John Anderson (Australian politician)

The Honourable
John Anderson
AC FTSE
Deputy Prime Minister of Australia
In office
20 July 1999 – 6 July 2005
Prime MinisterJohn Howard
Preceded byTim Fischer
Succeeded byMark Vaile
Leader of the National Party
In office
20 July 1999 – 23 June 2005
DeputyMark Vaile
Preceded byTim Fischer
Succeeded byMark Vaile
Minister for Transport and Regional Development
In office
21 October 1998 – 6 July 2005
Prime MinisterJohn Howard
Preceded byMark Vaile
Succeeded byWarren Truss
Deputy Leader of the National Party
In office
23 March 1993 – 20 July 1999
LeaderTim Fischer
Preceded byBruce Lloyd
Succeeded byMark Vaile
Minister for Primary Industries and Energy
In office
11 March 1996 – 21 October 1998
Prime MinisterJohn Howard
Preceded byBob Collins
Succeeded byMark Vaile
Member of Parliament
for Gwydir
In office
15 April 1989 – 17 October 2007
Preceded byRalph Hunt
Succeeded byDivision abolished
Personal details
Born (1956-11-14) 14 November 1956 (age 68)
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Political partyNational Party of Australia
SpouseJulia Robertson
Children5
Alma materThe King's School, Parramatta, University of Sydney
Websitejohnanderson.net.au

John Duncan Anderson (born 14 November 1956) is an Australian politician and commentator who served as the 11th deputy prime minister of Australia and leader of the National Party from 1999 to 2005. He had also served as Minister for Primary Industries and Energy Minister for Transport and Regional Development in the Howard government.

As a government minister and later deputy prime minister, Anderson had cabinet responsibility for primary industry policy, including transport infrastructure and agricultural water rights.[1] He was a member of Australia's National Security Committee from 1999 to 2005 when it faced the War on terror, in particular the Bali bombings.

After politics, Anderson has been published for his views on civic freedoms, global food security, modern slavery and the economy. In 2017 he launched a web-based interview program, Conversations with John Anderson, featuring interviews with public intellectuals. In this role he has advocated for many socially conservative causes, such as the "no" case in the 2023 Australian referendum and the establishment of the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship.

Early life and education

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Anderson was born in Sydney on 14 November 1956.[2] He is the son of Duncan Anderson and Beryl Mann.[3]: 48  His family had been graziers and landowners of Mullaley in northern New South Wales since the 1840s.[4] Duncan Anderson served with the Australian Light Horse troops in North Africa during World War II.[5][6]

When he was three years old, John's mother died of cancer. In 1970, his sister Jane died after being struck on the neck by a cricket ball that had been hit by Anderson (then aged 13) while playing cricket at home with his father.[7]

Anderson has described his religious upbringing as "very, very nominal Presbyterian".[8]

Anderson was tutored at home by his aunt, Margaret, through Blackfriars Correspondence School.[8] He attended Gunnedah South Public School in Gunnedah and The King's School in the Sydney suburb of Parramatta, boarding at Waddy House.[9][10]

He began a degree in arts and laws at the University of Sydney, where he was a resident of St Paul's College, but dropped law shortly after commencing.[8] Anderson graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in history and returned to the family property where he was a farmer and grazier, and completed a Master of Arts during this time.[3]

Early parliamentary career

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Anderson became chair of the National Party's Tambar Springs branch in 1984.[2] A few weeks later, MP Frank O'Keefe recommended Anderson run for the seat of Paterson, where he was current member, but the seat was abolished later that year.[3][11] In 1989, Ralph Hunt, the sitting MP in the neighbouring seat of Gwydir, retired and supported Anderson to replace him.[3] The ensuing pre-selection contest was close with Anderson defeating several contenders, including future independent MP Tony Windsor.[12][13] Anderson won the election with a two-party preferred result of 56%.[14] His first remarks to the House of Representatives were part of a condolence motion for his mentor, and former MP, Frank O'Keefe.[3] Anderson gave his maiden speech on 17 August 1989.[15]

After the 1990 election, Anderson became Parliamentary Secretary to the Shadow Minister for Industrial Relations, John Howard.[16][17] After the 1993 election, Anderson was elected deputy leader of the Nationals, defeating three other candidates; Peter McGauran, John Sharp and Bruce Scott; and was appointed Shadow Minister for Primary Industry.[18][19] In the shadow ministry, he criticised the minister Simon Crean on the government-set price floor for wool.[20]

