Ross Free

Ross Vincent Free (born 7 March 1943) is an Australian politician who had an extended period of service to the Australian Labor Party as both a member, federal parliamentarian (1980-1996) and minister (1990-1996).

Early life and education

He was born in Bathurst, New South Wales and upon completion of formal education was a successful graduate of the University of Sydney, graduating with Honours from Science with a Graduate Diploma in Education. Following this, he served for many years as a teacher.

Political life

In 1980, Free successfully won Labor preselection for the seat of Macquarie in New South Wales and, at the general election of that year, was elected to the House of Representatives. He quickly rose in his political career, serving in various parliamentary positions and becoming a member of several house standing parliamentary committees. Following electoral redistribution in the December 1984 election, he successfully became Member for Lindsay in New South Wales and continued a rigorous political schedule. In 1985 he served as the Leader of the Parliamentary Delegation to the European Parliamentary Institutions, in both Strasbourg and Berlin and again in Germany in 1986.

By the 1990 election, the Australian Labor Party had once again retained government, under Prime Minister R.J.L. Hawke, for the fourth time, surpassing the party's previous federal records. Free had by this time been serving for nearly ten years as a Member of the Labor Party and his interests in education (displayed in his committee service) had earned him considerable kudos for an entrance into the parliamentary secretariat. He was successfully elected by Caucus and was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister in April 1990.

Minister for Science and Technology

Following political volatility between Prime Minister Hawke and Deputy Prime Minister and Treasurer Paul Keating in mid-1991 in fighting for the leadership of the Labor Party, the incumbent was narrowly successful against the errant challenger and was forced to make considerable changes to the senior ranks of his ever-increasingly distant ministry. Ross was elevated to the outer ministry and became Minister for Science and Technology and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on Science. He was also appointed as Assistant to the new Treasurer, John Kerin. In early December 1991, Hawke's leadership woes resurfaced and parliamentary colleagues were urging him to reconsider his future as Prime Minister, believing Paul Keating to be the answer to securing the government's stability and victory in the next election. Consequently, Keating launched his second, successful challenge and ascended to the prime ministership on 20 December 1991.

Ross Free continued as a Minister under the Keating Government and continued in his portfolio of science and technology as well as as Minister Assisting the Prime Minister from December 1991 to late March 1993. Following Labor's striking success under Keating and improved majority in the House in 1993, Free ascended the ministerial ranks, solidifying his role as Minister for Schools, Vocational Education and Training. As Minister, he was particularly empowered in the effort to educate the aged sector of the community.

Loss of seat

Many ministers lost their seats in the defeat of the 1996 elections to the Liberal Party, including Ross Free, who had remained elected in the region for sixteen years.

Continuing political work

Following politics, Free continued to work in the politically associated field. He currently serves in the New South Wales Ministerial Advisory Committee on Ageing, continuing to promote the notion of lifelong learning that he aimed to foster for the country in the Keating Government.