Everything about Paul Lennon totally explained
Paul Anthony Lennon (born
8 October 1955) is an
Australian Labor Party politician, and member of the
Tasmanian House of Assembly for the seat of
Franklin. He was
Premier of Tasmania from
21 March 2004 until his resignation on
26 May 2008.
Early life
Born in
Hobart, he attended
St. Virgil's College, then worked as a storeman and clerk before becoming an organiser with the Storemen and Packers Union in 1978. He didn't attend university.
In 1980 he became Tasmanian State Secretary of the union, and from 1982 he was Senior Vice President of the national union. In 1984 Lennon became Secretary of the
Tasmanian Trades & Labor Council, and also a member of the Executive of the
Australian Council of Trade Unions.
Lennon was elected to the
Tasmanian House of Assembly in 1990 on a recount of votes following the resignation of
Ken Wriedt and immediately became Deputy Leader of the Labor Party. He was Shadow Minister for Industrial Relations, Workplace Standards, Workers' Compensation, Public Sector Management, Forests, Mines, Racing and Gaming, and Leader of Opposition Business in the House of Assembly.
Jim Bacon government
On the election of a Labor government under
Jim Bacon in 1998, Lennon became Deputy Premier, Minister for Infrastructure, Energy and Resources and Minister for Racing and Gaming. Following the re-election of the government in 2002, he became Minister for Economic Development, Energy and Resources, and Minister for Racing and Sport and Recreation.
Premier of Tasmania
In February 2004 Bacon was diagnosed with
lung cancer and stood down as Premier to begin treatment. Lennon was Acting Premier until
21 March, when Bacon resigned and Lennon was sworn in as Tasmania’s 42nd Premier. He was also Treasurer until 2006 when he was succeeded by Michael Aird.
Lennon and Bacon were close friends as well as colleagues and Lennon was emotional as he assumed the premiership with Bacon watching on. "It's hard to describe how you feel when someone who has been that close to you also happens to be your boss", Lennon told an interviewer. "It was a very tough time. A very tough time indeed."
Lennon is known as an active proponent of Tasmania's forestry industry, which has made him very unpopular with the
Greens, numerous conservation groups and others on the left. He represents a long tradition of conservative, pro-business Labor leadership in Tasmania. Both Lennon's Labor government and the State Opposition have been criticised for their close ties with the logging company
Gunns Limited, most recently over the drafting of new legislation .
In January 2006, Lennon faced criticism in the media over allegations of impropriety when it was revealed that he'd received an upgrade from a A$200 per night room in the
Crown Casino to a six-star suite worth up to A$4000 per night, complete with a private butler. The Crown Casino is owned by the Packer family's
Publishing and Broadcasting Limited, which also owns a 50% stake in
Betfair, the company to which Lennon's government days later awarded a A$700 million internet gaming licence.
In the
2006 state election Lennon successfully led the Labor party to a majority government, contrary to many pre-election predictions.
Following an opinion poll which showed his personal approval rating at 17 per cent, Lennon announced on
26 May 2008 that he'd stand down as Premier of Tasmania and leave politics altogether. He said he'd made the decision 'for himself and his family'. Deputy Premier,
David Bartlett, was sworn in at Government House as the 43rd Tasmanian Premier replacing Paul Lennon on the afternoon of 26 May 2008.
Family
He is married to Margaret Lennon and has two children.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Paul Lennon'.
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