John George Barrett (17 December 1858 – 19 May 1928) was an Australian politician, a senator in the federal Australian parliament. Born in

Carlton Carlton may refer to: People * Carlton (name), a list of those with the given name or surname * Carlton (singer), English soul singer Carlton McCarthy * Carlton, a pen name used by Joseph Caldwell (1773–1835), American educator, Presbyterian ...

, Barrett was educated there at St Mary's Anglican School before becoming apprenticed as a tinsmith. He was founder and President of the Tinsmith's Society, and also served as President of the

Melbourne Trades Hall Council The Victorian Trades Hall Council (VTHC) is a representative body of trade union organisations, known as a labour council, in the state of Victoria, Australia. It comprises 43 affiliated trade unions and professional associations, and eight regio ...

. In 1895, he was elected to the Victorian Legislative Assembly as the member for Carlton South, where he remained until 1897. In 1901, he was elected to the

Australian Senate The Senate is the upper house of the Bicameralism, bicameral Parliament of Australia, the lower house being the House of Representatives (Australia), House of Representatives. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Chapter ...

as a Labor Senator from Victoria, although he was also endorsed by the

Protectionist Party The Protectionist Party or Liberal Protectionist Party was an Australian political party, formally organised from 1887 until 1909, with policies centred on protectionism. The party advocated protective tariffs, arguing it would allow Australi ...

. He was one of only three Labor members elected to the first Parliament from Victoria (the other two were members of the House of Representatives, Frank Tudor and James Ronald). He was defeated in 1903, but continued to be active in the union movement; he was also an active prohibitionist. Barrett died in 1928.

References

Australian Labor Party members of the Parliament of Australia Members of the Australian Senate for Victoria Members of the Australian Senate Members of the Victorian Legislative Assembly 1858 births 1928 deaths 20th-century Australian politicians 19th-century Australian politicians People from Carlton, Victoria Politicians from Melbourne {{Australia-Labor-senator-stub