John Patrick Breen (1898 – 5 February 1966) was an Australian politician. Born in

Kalgoorlie, Western Australia Kalgoorlie is a city in the Goldfields–Esperance region of Western Australia, located east-northeast of Perth at the end of the Great Eastern Highway. It is sometimes referred to as Kalgoorlie–Boulder, as the surrounding urban area includ ...

, he attended Catholic schools and then the

University of Sydney The University of Sydney (USYD), also known as Sydney University, or informally Sydney Uni, is a public research university located in Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and is one of the country's si ...

. He became a publican and organiser of the

Australian Workers' Union The Australian Workers' Union (AWU) is one of Australia's largest and oldest trade unions. It traces its origins to unions founded in the pastoral and mining industries in the 1880s and currently has approximately 80,000 members. It has exerci ...

before being elected to the

Australian House of Representatives The House of Representatives is the lower house of the bicameral Parliament of Australia, the upper house being the Senate. Its composition and powers are established in Chapter I of the Constitution of Australia. The term of members of the ...

in 1940 representing the seat of Calare for the Labor Party. He defeated sitting Country Party MP

Harold Thorby Harold Victor Campbell Thorby (2 October 1888 – 1 January 1973) was an Australian politician. He was a member of the Country Party and served as the party's deputy leader from 1937 to 1940. He represented the Division of Calare (1931–1940) ...

. He held the seat until his defeat by

Liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * a supporter of liberalism ** Liberalism by country * an adherent of a Liberal Party * Liberalism (international relations) * Sexually liberal feminism * Social liberalism Arts, entertainment and m ...

John Howse in 1946, after which he became Trade Commissioner to the Middle East from 1946 to 1948. He died in 1966.

References

Australian Labor Party members of the Parliament of Australia Members of the Australian House of Representatives for Calare Members of the Australian House of Representatives 1898 births 1966 deaths People from Kalgoorlie Trade unionists from Western Australia Date of birth missing Place of death missing 20th-century Australian politicians {{Australia-Labor-representative-stub