Tim Costello
Encyclopedia
Timothy Ewen Costello AO
(born 4 March 1955) is a prominent Baptist
minister and current CEO of World Vision Australia.
He is an "Australian Living Treasure
". He is the brother of former treasurer of Australia and Federal Member for Higgins
Peter Costello
.
and graduated in law at Monash University
in 1978. In 1979 he practised as a solicitor
in family and criminal law and in 1981, travelled to Switzerland
with his wife Merridie where they both studied theology at Rueshlikon College near Zurich
, before returning to Australia in 1984.
Baptist Church, opened a drop-in centre and worked in a legal practice for those for whom the law is normally inaccessible.
As elected Mayor
of St Kilda Council in 1993, he became well known for championing the cause of local democracy
and his clashes with Victorian Premier Jeff Kennett
. Kennett attacked Costello as being un-Victoria
n for speaking out against the gaming-led recovery of the state and often referred to him as "that leftist cleric". Costello's political career ended when his mayoral position was abolished with the whole St Kilda Council in Kennett's reforms and consolidation of local government.
From 1995 to 2003 he was a Minister of the Collins Street Baptist Church
and the Executive Director of Urban Seed, a Christian
not-for-profit organisation created in response to concern about homelessness
, drug abuse
and the marginalisation of the city’s street people.
Costello was an elected delegate at the Australian Constitutional Convention
in Canberra
in February 1998.
He served as President of the Baptist Union of Australia
from 1999 to 2002. He has been Patron of Baptist World Aid, a member of the Australian Earth Charter Committee, a council member of the Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture, a spokesperson for the Interchurch Gambling Taskforce, a member of the National Advisory Body on Gambling and a member of the Alcohol Education and Rehabilitation Foundation.
Throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s he was frequently seen in the Australian national media commenting on gambling
and other social problems.
Costello has spoken out in favour of stronger gun control in Australia
, acting at times as the chairman or spokesman of the National Coalition for Gun Control.
In 2004, Costello was appointed CEO
of World Vision Australia. He was awarded Victorian of the Year 2004
in July 2004, in recognition of his public and community service. He was made an Officer of the Order of Australia
in June 2005. He is the 2008 winner of the Australian Peace Prize
awarded by the Peace Organisation of Australia
. He is also listed by the National Trust as a "National Living Treasure".
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 4 March 1955) is a prominent Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
minister and current CEO of World Vision Australia.
He is an "Australian Living Treasure
Australian Living Treasures
Australian Living Treasures are people who have been nominated by the National Trust of Australia. The first list of 100 Living Treasures was published in 1997....
". He is the brother of former treasurer of Australia and Federal Member for Higgins
Division of Higgins
The Division of Higgins is an Australian Electoral Division in Victoria.The division was created in 1949 and is named after Justice H. B. Higgins , who was a Victorian Member of the legislative assembly , president of the Carlton Football Club , Australian Member of Parliament , and justice of the...
Peter Costello
Peter Costello
Peter Howard Costello AC is an Australian politician and lawyer who served as the Treasurer in the Australian government from 1996 to 2007. He is the longest-serving Treasurer in Australian history. Costello was a Member of the Australian House of Representatives from 1990 to 2009, representing...
.
Early life
He was educated at Carey Baptist Grammar SchoolCarey Baptist Grammar School
Carey Baptist Grammar School is an independent, co-educational, Christian, international, day school consisting of four campuses in Victoria, Australia - Kew , Donvale , the Carey Sports Complex in Bulleen and an outdoor education camp near Paynesville in eastern Gippsland called Carey...
and graduated in law at Monash University
Monash University
Monash University is a public university based in Melbourne, Victoria. It was founded in 1958 and is the second oldest university in the state. Monash is a member of Australia's Group of Eight and the ASAIHL....
in 1978. In 1979 he practised as a solicitor
Solicitor
Solicitors are lawyers who traditionally deal with any legal matter including conducting proceedings in courts. In the United Kingdom, a few Australian states and the Republic of Ireland, the legal profession is split between solicitors and barristers , and a lawyer will usually only hold one title...
in family and criminal law and in 1981, travelled to Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
with his wife Merridie where they both studied theology at Rueshlikon College near Zurich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
, before returning to Australia in 1984.
Career history
Ordained a Baptist Minister in 1987, the Reverend Tim Costello, along with a team of others, rebuilt the congregation at the St KildaSt Kilda, Victoria
St Kilda is an inner city suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 6 km south from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Port Phillip...