Cabinet minister

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In the 1996 Australian federal election, Anderson made an election promise with John Howard for the establishment of a $1 billion fund to restore the national estate, including programs to arrest soil degradation."[21][22][23] He was made the Minister for Primary Industries and Energy and joined the five-person "razor gang" led by Peter Costello with the task of cutting $6 to $8 billion from government expenditure.[24][25] Anderson advocated that diesel fuel rebates, the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service and agricultural research and development should be protected from the spending cuts because they "create growth even if they are funded by debt."[26][27]

Minister for Primary Industries and Energy

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Anderson's three years in the primary industries portfolio were marked by conflict as government protection of primary industries were removed. During this time, the government deregulated the wool, wheat and dairy sectors, and privatised much of the meat and livestock industry.[27] Anderson led a delegation of Australian business leaders to visit Taiwan in September 1996 in his role as primary industries minister, which the People's Republic of China said contravened the One China policy.[28]

In response to the government-owned Australian Wool Corporation (AWC) being left with a surplus of four million bales of unsold wool and a debt of around $2 billion, Anderson and the Coalition government gave wool producers a pay-out of $300 million, drawing down against their equity in the wool stockpile, despite objections from many National Party members who preferred a policy of freezing sales from the stockpile. The government wool-owning entity was entirely privatised, to become Woolstock Australia, by August 2001.[29]

Anderson announced significant restructures of the meat and livestock industry in 1997, which were supported with some reservations by farmers groups, such as NSW Farmers. In 1998, Meat & Livestock Australia was created from the two organisations, with the goal of becoming a less costly, producer-owned service delivery body.[30]

Minister for Transport and Regional Development

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In September 1997, Anderson assumed the portfolio for Transport and Regional Development, giving him responsibility for developing national rail, road and water infrastructure. Anderson oversaw the creation of the Australian Rail Track Corporation, a Commonwealth body set up to own or hold long-term leases over much of the continental rail network.[31]

In response to criticism over industry deregulation, the privatisation of Telstra and gun control laws, Fischer and Anderson scheduled a party meeting on 5 August 1998 to declare their leadership positions vacant, inviting their party room critics, particularly Bob Katter and De-Anne Kelly, to replace them.[32] Anderson and Fischer then nominated for the positions they had vacated and were re-elected unopposed.[32]

During the 1998 federal election, private polling indicated that up to 49% of people in Anderson's seat of Gwydir intended to vote for the new Pauline Hanson's One Nation party.[33] Anderson suffered a 16.18% swing against him with a primary vote of just 46.14%, the only time his first-round votes were below 50%.[34][35] Anderson himself attributed the decline in his vote to his constant travel.[27]

Deputy prime minister

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Following the resignation of deputy prime minister and Nationals leader Tim Fischer, Anderson was elected unopposed as the new leader and became deputy prime minister himself on 20 July 1999.[36][37] Anderson kept his ministerial responsibilities in Transport and Regional Development and were extended to the delivery of government services, such as health, to regional and remote centres, and a role in the National Security Committee.[38][39] Anderson also assumed the role of acting prime minister when John Howard was overseas, such as during the September 11 attacks and in the aftermath of the 2002 Bali bombings.[40][41]

In 2002, Anderson called for laws making it an offence to desecrate the Australian flag.[42][43][44][45]

Anderson's ministerial department was responsible for paying outstanding wages and entitlements for former employees of the insolvent airline Ansett Australia, though allowing it to collapse.[citation needed]

During Anderson's tenure as deputy prime minister, the Coalition government established the National Water Initiative in 2004, allowing producers to gain ongoing access entitlements for a share of water available for use, rather than fixed-term entitlements without guarantee of renewal.[46]

On 17 November 2004, the MP for New England, Tony Windsor, accused Anderson of offering him, via businessman Greg Maguire, a diplomatic or trade posting if Windsor would surrender his seat. As the statement was made under parliamentary privilege, it was protected from litigation for defamation. Anderson strongly repudiated the claims. The Senate Finance and Public Administration References Committee, the Federal Police and the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions found that there were no grounds to support Windsor's allegations.[47][48]

