Warren Snowdon

Warren Edward Snowdon (born 20 March 1950) is an Australian former politician who served as a member of the House of Representatives from July 1987 to March 1996, and again from October 1998 until May 2022. Initially representing the Division of Northern Territory, and later the Division of Lingiari, his constituents consisted of all the residents of the Northern Territory located outside Darwin, as well as Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands in the Indian Ocean. He was the last sitting MP who was first elected in the 1980s, and the last who served in Old Parliament House.

The Honourable
Warren Snowdon
Snowdon in 2011
Minister for Defence Science and Personnel
In office
14 September 2010 – 18 September 2013
Prime MinisterJulia Gillard
Kevin Rudd
Preceded byAlan Griffin
Succeeded byStuart Robert
In office
3 December 2007 – 9 June 2009
Prime MinisterKevin Rudd
Preceded byNo immediate predecessor
Succeeded byAlan Griffin
Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on the Centenary of ANZAC
In office
3 March 2011 – 18 September 2013
Prime MinisterJulia Gillard
Kevin Rudd
Preceded byOffice Established
Succeeded byMichael Ronaldson
Minister for Veterans' Affairs
In office
13 September 2010 – 18 September 2013
Prime MinisterJulia Gillard
Kevin Rudd
Preceded byAlan Griffin
Succeeded byMichael Ronaldson
Minister for Indigenous Health
In office
9 June 2009 – 18 September 2013
Prime MinisterKevin Rudd
Julia Gillard
Preceded byNo immediate predecessor
Succeeded byFiona Nash
Member of the Australian Parliament
for Lingiari
In office
10 November 2001 – 21 May 2022
Preceded byNew seat
Succeeded byMarion Scrymgour
Member of the Australian Parliament
for Northern Territory
In office
3 October 1998 – 10 November 2001
Preceded byNick Dondas
Succeeded byDivision abolished
In office
11 July 1987 – 2 March 1996
Preceded byPaul Everingham
Succeeded byNick Dondas
Personal details
Born
Warren Edward Snowdon

(1950-03-20) 20 March 1950
Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
Political partyAustralian Labor Party
SpouseElizabeth Verstappen
ChildrenFrances, Tom, Tessa and Jack
ResidenceAlice Springs
Alma materAustralian National University,
University of Western Australia
OccupationPolitician
ProfessionTeacher
Websitewww.warrensnowdon.com

Snowdon was the Minister for Defence Science and Personnel, Minister for Veterans' Affairs, Minister for Indigenous Health, and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on the Centenary of ANZAC in the second Rudd ministry. Snowdon is a member of the left faction of the Labor Party.[1]

On 10 December 2020, Snowdon announced that he would not contest the 2022 federal election and would be retiring from politics.[2]

Early life and career

He was born in Canberra and was educated at St Edmund's College, the Australian National University and the University of Western Australia.

Snowdon worked as a teacher with the Northern Territory teaching service before entering politics. He was a senior project officer with the Central Land Council in Alice Springs 1983–87 and was founding president of the Central Australian Regional Trades and Labour Council, then assistant secretary of the Northern Territory Trades and Labour Council.

Political career

Snowdon was Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Transport and Communications 1990–92, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Employment, Education and Training 1992–96, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Environment, Sport and Territories 1993 and 1994–96 and Parliamentary Secretary (Territories) 1993–94.

Defeated at the 1996 federal election, Snowdon returned to parliament two years later. He served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Shadow Minister for Regional and Urban Development, Transport and Infrastructure (Northern Australia and the Territories) 2001–04. From 2004 to 2007 he was Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Northern Australia and Indigenous Affairs.

Snowdon was sworn in as Minister for Defence Science and Personnel in the first Rudd ministry on 3 December 2007.[3] Following a reshuffle of the Ministry on 9 June 2009 as a result of the resignation of the Defence Minister, Joel Fitzgibbon, Snowdon was promoted to Minister for Indigenous Health, Rural and Regional Health and Regional Service Delivery. On 14 September 2010, he gained the portfolio of Veterans' Affairs and regained Defence Science and Personnel, while losing responsibility for Rural and Regional Health and Regional Service Delivery, but retaining Indigenous Health. On 12 September 2011 he was given the added responsibility of Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on the Centenary of ANZAC.[4]

Snowdon narrowly retained his seat at the 2013 federal election, largely due to his winning all but five booths.[5] However, Snowdon was not appointed to the shadow ministry.[6]

Snowdon was re-elected again in the 2016 federal election with a seven-point swing towards him, becoming the longest-serving MP in the House, and the only member who was first elected in the 1980s due to the retirement of Philip Ruddock.[7] Snowdon was however not the Father of the House due to his continuous service only beginning from 1998. Kevin Andrews, whose continuous service began from 1991, became Father of the House instead. Snowdon again retained his seat at the 2019 federal election.

He sat on the "Inquiry into the destruction of 46,000-year-old caves at the Juukan Gorge in the Pilbara region of Western Australia" from June 2020.[8][9]

On 10 December 2020, Snowdon announced that he would not contest the 2022 federal election and would be retiring from politics.

In reference to his service from Old Parliament House, Snowdon said: "I'm a bit of a relic. I'm the only one left in this parliament - Senate or House of Reps - from the Old Parliament House."[10]

See also

References
  1. Kerr, Christian (15 October 2013). "Love-in gives way to faction muscle". The Australian. Retrieved 15 October 2013.
  2. Coughlan, Matt (10 December 2020). "NT MP Snowdon to depart at next election". Perth Now. Retrieved 10 December 2020.
  3. "Rudd drops six: report". The Sydney Morning Herald. 29 November 2007. Retrieved 29 November 2007.
  4. "Ministries and Cabinets". 43rd Parliamentary Handbook: Historical information on the Australian Parliament. Parliament of Australia. 2010. Retrieved 9 July 2013.
  5. Aikman, Amos (10 September 2013). "NT chief demotes ally of Tony Abbott, Alison Anderson". The Australian. Retrieved 14 October 2013.
  6. Crowe, David (15 October 2013). "Fraction too much faction in Labor 'cabal'". The Australian. Retrieved 15 October 2013.
  7. "Warren Snowdon keeps on keeping on with easy win in Lingiari". NT News. NT News. 3 July 2016. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
  8. "Release of interim report into Juukan Gorge tragedy". Parliament of Australia. 9 December 2020. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  9. Joint Standing Committee on Northern Australia (December 2020). Never again: Inquiry into the destruction of 46,000 year old caves at the Juukan Gorge in the Pilbara region of Western Australia - Interim Report. Commonwealth of Australia. ISBN 978-1-76092-197-2. PDF
  10. Coughlan, Matt (10 December 2020). "NT MP Snowdon to depart at next election". Perth Now. Retrieved 10 December 2020.
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