Peter Andren

Peter James Andren AM (28 August 1946 – 3 November 2007), was an Australian politician. He was an independent member of the Australian House of Representatives from March 1996 until October 2007, representing the electorate of Division of Calare, New South Wales.

He was born in Gulargambone, New South Wales, and attended Normanhurst Boys' High School [citeweb|url=http://www.wellbeing.com.au/school/brose_by_region_nsw?cid=12206&pid=1856641|title=School Choice - 2006 NSW schools, Vic schools - Browse NSW schools] and Macquarie University, Sydney. He was a teacher, television reporter, presenter and producer and radio and television news editor with CBN and 2GZ before entering politics.

Since his election, Andren had attempted to implement changes to politicians' superannuation, involving giving members the opportunity to opt out of the parliamentary scheme. He introduced a Private Member's Bill to this extent, which failed to pass through either house. He had been an active opponent of genetically modified crops, and had been involved with the Standing Committee on Primary Industries and Regional Services. Andren was known to join with the other two rural independent members, Bob Katter and Tony Windsor, in raising regional issues with the Parliament and media. He was also a vocal critic of Australia's policy on asylum seekers, and the Iraq War. His two party-preferred vote of over 75 per cent in 2001 made Calare the second-safest seat in Australia. [Peter Andren, [http://www.scribepublications.com.au/book/theandrenreport The Andren Report: An independent way in Australian politics] , Scribe Publications, 2003]

A redistribution of electoral boundaries in 2006 reduced Andren's notional majority, leading to speculation that he might have stood for the neighbouring seat of Macquarie, which now included former Calare cities Bathurst and Lithgow, in the 2007 election. [cite news |author=AAP |authorlink=Australian Associated Press |title=Seat redistribution angers politicians |url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/National/Seat-redistribution-angers-politicians/2006/06/30/1151174387547.html |work=The Age |publisher=Fairfax Media |date=2006-06-30 |accessdate=2008-03-15 ] [cite news |title=Redistribution forces Andren to decide on electorate |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/items/200609/1740546.htm |work=ABC News Online |publisher=ABC |date=2006-09-14 |accessdate=2008-03-15 ] On 29 March 2007, he instead made an announcement that he would stand down from Calare to contest for a New South Wales seat in the Senate. [cite news
url = http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/NSW-Independent-Andren-seeks-Senate-seat/2007/03/29/1174761633547.html
title = NSW Independent Andren seeks Senate seat
author = AAP
authorlink = Australian Associated Press
publisher = Sydney Morning Herald
date = 29 March 2007 ] However Andren subsequently announced on 10 August 2007 that he had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and that "the diagnosis and available interventions to treat this cancer are not very encouraging." Due to his illness, he had to abandon his candidacy for a seat in the Senate. [cite news
url = http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,22221776-29277,00.html
title = I'll beat cancer, says federal MP
last = Veness
first = Peter
coauthors = Shelley Markham
work = News.com.au
publisher = News Corporation
date = 2007-08-10 ]

Andren died three months later. He was survived by his partner Valerie Faber, his two sons Greg and Josh and his ex-wife Jenny Price. [cite news
url = http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/11/03/2080811.htm
title = Andren dies after four-month illness
work = ABC News
publisher = ABC
date = 2007-11-03 ] [cite news
url = http://www.smh.com.au/news/obituaries/an-independent-voice-silenced-too-soon/2007/11/04/1194117875368.html
title = An independent voice silenced too soon
last = Davis
first = Mark
work = The Sydney Morning Herald
publisher = Fairfax Media
date = 2007-11-05
accessdate = 2007-11-10 ] His funeral at Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Orange was attended by an estimated 600–1000 people. [cite news
url = http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/farewell-to-andren-a-beacon-of-decency/2007/11/09/1194329513042.html
title = Farewell to Andren, a beacon of decency
last = McFarland
first = Greg
work = The Sydney Morning Herald
publisher = Fairfax Media
date = 2007-11-10
accessdate = 2007-11-10 ] [cite news
url = http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/Andren-remembered-as-an-openhearted-man/2007/11/09/1194329504063.html
title = Andren remembered as an open-hearted man
last = AAP
work = The Sydney Morning Herald
publisher = Fairfax Media
date = 2007-11-09
accessdate = 2007-11-10 ]

Andren's seat of Calare was won by National John Cobb at the 2007 election.

On June 9 2008 Andren was posthumously made a Member of the Order of Australia for his services in Parliament and to rural and regional Australia. [cite news
url = http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/high-honours-for-howard-and-his-righthand-man/2008/06/08/1212863458301.html
title = High honours for Howard and his right-hand man
work = The Sydney Morning Herald
date = 2008-06-10 ] [cite press release
title = The Queen's Birthday 2008 Honours
publisher = Governor-General of Australia
date = 2008-06-09
format = HTML
url = http://www.ag.gov.au/portal/govgazonline.nsf/03EBD7A0FE59560ECA25746300034423/$file/S106.htm
accessdate = 2008-06-09
quote = For service to the Parliament of Australia, and to the rural and regional communities of central west New South Wales, particularly through support for a range of Indigenous, disability and health service organisations. ]

References

External links

* [http://www.aph.gov.au/house/members/member.asp?id=KL6 Official Website] from "The Parliament of Australia"
* [http://www.peterandren.com/pdf/Press%20Release/2007/Press20070810.pdf Cancer Announcement] - Official Press Release

Persondata
NAME=Andren, Peter James
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Australian politician
DATE OF BIRTH=28 August 1946
PLACE OF BIRTH=Gulargambone, New South Wales, Australia
DATE OF DEATH=3 November 2007
PLACE OF DEATH=