George Campbell (born 18 February 1943) is a former Australian politician and trade unionist who served as an

Australian Labor Party The Australian Labor Party (ALP), also simply known as Labor, is the major centre-left political party in Australia, one of two major parties in Australian politics, along with the centre-right Liberal Party of Australia. The party forms t ...

member of the Australian Senate from 1997 to 2008, representing the state of

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

Biography

Campbell was born in

Belfast Belfast ( , ; from ga, Béal Feirste , meaning 'mouth of the sand-bank ford') is the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan on the east coast. It is the 12th-largest city in the United Kingdom ...

Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...

, and worked as a shipwright, including at the Williamstown dockyard, before entering politics. Campbell served as Victorian State Secretary of the

Federated Shipwrights' and Ship Constructors' Union The Federated Shipwrights' and Ship Constructors' Association of Australia was an Australian trade union which existed between 1916 and 1976. It represented shipwrights and boatbuilders in the shipbuilding and ship repair industries, as well as ...

between 1970 and 1976, National President in 1974 and Federal Secretary between 1974 and 1976. In 1976 the Federated Shipwrights Union merged into the

Amalgamated Metal Workers Union The Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU), or more fully the Automotive, Food, Metals, Engineering, Printing and Kindred Industries Union, is an Australian trade union. The AMWU represents a broad range of workers in the manufacturing se ...

(AMWU) and Campbell became Assistant National Secretary, serving in that role until 1988 and as National Secretary between 1988 and 1996. He was a member of the executive of the

Australian Council of Trade Unions The Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU), originally the Australasian Council of Trade Unions, is the largest peak body representing workers in Australia. It is a national trade union centre of 46 affiliated unions and eight trades and l ...

between 1987 and 1997 and ACTU Senior Vice-President from 1993 to 1997. Campbell was a member of the ALP National Executive from 1986 to 2004 and Junior Vice-President of the ALP from 1994 to 2000. He was a prominent member of the Socialist Left faction of the ALP, and a leading critic of the U.S.-Australia Free Trade Agreement. Campbell was Parliamentary Secretary to the Shadow Minister for Industry, Innovation, Science and Research 2001–04. From the 2004 election, he served as the Opposition Senate Whip. In April 2007, facing near-certain defeat in a preselection challenge by former protégé Doug Cameron, he announced that he would retire at the end of his term in the Senate.

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Campbell, George 1943 births Living people Members of the Australian Senate Members of the Australian Senate for New South Wales Politicians from Belfast Australian shipwrights Australian Labor Party members of the Parliament of Australia Labor Left politicians 21st-century Australian politicians 20th-century Australian politicians Northern Ireland emigrants to Australia