Baptist Church, opened a drop-in centre and worked in a legal practice for those for whom the law is normally inaccessible.
As elected Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of St Kilda Council in 1993, he became well known for championing the cause of local democracy
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
and his clashes with Victorian Premier Jeff Kennett
Jeff Kennett
Jeffrey Gibb Kennett AC , a former Australian politician, was the Premier of Victoria between 1992 and 1999. He is currently the President of Hawthorn Football Club. He is the founding Chairman of beyondblue, a national depression initiative.- Early life :Kennett was born in Melbourne on 2 March...
. Kennett attacked Costello as being un-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....
n for speaking out against the gaming-led recovery of the state and often referred to him as "that leftist cleric". Costello's political career ended when his mayoral position was abolished with the whole St Kilda Council in Kennett's reforms and consolidation of local government.
From 1995 to 2003 he was a Minister of the Collins Street Baptist Church
Collins Street Baptist Church
Collins Street Baptist Church is a Baptist church in central Melbourne, Australia. Founded on this site in 1845, it is the oldest Baptist church in Victoria...
and the Executive Director of Urban Seed, a Christian
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
not-for-profit organisation created in response to concern about homelessness
Homelessness
Homelessness describes the condition of people without a regular dwelling. People who are homeless are unable or unwilling to acquire and maintain regular, safe, and adequate housing, or lack "fixed, regular, and adequate night-time residence." The legal definition of "homeless" varies from country...
, drug abuse
Drug abuse
Substance abuse, also known as drug abuse, refers to a maladaptive pattern of use of a substance that is not considered dependent. The term "drug abuse" does not exclude dependency, but is otherwise used in a similar manner in nonmedical contexts...
and the marginalisation of the city’s street people.
Costello was an elected delegate at the Australian 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...
in Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
in February 1998.
He served as President of the Baptist Union of Australia
Baptist Union of Australia
The Baptist Union of Australia is the oldest and largest national cooperative body of Baptists in Australia. Its current National President is Reverend Dr John Beasy. The BUA is now known as Australian Baptist Ministries - ABM...
from 1999 to 2002. He has been Patron of Baptist World Aid, a member of the Australian Earth Charter Committee, a council member of the Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture, a spokesperson for the Interchurch Gambling Taskforce, a member of the National Advisory Body on Gambling and a member of the Alcohol Education and Rehabilitation Foundation.
Throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s he was frequently seen in the Australian national media commenting on gambling
Gambling
Gambling is the wagering of money or something of material value on an event with an uncertain outcome with the primary intent of winning additional money and/or material goods...
and other social problems.
Costello has spoken out in favour of stronger gun control in Australia
Gun politics in Australia
Gun politics have only become a notable issue in Australia since the 1980s. Low levels of violent crime through much of the 20th century kept levels of public concern about firearms low...
, acting at times as the chairman or spokesman of the National Coalition for Gun Control.
In 2004, Costello was appointed CEO
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
of World Vision Australia. He was awarded Victorian of the Year 2004
Victorian of the Year
The Victorian of the Year is an award given to the most outstanding Victorian in any given year.This is not to be confused with the Victorian winner of the Australian of the Year awarded in Canberra by the Australia Day Council .The Victorian of the year is awarded in Melbourne by the Victoria Day...
in July 2004, in recognition of his public and community service. He was made 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"...
in June 2005. He is the 2008 winner of the Australian Peace Prize
Australian Peace Prize
The Australian Peace Prize was an annual award presented from 2006 to 2009 to an Australian citizen or resident, or to a group based in Australia, for outstanding contributions towards peace. It was awarded by the Peace Organisation of Australia. The first prize was awarded in 2006 to Dr Helen...
awarded by the Peace Organisation of Australia
Peace Organisation of Australia
The Peace Organisation of Australia was a non-profit and non-religious organisation based in Melbourne, Australia which was active from 2005 to 2009. Its stated objective was the promotion of world peace through education. The organisation was established in May 2005 by a group of students from the...
. He is also listed by the National Trust as a "National Living Treasure".
Authorship
- Streets of Hope: Finding God in St Kilda (1997)
- Tips from a Travelling Soul Searcher (1999)
- Wanna Bet? Winners and Losers in Gambling's Luck Myth (2001)
Further reading
- Costello, Tim and Royce Millar. Wanna bet?: Winners and losers in gambling's luck myth. Sydney: Allen & Unwin, 2000. ISBN 1865083712