- Barry Cunningham
Barry Thomas Cunningham (born
26 October 1939 ) was anAustralia n politician. Born inPakenham, Victoria , he was a dairy and potato farmer and an agricultural contractor before entering politics. In 1980, he was elected to theAustralian House of Representatives as the Labor member for McMillan, defeating Barry Simon of the Liberal Party, who had been deprived of Democratic Labor Party preferences due to his views onabortion . He was defeated in 1990, but was re-elected in 1993, before being defeated again in 1996.cite web|last=Carr|first=Adam|title=Australian Election Archive|work=Psephos, Adam Carr's Election Archive|url=http://psephos.adam-carr.net/countries/a/australia|year=2008|accessdate=2008-06-20]References
Barry joined the Labor Party in 1958 and was instrumental in assisting with the re-establishment of the Pakenham Labor Party Branch, a branch disbanded following the split in the Victorian Labor Party in 1954. As Branch Secretary he and a small group of supporters set about rebuilding the Labor Party within the Electorate of McMillan. Over a forty year period he held positions of FEA secretary-president-conference delegate- state conference/national conference delegate before his successful nomination as candidate for McMillan in 1979 and success in 1980. Barry was elected deputy whip in the Hawke Labor Government and elected Chief Whip in 1987.Barry was the Chairman of the Primary Industry Committee and the Chairmen of the Prime Minister's Country Takforce from 1985 until 1990. In 1998 Barry was honoured with a forty year service medallion for service to the Labor Party following his defeat by Russell Broadbent in 1996. Barry was the Administrator of the Cocos Keeling Islands from 1990-1992. Barry was made a Life Governor of the Association for the Blind.He was made a Life Governor of the Austraian Credit Union's Historical Society. He was awarded the Australia medal for services to the Cocos (Keeling) Islands by the Howard Government in January 2001. Barry is a Life Governor of the Association of the Blind and currently is a volunteer bus driver at the Warragul centre for the Association for the Blind. Personal:Barry and Patricia married in 1961 and raised a family of six children. Brendan, Trudy, Mark, Joanne, Louise and Cate. Following a divorce in 1984, Barry married Kathleen Nielsen and continues to live in Warragul in the centre of the Electorate of McMillan. He continues to take an interest in politics as a committee member and former secretary and current Vice President of the AFMPA (Association of the Former Members of the Australian Parliament) Barry plays golf off a handicap of 12 and enjoys playing the violin. Persondata
NAME = Cunningham, Barry Thomas
ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
SHORT DESCRIPTION = Australian politician
DATE OF BIRTH =26 October 1939
PLACE OF BIRTH =Pakenham, Victoria
DATE OF DEATH =
PLACE OF DEATH =
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