On the last sitting day of Parliament before the winter recess of 2005, Anderson announced his resignation from the leadership of the National Party, and as deputy prime minister, citing a "debilitating but thankfully benign prostate condition". He was succeeded in both positions by Mark Vaile, and retired from parliament at the 2007 federal election.[49]

Business and media

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NYU professor Jonathan Haidt meeting Anderson before an interview

Anderson served as chairman of Eastern Star Gas (ESG) from October 2007 until 2011 when the publicly listed company and its flagship Narrabri Gas Project was acquired by Santos in a $924 million deal.[50][51][52] He was appointed to the Review Panel for the Act of Recognition in 2013 to provide a report to the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, along with Tanya Hosch and Richard Eccles. The final report of the panel was published in September 2014.[53]

In the late 2010s, Anderson increased his presence on online media through podcasting and conducting interviews on Youtube, as well as newspaper opinion pieces and television appearances.[54][55][40] In 2018, Anderson began hosting a podcast and YouTube channel on which he interviews public figures, including historian Victor Davis Hanson, former chief rabbi Jonathan Sacks, former Labor Party leader Kim Beazley,[56][57][55] Jonathan Haidt, Glenn Loury, Niall Ferguson,[55] and psychologist Jordan Peterson.[58][55]

With this public position, Anderson has taken notable stands on national and cultural issues. Prior to the 2017 Australian Marriage Law Postal Survey, Anderson was interviewed on ABC television and spoke about his opposition to same-sex marriage.[59] He opposed the Voice to Parliament in the 2023 Australian Indigenous Voice referendum.[60] He formed an advocacy group towards this end alongside Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price and Warren Mundine, saying the voice would only "beget divisiveness and cynicism."[61][62] The referendum was later defeated.[63]

In a panel discussion with Ayaan Hirsi Ali, ARC Conference, London, 2023

In March 2021, Anderson declared himself a candidate in the National Party's pre-selection for Senate candidacy at the 2022 federal election.[49][64][65] However, former party director Ross Cadell, won the top spot on the Nationals' Senate ticket.[66][67] Anderson then announced that the political run had come to an end.[68]

Anderson worked with Baroness Stroud, Paul Marshall and Jordan Peterson to found the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship, a socially conservative movement aiming to give Western society "new cohesion and purpose."[69][70] He spoke at its first global conference in London, in 2023, saying the group emerged as a response to a "civilisational" moment in which the Western world "is plagued by self-doubt and confusion" regarding its values and beliefs.[70][71]

Honours

[edit]
Anderson in a field of sorghum on his property in Newstead, NSW

On 13 June 2011, Anderson was named an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in the 2011 Queen's Birthday Honours for "distinguished service to the Parliament of Australia, particularly for supporting rural and regional communities, transport development, and water management initiatives."[72]

In 2019, Anderson was elected a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (FTSE) for sustainable means for agricultural uses in rural Australia.[73]

In June 2022, Anderson was promoted to Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) in the 2022 Queen's Birthday Honours for "eminent service to rural and regional development, to leadership in international agricultural research and food security, to social commentary, and through contributions to not-for-profit organisations".[74]

