Harry Quick
Encyclopedia
Harry Vernon Quick is an Australia
n politician. He was a member of the Australian House of Representatives
from 1993 until 2007, representing the electorate of Franklin
. He sat as an Australian Labor Party
representative from 1993 to 2007, when he was expelled from the party for failing to pay his membership dues. An outspoken maverick MP, he did not contest the 2007 federal election.
He first entered politics in 1993 after winning the southern Tasmania
n seat of Franklin
in the House of Representatives
. On the night of the 1993 federal election, Quick was the first member to become elected (mainly due to the daylight saving time
difference), reclaiming Franklin
for Labor
, for the first time in 17 years. During the time he has been member for Franklin
the one-time Liberal
stronghold has become a reasonably safe Labor
seat. Even in the 2004 federal election where all Tasmania
n Labor members lost support, Quick's decline was the smallest.
He was a teacher, education officer and electorate officer before entering politics. He worked for Senator Michael Tate
prior to being elected to the House.
He also protested against the 2003 Iraq war in which Australian troops took part. He once took a Tasmanian apple
into the Federal parliament
in protest against legalising the import of New Zealand
apples which have been banned in Australia for 80 years because of bio-security risk reasons, notably the Fireblight
disease. He opposed the 2005 Walker Corporation planned development at Ralphs Bay, Lauderdale
near Hobart that the State
Labor
Government
had hoped for. He has always believed that politicians should take a "hands on" role in the community. Quick was an Opposition Whip 2001-04.
On 12 August 2005, Quick announced that he would not contest his seat at the next federal election, blaming what he called the party's left-right factional disputes and lack of a strong leader as the reasons for his retirement.
Quick caused controversy during the 2006 state election by endorsing not only fellow Labor candidates in the state equivalent of his seat, but also a Tasmanian Greens
member, Nick McKim.
Quick was expelled from the ALP on 20 August 2007 for failing to pay his membership fees. He sat as an Independent member until his retirement.
In February 2009, Mr Quick was reported to be seeking preselection for the Tasmanian Legislative Council
division of Derwent
as a representative of the Tasmanian Greens
. He had joined the Greens in July 2008. Five days after announcing his intention to contest the seat held by Treasurer Michael Aird, Quick abruptly changed his mind, citing a desire to spend more time with his family.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n politician. He was a member of the Australian House of Representatives
Australian House of Representatives
The House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia; it is the lower house; the upper house is the Senate. Members of Parliament serve for terms of approximately three years....
from 1993 until 2007, representing the electorate of Franklin
Division of Franklin
The Division of Franklin is an Australian Electoral Division in Tasmania. The division was created in 1903 and is named for Sir John Franklin, the polar explorer who was Lt Governor of Van Diemen's Land 1843-46. It is located in southern Tasmania, including the Hobart suburbs of Bridgewater,...
. He sat as an Australian Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
representative from 1993 to 2007, when he was expelled from the party for failing to pay his membership dues. An outspoken maverick MP, he did not contest the 2007 federal election.
He first entered politics in 1993 after winning the southern Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
n seat of Franklin
Division of Franklin
The Division of Franklin is an Australian Electoral Division in Tasmania. The division was created in 1903 and is named for Sir John Franklin, the polar explorer who was Lt Governor of Van Diemen's Land 1843-46. It is located in southern Tasmania, including the Hobart suburbs of Bridgewater,...
in the House of Representatives
Australian House of Representatives
The House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia; it is the lower house; the upper house is the Senate. Members of Parliament serve for terms of approximately three years....
