Alan Brown (Australian politician)

Alan John Brown AM (born 25 January 1946), Australian politician, was a Liberal member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly and Leader of the Opposition from 1989 to 1991.

The Honourable Alan Brown AM
Minister for (Public) Transport
In office 6 October 1992 – 31 December 1996
Premier	Jeff Kennett
Preceded by	Peter Spyker
Succeeded by	Robin Cooper
Leader of the Opposition (Victoria)
In office 23 May 1989 – 23 April 1991
Preceded by	Jeff Kennett
Succeeded by	Jeff Kennett
Member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly for Gippsland West
In office 2 March 1985 – 31 December 1996
Preceded by	Seat created
Succeeded by	Susan Davies
Member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly for Westernport
In office 5 May 1979 – 1 March 1985
Preceded by	Doug Jennings
Succeeded by	Seat abolished
Personal details
Born	Alan John Brown 25 January 1946 Wonthaggi, Victoria, Australia
Nationality	Australian
Political party	Liberal Party
Spouse(s)	Paula McBurnie
Occupation	Carpenter and joiner

A local businessman before entering politics, Brown entered the Legislative Assembly at the 1979 election as the Liberal member for Westernport, in western Gippsland, easily defeating Doug Jennings who had been expelled from the Liberal Party in 1977.[1] He would hold this seat, renamed Gippsland West, until his retirement from politics in 1996.

Brown served on the backbench during the Hamer and Thompson governments. After the Liberals lost government at the 1982 election Brown was promoted to the shadow ministry where he served as Shadow Minister for Youth, Sport and Education, Shadow Minister for Housing and Aboriginal Affairs and Shadow Minister for Transport under the leadership of Jeff Kennett. However, after the Liberals were narrowly defeated at the 1988 election many Liberals became unhappy with Kennett's leadership. Soon after the election, Kennett was deposed in a party room coup, and Brown was elected to succeed him.

While Brown failed to take full advantage of the various crises involving the Labor government, he did successfully negotiate a Coalition agreement with the Nationals with whom relations were traditionally poor in Victoria.[2] The Liberals had come up five seats short of winning the 1988 election, and it was thought that they would have won if not for a number of three-cornered contests in rural areas.

In 1991, Kennett's followers, with Kennett's tacit support, organised a party room coup against Brown. When the spill motion carried, Brown opted not to recontest, allowing Kennett to retake the leadership unopposed. As a concession to Brown, Kennett kept him on the frontbench.

After the Liberals were returned to power after the 1992 election Brown served as Minister for Public Transport. In late 1996 the Kennett Government appointed him as Agent General for Victoria. The resulting by-election in his then-safe seat of Gippsland West was won by Independent Labor candidate Susan Davies who would go on to play a decisive role in defeating the Kennett government.[1]

Brown remains prominent in his local community and unsuccessfully ran for the Bass Coast Shire Council (Hovell Ward) in 2012.[3][4]

References

1. Green, Antony: ABC Elections Victoria 2006: Bass (Key Seat), Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 22 November 2006.
2. Brown, Alan John, re-member (Parliament of Victoria).
3. Alan Brown seeks to overhaul council, 7 June 2012, retrieved 24 September 2013
4. Simone Short (30 October 2012), Axe falls in Bass Coast, retrieved 24 September 2013