the Sydney Harbour Tunnel
in protest at the secret contract and awarding of all tolls to Kumagai Transfield for 30 years.
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 is the only person ever to have been elected and re-elected as an independent to local, state and federal government in Australia, and is often referred to as the "father of the independents".
Early life
Mack was born in the SydneySydney
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...
suburb of Paddington
Paddington, New South Wales
Paddington is an inner-city, eastern suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Paddington is located 3 kilometres east of the Sydney central business district and lies across the local government areas of the City of Sydney and the Municipality of Woollahra...
and educated at Sydney Boys High School
Sydney Boys High School
Sydney Boys High School is an academically selective public secondary school for boys, located in the City of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, with 1,180 students, from years 7 to 12...
and trained as an architect at the University of New South Wales
University of New South Wales
The University of New South Wales , is a research-focused university based in Kensington, a suburb in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
, graduating with a B.Arch
Bachelor of Architecture
The Bachelor of Architecture is an undergraduate academic degree designed to satisfy the academic component of professional accreditation bodies, to be followed by a period of practical training prior to professional examination and registration. It is awarded for a course of study that lasts up...
in 1958. He married Wendy in 1957 and has two daughters and two sons.
Political career
Mack began to take an interest in politics in 1970 after the North Sydney CouncilNorth Sydney Council
North Sydney Council is a Local Government Area on the North Shore of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia.- Demographics :According to the :...
approved construction of a 17-storey office block against his back fence. He subsequently ran for election to the council in 1974 and was successful, serving until 1988. He was elected Mayor of North Sydney in 1980, holding the position until his retirement from council in 1988. During his term as mayor, Mack sold the mayoral Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a division of its parent company, Daimler AG...
car, buying buses instead and instituting reforms to improve accountability.
In 1981, Mack decided to shift into state politics, and ran as an independent for the recently created 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...
seat of North Shore
Electoral district of North Shore
North Shore is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is represented by Jillian Skinner of the Liberal Party of Australia.-History:...
. He was successful in what would normally have been a safe 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...
seat, and served as a state MP until 1988, when he retired two days before he was due to qualify for his parliamentary pension entitlements, as a statement against the excesses of public political office.
Federal politics
After two years of being out of politics, Mack achieved even broader fame by winning the federal seat of North SydneyDivision of North Sydney
The Division of North Sydney is an Australian Electoral Division in New South Wales. The division is named after the North Sydney area where it is located. It was proclaimed in 1900 and was one of the original 75 divisions contested at the first federal election...
in 1990, defeating incumbent Liberal MP John Spender
John Spender
John Michael Spender is a former Australian politician. Born in Sydney, the son of politician Percy Spender, he attended Yale University before becoming a barrister. In 1980 he was elected to the Australian House of Representatives as the Liberal member for North Sydney. He held the seat until his...
. During his time in federal politics, Mack opposed unilateral tariff removal, privatisation
Privatization
Privatization is the incidence or process of transferring ownership of a business, enterprise, agency or public service from the public sector to the private sector or to private non-profit organizations...
, Australian involvement in the Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
and the appointment of an Indonesian general as ambassador to Australia. Mack retired at the 1996 election for the same reasons he had quit state politics eight years previously.
Mack was elected as an independent Republican delegate to the 1998 Constitutional Convention
Constitutional Convention (Australia)
In Australian history, the term Constitutional Convention refers to four distinct gatherings.-1891 convention:The 1891 Constitutional Convention was held in Sydney in March 1891 to consider a draft Constitution for the proposed federation of the British colonies in Australia and New Zealand. There...
. He opposed the model favoured by the Australian Republican Movement
Australian Republican Movement
The Australian Republican Movement is a non-partisan lobby group advocating constitutional change in Australia to a republican form of government, from a constitutional monarchy.-Foundation:...
. Along with Clem Jones
Clem Jones
Clem Jones AO a surveyor by profession, was the longest serving Lord Mayor of the city of Brisbane, Australia, representing the Australian Labor Party from 1961 to 1975.-Public life:...
, he is a director of Real Republic, and is known to be a proponent of Citizen Initiated Referenda.
Despite living nearby, for a time he refused to travel across the Sydney Harbour Bridge
Sydney Harbour Bridge
The Sydney Harbour Bridge is a steel through arch bridge across Sydney Harbour that carries rail, vehicular, bicycle and pedestrian traffic between the Sydney central business district and the North Shore. The dramatic view of the bridge, the harbour, and the nearby Sydney Opera House is an iconic...
or through the Sydney Harbour Tunnel
Sydney Harbour Tunnel
The Sydney Harbour Tunnel is a twin-tube road tunnel in Sydney, Australia. The tunnel was completed and opened to traffic in August 1992 to provide a second vehicular crossing of Sydney Harbour to alleviate congestion on the Sydney Harbour Bridge....
in protest at the secret contract and awarding of all tolls to Kumagai Transfield for 30 years.