Michael Baume | |
|---|---|
| Senator forNew South Wales | |
| In office 1 July 1985 – 9 September 1996 | |
| Succeeded by | Bill Heffernan |
| Member of theAustralian Parliament forMacarthur | |
| In office 13 December 1975 – 5 March 1983 | |
| Preceded by | John Kerin |
| Succeeded by | Colin Hollis |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1930-07-06)6 July 1930 (age 94) Sydney, Australia |
| Political party | Liberal |
| Relations | Frederick Baume (grandfather) Rosetta Baume (grandmother) Peter Baume (first cousin) |
| Alma mater | University of Sydney |
| Occupation | Journalist Stockbroker |
Michael Ehrenfried BaumeAO (born 6 July 1930) is a former Australian politician. A member of theLiberal Party, he served in theHouse of Representatives from 1975 to 1983 and as aSenator forNew South Wales from 1985 to 1996. He was aparliamentary secretary in theFraser government and was later a shadow minister. He was a business journalist and stockbroker before entering politics and later served as the Australian consul-general in New York City from 1996 to 2001.
Baume was born in Sydney on 6 July 1930. He is the son of Elizabeth Constance (née Gibbons) and Alan Charles Baume.[1] His father was a journalist and served in theRoyal Australian Navy during World War II.[2] His paternal grandfatherFrederick Baume was a member of parliament in New Zealand, while his grandmotherRosetta Baume was one of the first women to stand for parliament in New Zealand.[3]
Baume spent his early years inDubbo, New South Wales, where his father was the editor of a weekly newspaper. The family later returned to Sydney and settled inLindfield.[2] Baume received his early education at Lindfield Public School andNorth Sydney Boys High School. He went on to graduateBachelor of Arts from theUniversity of Sydney in 1951.[1]
Baume joined theAustralian Financial Review in 1954 as a business journalist and became the paper's investment editor in 1963. He moved toThe Bulletin in 1966 as finance editor and was a music reviewer forThe Daily Telegraph. In 1967, Baume publishedThe Sydney Opera House Affair, a book detailing the controversies involved in the building's design and construction. He was also a finance commentator onABC Radio for six years and appeared as a panellist on the ABC television game showWould You Believe? from 1970 to 1974.[1]
In 1968, Baume began working as a research manager for Patrick Partners, Sydney's largest stockbroking firm. He became a staff partner the following year. The firm collapsed in July 1975, a few months before his election to parliament. He was also a director of meat exporter Tancred Brothers and Rothbury Estate, a winery in theHunter Valley.[1]
Baume served as president of the Liberal Party'sShellharbour, New South Wales, branch from 1974 to 1975. He was also editor of one of the party's publications,The Australian Liberal.[4]
At the1975 federal election, Baume won the seat ofMacarthur for the Liberal Party from the incumbentAustralian Labor Party MPJohn Kerin. He was re-elected at the1977 and1980 elections, but lost his seat to Labor candidateColin Hollis at the1983 election.[4]
Baume served asparliamentary secretary to federal treasurerJohn Howard from 1982 to 1983. After his defeat he continued working for Howard as a senior adviser and was also elected to the New South Wales state executive of the Liberal Party.[1]
In the1984 election, Baume stood successfully as a Senate candidate in New South Wales. His term as Senator began on 1 July 1985, and he was re-elected in1987 and1993 before resigning from the Senate on 9 September 1996 to become Consul-General in New York (1996–2001).[1]
In New York, Baume was elected President of the Society of Foreign Consuls (1999–2001) and was awarded the medal of the Foreign Policy Association (New York) for services to US-Australian relations. On 9 June 1999, Baume was made anOfficer of the Order of Australia, "for service to the arts and the development of cultural life in Australia and internationally, to the Australian parliament and to the financial services industry."[5]
On his return to Australia, Baume was appointed a member of theSuperannuation Complaints Tribunal for two years and was a foundation member of the Board of the United States Studies Centre at theUniversity of Sydney.[1] He is a member of the Council of theSydney Symphony Orchestra and is a regular columnist inThe Australian Financial Review. He is Special Counsel to Sydney public relations and government relations firm, Wells Haslem Strategic Public Affairs Pty Ltd.[6]
| Parliament of Australia | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member forMacarthur 1975–1983 | Succeeded by |
| Diplomatic posts | ||
| Preceded by Jim Humphreys | Australian Consul General in New York 1996–2001 | Succeeded by Ken Allen |