. On the night of the 1993 federal election, Quick was the first member to become elected (mainly due to the daylight saving time
Daylight saving time
Daylight saving time —also summer time in several countries including in British English and European official terminology —is the practice of temporarily advancing clocks during the summertime so that afternoons have more daylight and mornings have less...
difference), reclaiming Franklin
Division of Franklin
The Division of Franklin is an Australian Electoral Division in Tasmania. The division was created in 1903 and is named for Sir John Franklin, the polar explorer who was Lt Governor of Van Diemen's Land 1843-46. It is located in southern Tasmania, including the Hobart suburbs of Bridgewater,...
for Labor
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
, for the first time in 17 years. During the time he has been member for Franklin
Division of Franklin
The Division of Franklin is an Australian Electoral Division in Tasmania. The division was created in 1903 and is named for Sir John Franklin, the polar explorer who was Lt Governor of Van Diemen's Land 1843-46. It is located in southern Tasmania, including the Hobart suburbs of Bridgewater,...
the one-time Liberal
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
stronghold has become a reasonably safe Labor
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
seat. Even in the 2004 federal election where all Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
n Labor members lost support, Quick's decline was the smallest.
He was a teacher, education officer and electorate officer before entering politics. He worked for Senator Michael Tate
Michael Tate
Michael Carter Tate AO is a former Australian Labor Party politician who later became an ambassador and then a Catholic priest....
prior to being elected to the House.
He also protested against the 2003 Iraq war in which Australian troops took part. He once took a Tasmanian apple
Apple
The apple is the pomaceous fruit of the apple tree, species Malus domestica in the rose family . It is one of the most widely cultivated tree fruits, and the most widely known of the many members of genus Malus that are used by humans. Apple grow on small, deciduous trees that blossom in the spring...
into the Federal parliament
Australian House of Representatives
The House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia; it is the lower house; the upper house is the Senate. Members of Parliament serve for terms of approximately three years....
in protest against legalising the import of New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
apples which have been banned in Australia for 80 years because of bio-security risk reasons, notably the Fireblight
Fireblight
Fire blight, also written fireblight, is a contagious disease affecting apples, pears, and some other members of the family Rosaceae. It is a serious concern to producers of apples and pears...
disease. He opposed the 2005 Walker Corporation planned development at Ralphs Bay, Lauderdale
Ralphs Bay
Ralphs Bay is a body of water in south east Tasmania, Australia. It is surrounded by the Tranmere and South Arm peninsulas. Sea access to the bay is from the Derwent River....
near Hobart that the State
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
Labor
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
Government
Government of Tasmania
The form of the Government of Tasmania is prescribed in its Constitution, which dates from 1856, although it has been amended many times since then...
had hoped for. He has always believed that politicians should take a "hands on" role in the community. Quick was an Opposition Whip 2001-04.
On 12 August 2005, Quick announced that he would not contest his seat at the next federal election, blaming what he called the party's left-right factional disputes and lack of a strong leader as the reasons for his retirement.
Quick caused controversy during the 2006 state election by endorsing not only fellow Labor candidates in the state equivalent of his seat, but also a Tasmanian Greens
Tasmanian Greens
The Tasmanian Greens are a political party in Australia which developed from numerous environmental campaigns in Tasmania, including the flooding of Lake Pedder and the Franklin Dam campaign...
member, Nick McKim.
Quick was expelled from the ALP on 20 August 2007 for failing to pay his membership fees. He sat as an Independent member until his retirement.
In February 2009, Mr Quick was reported to be seeking preselection for the Tasmanian Legislative Council
Tasmanian Legislative Council
The Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of Tasmania in Australia. The other is the House of Assembly. It sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Hobart...
division of Derwent
Electoral division of Derwent
The Electoral division of Derwent is one of the fifteen electorates or 'seats' in the Tasmanian Legislative Council. It is situated in the south of the state and is named after the Derwent River.The last boundary redistribution occurred in 2008...
as a representative of the Tasmanian Greens
Tasmanian Greens
The Tasmanian Greens are a political party in Australia which developed from numerous environmental campaigns in Tasmania, including the flooding of Lake Pedder and the Franklin Dam campaign...
. He had joined the Greens in July 2008. Five days after announcing his intention to contest the seat held by Treasurer Michael Aird, Quick abruptly changed his mind, citing a desire to spend more time with his family.