Justin O'Byrne

Justin Hilary O'Byrne, AO (1 June 1912 – 10 November 1993) was an Australian Labor Party politician who represented Tasmania in the Federal Senate from 1947 to 1981, acting as President of the Senate from 1974 to 1975.

Biography

Justin O'Byrne was born in Launceston, Tasmania, and was educated at St Patrick's College. At the age of 18, during the Great Depression, he travelled to Queensland where he spent ten years working a variety of jobs including drover, fencer, bullock driver, tank sinker and station overseer.cite web|url=http://parlinfoweb.aph.gov.au/piweb/TranslateWIPILink.aspx?Folder=HANSARDS&Criteria=DOC_DATE:1993-11-16%3BSEQ_NUM:113%3B|title=Condolences: Hon. Justin Hilary O'Byrne AO|author=Ron Boswell|publisher=Hansard|date=1993-11-16|accessdate=2008-06-24]

In 1940 he enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force as a pilot, becoming a member of the No. 452 Squadron RAAF which operated with No. 11 Group RAF during the Battle of Britain.cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/under-fire-mps-know-all-about-it/2008/04/20/1208629731358.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1|title=Under fire: MPs know all about it|author=Barry Cohen|publisher=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=2008-04-21|accessdate=2008-06-24] He was shot down over France in 1941 and was a prisoner of war in the Stalag Luft III prison camp in Germany for three years and nine months.cite web|url=http://parlinfoweb.aph.gov.au/piweb/TranslateWIPILink.aspx?Folder=HANSARDS&Criteria=DOC_DATE:1993-11-16%3BSEQ_NUM:110%3B|title=Condolences: Hon. Justin Hilary O'Byrne AO|author=Robert Ray|publisher=Hansard|date=1993-11-16|accessdate=2008-06-24]

Following the war, O'Byrne stood for the Labor Party in Tasmania in the 1946 federal election, and was elected. [cite web|url=http://psephos.adam-carr.net/countries/a/australia/1946/1946senatetas.txt|title=1946 Senate - Tasmania|publisher=Psephos|accessdate=2008-06-24] O'Byrne's term as Senator began on July 1 1947, and from that point, he remained in the Senate representing Tasmania until June 30 1981. [cite web|url=http://www.aph.gov.au/library/handbook/historical/senate/kirk.quirke.htm|title=Members of the Senate since 1901|publisher=Parliament of Australia|accessdate=2008-06-24]

Following the Double Dissolution of April 11 1974 and subsequent federal election, O'Byrne was elected President of the Senate on July 9 1974. He held this office until the Dismissal of the Whitlam government on November 11 1975. Senator Robert Ray said of O'Byrne's time as President of the Senate "Justin presided over the Senate during one of the most tumultuous and still controversial periods in Australian politics. The fact that there was not one dissent from his rulings, nor any vote of no confidence, is a testament to his performance and the high regard in which he was held by those on both sides of the chamber."

O'Byrne retired from the Senate, his term ending on June 30 1981. At that time he was the longest-serving member of the Senate, and had been for ten years.

On 26 January 1984, O'Byrne was made an Officer of the Order of Australia "for service to politics and government." [cite web|url=http://itsanhonour.gov.au/honours/honour_roll/search.cfm?aus_award_id=884475&search_type=simple&showInd=true|title=It's an Honour|accessdate=2008-06-23]

O'Byrne died on 10 November 1993, and a state funeral was held at the Church of the Apostles in Launceston.

External links

* [http://parlinfoweb.aph.gov.au/piweb/TranslateWIPILink.aspx?Folder=HANSARDS&Criteria=DOC_DATE:1981-06-12%3BSEQ_NUM:109%3B Justin O'Byrne's speech to Senate upon his retirement]

References