John Kerin | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Minister for Trade and Overseas Development | |
| In office 27 December 1991 – 22 December 1993 | |
| Prime Minister | Paul Keating |
| Preceded by | Neal Blewett |
| Succeeded by | Peter Cook |
| Minister for Transport and Communications | |
| In office 9 December 1991 – 27 December 1991 | |
| Prime Minister |
|
| Preceded by | Kim Beazley |
| Succeeded by | Graham Richardson |
| Treasurer of Australia | |
| In office 4 June 1991 – 8 December 1991 | |
| Prime Minister | Bob Hawke |
| Preceded by | Bob Hawke |
| Succeeded by | Ralph Willis |
| Minister for Primary Industries and Energy | |
| In office 11 March 1983 – 3 June 1991 | |
| Prime Minister | Bob Hawke |
| Preceded by | Peter Nixon |
| Succeeded by | Simon Crean |
| Member of theAustralian Parliament forWerriwa | |
| In office 23 September 1978 – 22 December 1993 | |
| Preceded by | Gough Whitlam |
| Succeeded by | Mark Latham |
| Member of theAustralian Parliament forMacarthur | |
| In office 2 December 1972 – 13 December 1975 | |
| Preceded by | Jeff Bate |
| Succeeded by | Michael Baume |
| Personal details | |
| Born | John Charles Kerin (1937-11-21)21 November 1937 Bowral,New South Wales, Australia |
| Died | 29 March 2023(2023-03-29) (aged 85) |
| Political party | Labor |
| Profession | Economist |
John Charles KerinAO, FTSE (21 November 1937 – 29 March 2023) was an Australian economist andLabor Party politician who served in theHouse of Representatives from 1972 to 1975 and again from 1978 to 1993. He held a number of senior ministerial roles in both theHawke andKeating governments, including six months asTreasurer of Australia and eight years asMinister for Primary Industries and Energy, holding the latter role for the longest period in Australian history.
Kerin was born inBowral in theSouthern Highlands ofNew South Wales.[1] Growing up in a rural area, he was educated atHurlstone Agricultural High School andBowral High School. He worked as a poultry farmer before later completing a Bachelor of Arts from theUniversity of New England,Armidale, in 1967, and then a Bachelor of Economics from theAustralian National University in 1977.[1] In between studying for his two degrees, Kerin spent time working at theAustralian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics (ABARE).
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Having joined theLabor Party as a student, Kerin was elected to theHouse of Representatives for the seat ofMacarthur at the1972 election. He remained on the backbench throughout theWhitlam government, but lost his seat in Labor's landslide defeat at the1975 election, returning to work at the ABARE. He was later selected as Labor's candidate for the safe seat ofWerriwa at the1978 by-election caused by the retirement of former Prime MinisterGough Whitlam, who had held the seat since 1952.
After Labor's landslide victory at the1983 election, newly elected Prime MinisterBob Hawke appointed Kerin asMinister for Primary Industries and Energy owing to Kerin's significant experience both in economics and working on commodities and agricultural policies. His background made Kerin a good fit for the role, and he remained in the position for almost the entirety of Hawke's time as Prime Minister, making him by far the longest-serving minister in this portfolio in Australian history. During his time as Primary Industries and Energy Minister, Kerin played a key role in theHawke government's numerous economic reforms, particularly the gradual abolition of mosttariff protections on agricultural imports.
AfterPaul Keating resigned asTreasurer of Australia in June 1991 to mount anunsuccessful leadership challenge to Hawke, Kerin was appointed to replace him. Keating had been an influential and long-serving treasurer, as well as being Hawke's primary political partner, leading to significant and immediate media pressure on Kerin to see how he would compare.[2] Kerin was highly regarded as Minister for Primary Industry.[3] After an initially positive start, Kerin was judged by several journalists as failing to respond adequately to theLiberal-National Coalition's proposals for their new 'Fightback!' economic policy.[3] Kerin was further undermined by hostile briefing by some from within the Labor Caucus, and ultimately his authority in office was fatally undermined when he made a public gaffe by appearing to forget the meaning of agross operating surplus.[4] Hawke felt that he had no option but to sack Kerin as treasurer, replacing him withRalph Willis, and instead appointing Kerin asMinister for Transport and Communications.
However, his time in this role would be brief, as Keating mounted asuccessful challenge to Hawke's leadership less than a fortnight later. Having promised the portfolio of Transport and Communications to his close allyGraham Richardson, Keating moved Kerin to the role ofMinister for Trade and Overseas Development. In this position, Kerin played a key role in preparing the groundwork for theAPEC Leaders' Summit at which theBogor Declaration would be declared, pledging significant movement towards free trade amongst Pacific economies. He was dropped from the ministry after the1993 election and at the end of that year Kerin announced his retirement from Parliament, stating that he wished to move on to other things.
After his retirement from politics in 1993, Kerin was appointed to a senior position at theAustralian Meat and Livestock Corporation, and joined numerous boards of various charities and companies. Kerin remained active across a range of public policy issues in Australia. In October 2008 he was appointed to the board of theCommonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation. He was appointed the 2008 Distinguished Life Member of theAustralian Agriculture and Resource Economics Society.[5]
In October 2010 Kerin was appointed Chair of theCrawford Fund, a position he held until early 2017. The Crawford Fund aims to increase Australia's engagement in international agricultural research, development and education. In 2011 he resigned from the New South Wales branch of the Labor Party in protest at what he saw as the increasingly highly centralised nature of control over the operations of the organisation. He said that the administrative arm of the party had become increasingly involved in policy formulation, leaving little room for meaningful participation by rank and file party members.[6] In August 2012, he rejoined the Party as a member in Canberra, where he stated he felt that local management of the party was more responsive to the concerns of members.
In 2017, Kerin released an extensive memoir of his experiences as Primary Industries and Energy Minister between 1983 and 1991.[7]
Kerin died on 29 March 2023, at the age of 85.[8]
On 26 January 2001 Kerin was appointed a Member of theOrder of Australia (AM).[9] On 11 June 2018 he was advanced within the Order to Officer level (AO).[10]
On 1 January 2001 Kerin was awarded theCentenary Medal.[11]
| Parliament of Australia | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member forMacarthur 1972–1975 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Member forWerriwa 1978–1993 | Succeeded by |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Minister for Primary Industries and Energy 1983–1991 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Treasurer of Australia 1991 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Minister for Transport and Communications 1991 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Minister for Trade and Overseas Development 1991–1993 | Succeeded by |
First Keating ministry (1991–93) | ||
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Prime Minister:Paul Keating | ||
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| Outer Ministry | ||
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| International | |
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| National | |
| People | |
