John Walter Bradford (born 3 January 1946) is a former Australian politician. Born in Sydney, he was educated at 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 ...

and then Sydney College of Advanced Education, becoming a teacher. He served in the military 1968–1970, returning to become a retail industry executive.

Politics

After moving to

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

in 1987, Bradford was National Director of the Shopping Centre Tenants Association of Australia. He was active in local politics in Sydney, sitting on

Warringah Shire Council Warringah Council was a Local government areas of New South Wales, local government area in the Northern Beaches (Sydney), northern beaches region of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It was proclaimed on 7 March 1906 as the Wa ...

(including two terms as Deputy Shire President) and the Mackellar County Council from 1977 to 1979 (Deputy Chair, 1979). In 1990, he was 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 o ...

as the

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 ...

member for McPherson, Queensland. In 1992 he was one of a group of Coalition members of parliament who founded the

Lyons Forum The Lyons Forum was a ginger group or informal political faction comprising some federal members of conservative Australian parliamentary parties. It was formed in the early 1990s and was active both in Liberal Party of Australia parliamentary lea ...

, a conservative ginger group. On 7 April 1998, he resigned from the Liberal Party over Aboriginal rights and other issues. Thereafter sat as a member of the

Christian Democratic Party __NOTOC__ Christian democratic parties are political parties that seek to apply Christian principles to public policy. The underlying Christian democracy movement emerged in 19th-century Europe, largely under the influence of Catholic social tea ...

. In the 1998 federal election, he contested the Senate seat in Queensland for the Christian Democrats, running with Kerry Blackman, an Aboriginal Christian businessman, but was not elected. Bradford was endorsed by the Christian Democratic Party in 2000 as the successor to

Elaine Nile Elaine Blanche Nile (20 March 1936 – 17 October 2011) was an Australian politician who represented the Christian Democratic Party in the New South Wales Legislative Council between 1988 and 2002. Nile was married to Fred Nile from 1958 u ...

in the New South Wales Legislative Council. However, as a result of an internal party dispute due to Bradford's residency, Nile delayed her retirement until 2002 and Gordon Moyes was ultimately appointed to the Council, ahead of Bradford.

Church work

After Bradford's defeat in the 1998 federal election, he went to work for Mercy Ships, a Christian medical charity. Subsequently, he became the "Mission Development Director" for The Bible Society in Australia of Queensland, now part of the

Bible Society Australia Bible Society Australia is an Australian non-profit, non-denominational, Christian organisation. It is part of a worldwide network of Bible Societies. Bible Society Australia maintains that the Bible is a significant historic text which has deepl ...

References

, - Liberal Party of Australia members of the Parliament of Australia Christian Democratic Party members of the Parliament of Australia Members of the Australian House of Representatives for McPherson Members of the Australian House of Representatives 1946 births Living people 20th-century Australian politicians {{Australia-Liberal-politician-stub