References

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  1. ^ "Joint Press Conference with Deputy Prime Minister John Anderson Parliament House, Canberra". pmtranscripts.pmc.gov.au. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  2. ^ a b "Hon John Anderson MP". Senators and Members of the Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
  3. ^ a b c d e Gallagher, Paul (2006). Faith and Duty: the John Anderson story. Sydney: Random House. ISBN 9781741665642.
  4. ^ "Autumn for a man of all seasons". The Age. 24 June 2005. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  5. ^ "The Unrecognised Gift of Good Fathering – Quadrant Online". Quadrant. 5 September 2020. Retrieved 19 January 2023.
  6. ^ Gallagher, Paul (2006). Faith and Duty: the John Anderson Story. Random House. p. 7. ISBN 9781741665642.
  7. ^ King, Madeleine (23 April 2018). "The day John Anderson's childhood ended". SBS Insight. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
  8. ^ a b c "Resources". Sydney University Evangelical Union. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  9. ^ Sowada, Karin. "Faith & Duty: The John Anderson Story". sydneyanglicans. Anglican Media Sydney. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  10. ^ "Faces of Gunnedah Pollies". Namoi Valley Independent. 6 June 2013. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  11. ^ "2001 Profile of the division of Paterson". Australian Electoral Commission. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  12. ^ Ackerman, Piers (11 September 2020). "ALP caught in trap of its own making by two rats". The Daily Telegraph. Sydney. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  13. ^ Devine, Miranda (29 October 2011). "Windsor down but long way from out". The Daily Telegraph. Sydney. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  14. ^ "Pressure on Kennet for Coalition". The Canberra Times. 17 April 1989. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  15. ^ "Hansard – APPROPRIATION BILL (No. 1) 1989-90". Parlinfo. Commonwealth Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  16. ^ "HEWSON RESHUFFLES SHADOW MINISTRY". Australian Financial Review. 29 April 1992. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
  17. ^ "Hewson front bench switch". The Canberra Times. 29 April 1992.
  18. ^ Newman, Gerard; Kopras, Andrew (8 October 1993). "Federal Elections 1993" (PDF). Background Paper (22). Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia: 31.
  19. ^ Tom Connors (24 March 1993). "'Kind' challenge won by Fischer". The Canberra Times.
  20. ^ Iffland, Katrina (17 April 1993). "Opposition calls for wool tax guarantee". The Canberra Times.
  21. ^ "John Howard, environmentalist – On Line Opinion – 24/12/2007". On Line Opinion. Retrieved 7 December 2022.
  22. ^ "1996 Federal Election News: Jan 27-Feb 23 – AustralianPolitics.com". 27 January 1996. Retrieved 7 December 2022.
  23. ^ "Anderson defends funding bias". Australian Financial Review. 17 February 1998. Retrieved 7 December 2022.
  24. ^ Wright, Shane (31 December 2018). "Time to cut when we had 'some fat on our bones': Howard". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 7 December 2022.
  25. ^ "The Sydney Morning Herald from Sydney, New South Wales, New South Wales, Australia on July 21, 1996 · Page 47". Newspapers.com. 21 July 1996. Retrieved 7 December 2022.
  26. ^ Gallagher, Paul (2006). Faith and Duty: The John Anderson Story. Random House. p. 108. ISBN 9781741665642.
  27. ^ a b c Frame, Tom (1996). The Ascent to Power, 1996: the Howard Government Volume 1. UNSW.
  28. ^ "The Dragon has Claws: 1996 and The Howard Government's Hurdles with China – AIIA". Australian Institute of International Affairs. Retrieved 7 May 2021.
  29. ^ Wilkinson, John. "Rural Sector: Agriculture to Agribusiness" (PDF). Briefing Paper (3/03). NSW Parliamentary Library Research Service.
  30. ^ "David Crombie reflects on 20 years of MLA, MSA operations". Beef Central. 27 November 2018. Retrieved 7 May 2021.
  31. ^ "Inland rail plan unveiled". Farm Online. 11 September 2015. Retrieved 18 January 2023.
  32. ^ a b Gallagher, Paul (2006). Faith and Duty. Random House. p. 125. ISBN 9781741665642.
  33. ^ "Unmasked Howard gets amnesia on Hanson". The Sydney Morning Herald. 29 August 2003. Retrieved 19 January 2023.
  34. ^ Gallagher, Paul (2006). Faith and Duty: The John Anderson Story. Random House. p. 135. ISBN 9781741665642.
  35. ^ "National Party struggles for survival". Australian Financial Review. 17 June 2000. Retrieved 19 January 2023.
  36. ^ "Tim Fischer, a man of decency". Australian Financial Review. 22 August 2019. Retrieved 19 January 2023.
  37. ^ "The World Today Archive – John Anderson elected National Party leader". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 19 January 2023.
  38. ^ "Hon John Anderson AC". aph.gov.au. Retrieved 19 January 2023.
  39. ^ "Howard Government Retrospective" (PDF). The Howard Government Retrospective Conference Series: 6.
  40. ^ a b "John Anderson". Q+A. Retrieved 19 January 2023.
  41. ^ "Phuket a risk, says Downer". The Age. 26 October 2002. Retrieved 19 January 2023.
  42. ^ "Call to ban flag-burning". 5 November 2002.
  43. ^ "PM – Anderson seeks law banning flag burning". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 16 February 2024.
