Leonard Joseph Keogh (2 June 1931 – 10 October 2007) was an Australian politician. He was a member of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) and served in the House of Representatives from 1969 to 1975 and from 1983 to 1987. He represented the Queensland seat of Bowman and later served as president of the Redland Shire Council from 1991 to 1994.
Len Keogh | |
|---|---|
 Keogh in 1970 | |
| Member of the Australian Parliament for Bowman | |
| In office 25 October 1969 – 13 December 1975 | |
| Preceded by | Wylie Gibbs |
| Succeeded by | David Jull |
| In office 5 March 1983 – 5 June 1987 | |
| Preceded by | David Jull |
| Succeeded by | Con Sciacca |
| 4th Chairman of Redland | |
| In office March 1991 – March 1994 | |
| Preceded by | Merv Genrich |
| Succeeded by | Eddie Santagiuliana |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 2 June 1931 Brisbane, Queensland, Australia |
| Died | 10 October 2007 (aged 76) |
| Political party | Labor |
| Education | St Laurence's College |
| Occupation | Draftsman |
Early life
editKeogh was born in Brisbane on 2 June 1931.[1] His father John Keogh was the final mayor of South Brisbane prior to its amalgamation with the City of Brisbane in 1925. He was educated at St Laurence's College, completing his junior certificate in 1947. He worked for Evans Deakin and Company as a structural draftsman, later starting his own concrete company.[2]
Politics
editKeogh joined the ALP in 1949 and served on the state executive from 1968 to 1971.[1] He first stood for parliament in the seat of Moreton at the 1966 election, losing to the incumbent Liberal MP Jim Killen.[2]
Keogh won the seat of Bowman for the ALP at the 1969 election, defeating the incumbent Liberal MP Wylie Gibbs. He served on the Commonwealth Immigration Advisory Council and on various parliamentary committees during the Whitlam government, before losing his seat in Labor's landslide defeat at the 1975 election.[1] He was defeated again in 1977 and 1980, in the meantime working as a real estate agent.[3] Keogh regained his seat in 1983 and was re-elected in 1984, serving as chair of the House Standing Committee on Procedure from 1985 to 1987.[1] In 1986 he delivered a report recommended that parliament extend its sitting time by 40 percent.[4]
Keogh was a member of the Centre Left faction of the ALP. In December 1986 he was defeated for ALP preselection by Con Sciacca of the Socialist Left faction, under a factional deal with the Australian Workers' Union (AWU).[5] Keogh disputed the result of the ballot, but the ALP's state appeals committee stated that it could not intervene as no appeal was lodged in time.[6] He subsequently threaten to resign from the party and force a by-election if his preselection was not reinstated.[7] In April 1987, Sciacca resigned his candidacy as part of a further factional deal, with a new preselection ballot being ordered.[8] However, the new deal collapsed and the preselection ballot was cancelled, with Sciacca being chosen as the candidate for Bowman directly by the ALP national executive.[9]
Later life
editKeogh was elected chairman of the Redland Shire Council in 1991. He served until his defeat in 1994.[10] In December 1994, he was controversially appointed to the Veterans' Review Board by Con Sciacca, the federal veterans affairs' minister, who had defeated him for preselection in 1987.[11]
Keogh died of prostate cancer in October 2007.[2]
References
edit- ^ a b c d "Biography for KEOGH, Leonard Joseph". Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 11 September 2022.
- ^ a b c Laming, Andrew (21 February 2008). "Condolences: Mr Leonard Joseph Keogh". Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 11 September 2022.
- ^ "Labor lifts efforts in 'safe' Liberal seats". Canberra Times. 24 February 1983.
- ^ "House of Reps to sit longer". Canberra Times. 30 May 1986.
- ^ "Qld ALP gives Sir Joh the present he wanted". Canberra Times. 23 December 1986.
- ^ "ALP disputes tribunal cannot hear appeal". Canberra Times. 31 January 1987.
- ^ "Sir Joh could face poll test". Canberra Times. 10 February 1987.
- ^ "Labor executive to watch Qld branch". Canberra Times. 15 April 1987.
- ^ "ALP executive to decide on pre-selection". Canberra Times. 12 May 1987.
- ^ "Government of the Redlands" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 March 2011.
- ^ "ALP men get jobs on board". Canberra Times. 9 December 1994.
- "Members of the House of Representatives since 1901". Parliamentary Handbook. Parliament of Australia. Archived from the original on 17 November 2007.
- "Bowman". The Poll Bludger. 2007. Archived from the original on 2 February 2008.
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