Don Farrell

Senator the Honourable Don Farrell
Senator for South Australia
Incumbent
Assumed office 1 July 2008
Parliamentary Secretary for Sustainability and Urban Water
Incumbent
Assumed office 14 September 2010
Preceded by	New Office
Personal details
Born	6 June 1954 (1954-06-06) (age 57) Murray Bridge, South Australia
Political party	Australian Labor Party
Spouse(s)	Nimfa
Children	Mary, Tess and Emily
Occupation	Union leader

Donald Edward Farrell (born 6 June 1954) is an Australian politician and former trade union leader. He has been a Labor member of the Australian Senate since 1 July 2008, representing the state of South Australia. He was appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Sustainability and Urban Water on 14 September 2010. Before entering the Senate, Farrell was the South Australian secretary and the National President of the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association (SDA) union and a leader of Labor Unity in South Australia.^[1]

Background

Farrell was born in Murray Bridge to a family of Irish-Catholic origins, and attended St Theresa's Primary School and Blackfriars Priory School while living in the Adelaide suburb of Daw Park. His father, Edward, ran as a Democratic Labor Party candidate throughout the 1960s and 70s and had a guiding influence on the young Farrell. Farrell completed a law degree at the University of Adelaide.

Farrell joined the SDA as a lawyer after completing his degree and attained the position of assistant secretary in 1980. At a 1988 by-election for the Division of Adelaide after the retirement of Chris Hurford, Farrell was preselected and ran as the Labor candidate; however, he was defeated by the Liberal candidate, Mike Pratt.

A leader within the Labor Unity faction since the 1980s, Farrell's influence contributed to negotiating the shift of the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union to Unity in early 2006, which gave Labor Unity a majority in the state caucus. Farrell was responsible for the internal deal that saw Premier Mike Rann become leader of the state Labor Party in 1994, and he has been instrumental in the election of various figures in South Australia, notably the Federal Minister for Employment Participation and Childcare and the Minister for the Status of Women, Kate Ellis, who represents the Electorate of Adelaide.

Farrell lives in the Adelaide Hills suburb of Waterfall Gully with his wife Nimfa and his daughters Mary, Tess and Emily. He is a member of the Adelaide Football Club and the West Adelaide Football Club.

Federal parliament

In June 2007, Farrell won preselection for the first position on Labor's Senate ticket in the 2007 election and he was subsequently the first elected senator for South Australia at the general election.

Following the 2010 Australian Election, he was appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Sustainability and Urban Water.^[2][3] The Hon. Tony Burke MP is the Cabinet Minister for the new portfolio of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities.

References

1. ^ Google Books: Yes, Premier: Labor Leadership in Australia's States and Territories. Page 215 - Mike Rann chapter by Haydon Manning.
2. ^ "Second Gillard Ministry". 14 September 2010. http://www.dpmc.gov.au/parliamentary/docs/ministry_list_20100914.pdf. Retrieved 16 September 2010. 
3. ^ "Administrative Arrangements Order". 14 September 2010. http://www.dpmc.gov.au/parliamentary/docs/aao_20100914.pdf. Retrieved 16 September 2010. 

• "Burying the hatchet", The Advertiser (Adelaide). 25 March 2006
• Branches, Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association. Accessed 25 August 2006
• Division of Adelaide 1988 by-election results, Psephos. Accessed 25 August 2006
• "The Don", Sunday Mail (Adelaide). 20 August 2006
• "Don Farrell", The Advertiser (Adelaide). 6 July 2002
• First Speech to Parliament, Kate Ellis MP. Accessed 25 August 2006
• "Labor powerbroker endorsed for top spot on SA Senate ticket", ABC News Online. 9 June 2007. Accessed 12 June 2007.

External links

• Senator Don Farrell profile: APH
• Senator Don Farrell profile: ABC Q&A

Parliament of Australia
Preceded by	Senator for South Australia 1 July 2008–present	Incumbent
Political offices
Preceded by New Office	Parliamentary Secretary for Sustainability and Urban Water 2010–present	Incumbent

Persondata
Name	Farrell, Don
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	6 June 1954
Place of birth	Murray Bridge, South Australia
Date of death
Place of death