  44. ^ "Outlaw flag burning, Anderson urges". 5 November 2002.
  45. ^ "PM defends right to burn flag". 16 November 2002.
  46. ^ "A chance to save the Murray". Australian Financial Review. 1 September 2003. Retrieved 19 January 2023.
  47. ^ "ParlInfo - GRIEVANCE DEBATE : Member for New England". parlinfo.aph.gov.au. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
  48. ^ Davies, Anne (12 February 2018). "Barnaby Joyce and Greg Maguire: a relationship that comes with history". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
  49. ^ a b "Former Nationals leader John Anderson seeks Senate spot after 14 years". Australian Financial Review. 8 March 2021. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
  50. ^ Davies, Anne (24 May 2015). "CSG industry hires well-connected staffers". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 19 January 2023.
  51. ^ Cubby, Ben (13 June 2013). "Santos under fire for bush pollution". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 19 January 2023.
  52. ^ "Santos to acquire 100% of Eastern Star Gas". 18 July 2011.
  53. ^ Anderson, John; Hosch, Tanya; Eccles, Richard (1 September 2014). "Final report of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Act of Recognition Review Panel". Referendum Council. Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (Australia). Archived from the original on 20 April 2023. Retrieved 20 April 2023.
  54. ^ Sheridan, Greg (27 October 2023). "Australians swarm London in effort to replace Davos man with conservative citizen". The Australian.
  55. ^ a b c d Sheridan, Greg (11 May 2019). "John Anderson's second coming". The Weekend Australian. Retrieved 27 September 2020.,
  56. ^ Hains, Tim. "Victor Davis Hanson: Will Our Next Revolution Be French, Russian, Maoist, Or American?". realclearpolitics.com. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  57. ^ "Hommage : Jonathan Sacks, le rabbin des nations". La Vie.fr (in French). 3 December 2020. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  58. ^ Gallagher, Paul (2005). Faith and Duty. Random House. p. 113. ISBN 9781741665642.
  59. ^ "Former National Party Leader John Anderson – Some home truths". ABC News. 22 August 2017. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021.
  60. ^ "Former deputy prime minister John Anderson joins group spearheading "no" campaign on the Voice". 30 January 2023.
  61. ^ Grattan, Michelle (30 January 2023). "Former deputy prime minister John Anderson joins group spearheading "no" campaign on the Voice". The Conversation. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
  62. ^ Anderson, John (5 September 2023). "Indigenous Voice to Parliament will be a distraction from the real problems". Mercator. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
  63. ^ Murphy, Katharine; Butler, Josh (18 October 2023). "Inside the voice campaigns: how muddled messages and voter confusion led to a crushing defeat". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
  64. ^ Wright, Tony (8 March 2021). "'Every hand will be needed at the wheel': John Anderson in bid to return to Parliament". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
  65. ^ Sheridan, Greg (8 March 2021). "John Anderson to make comeback with Nationals". The Australian.
  66. ^ "Former leader John Anderson fails in Senate bid for troubled Nats". Australian Financial Review. 18 June 2021. Retrieved 20 June 2021.
  67. ^ "John Anderson loses senate bid". Sky News. 18 June 2021. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
  68. ^ "Former Nationals leader John Anderson's return to politics falls flat". Out in Perth. 20 June 2021. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
  69. ^ Hans van Leeuwen (30 October 2023). "Why leading Liberals have descended on London this week". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
  70. ^ a b Sheridan, Greg (27 October 2023). "Australians swarm London in effort to replace Davos man with conservative citizen". The Australian.
  71. ^ Bourke, Latika; Baker, Jordan (29 October 2023). "Olympics of centre-right thought? Heavyweights to debate future of conservatism in the age of Trump". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
  72. ^ "Award Extract". Australian Honours Search Facility. Commonwealth of Australia – Dept of Prime Minister and Cabinet. Retrieved 13 June 2011.
  73. ^ "The Hon John Anderson".
  74. ^ "Queen's Birthday 2022 Honours – the full list". The Sydney Morning Herald. 12 June 2022. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
[edit]
Wikiquote has quotations related to John Anderson (Australian politician).
External videos
video icon Australia is in a new culture war says John Anderson, Matter Of Fact With Stan Grant, ABC News
Political offices
Preceded by Minister for Primary Industries and Energy
1996–1998 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister for Transport and Regional Development
1998–2005 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Deputy Prime Minister of Australia
1999–2005 		Succeeded by
Party political offices
Preceded by Leader of the National Party of Australia
1999–2005 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Deputy Leader of the
National Party of Australia
1993–1999 		Succeeded by
Parliament of Australia
Preceded by Member for Gwydir
1989–2007 		Division abolished
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