Maxwell Arthur Burr, (born 9 January 1939) is an Australian retired politician. Born in

Launceston, Tasmania Launceston () or () is a city in the north of Tasmania, Australia, at the confluence of the North Esk and South Esk rivers where they become the Tamar River (kanamaluka). As of 2021, Launceston has a population of 87,645. Material was copied ...

, he was educated at Launceston Business College before becoming an accountant and Secretary of the Tasmanian Farmers' Federation. In 1975, 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 of the ...

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 Wilmot, defeating long-serving Labor member

Gil Duthie Gilbert William Arthur Duthie AM (21 May 1912 – 13 June 1998) was an Australian politician. Born in Nhill, Victoria, he was educated at state schools and at the University of Melbourne before becoming a schoolteacher and farmer in rural Victo ...

. When Wilmot was abolished in 1984, Burr successfully contested its successor,

Lyons Lyon,, ; Occitan: ''Lion'', hist. ''Lionés'' also spelled in English as Lyons, is the third-largest city and second-largest metropolitan area of France. It is located at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône, to the northwest of th ...

. He held the seat until his retirement in 1993. After retirement, Burr was diagnosed with

Parkinson's disease Parkinson's disease (PD), or simply Parkinson's, is a long-term degenerative disorder of the central nervous system that mainly affects the motor system. The symptoms usually emerge slowly, and as the disease worsens, non-motor symptoms becom ...

in 2012. In 2019, news coverage documented his use of experimental infrared light therapy as a treatment for his condition, which he believed had significantly alleviated a large number of his symptoms and which had encouraged a number of other people to do likewise. A clinical trial of the system was announced in early 2019. Burr was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the

2021 Australia Day Honours The 2021 Australia Day Honours are appointments to various orders and honours to recognise and reward good works by Australian citizens. The list was announced on 26 January 2021 by the Governor General of Australia, David Hurley. The Australia ...

for "service to the Parliament of Australia, and to the community of Tasmania."

References

, - Liberal Party of Australia members of the Parliament of Australia Members of the Australian House of Representatives for Wilmot Members of the Australian House of Representatives for Lyons Members of the Australian House of Representatives 1939 births Living people Politicians from Launceston, Tasmania 20th-century Australian politicians Recipients of the Medal of the Order of Australia {{Australia-Liberal-politician-stub