John Hodges (Australian politician) explained

Honorific-Prefix:The Honourable
John Hodges
Office:Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs
Primeminister:Malcolm Fraser
Term Start:7 May 1982
Term End:11 March 1983
Predecessor:Ian Macphee
Successor:Stewart West
Constituency Mp2:Petrie
Parliament2:Australian
Predecessor2:Dean Wells
Successor2:Gary Johns
Term Start2:1 December 1984
Term End2:11 July 1987
Predecessor3:Marshall Cooke
Successor3:Dean Wells
Term Start3:18 May 1974
Term End3:5 March 1983
Birth Date:1937 10, df=yes
Birth Place:Brisbane, Queensland
Nationality:Australian
Party:Liberal Party of Australia
Occupation:Pharmacist

John Charles Hodges (born 3 October 1937) is an Australian former politician. A member of the Liberal Party, he served as Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs in the Fraser government from 1982 to 1983. He was a member of the House of Representatives from 1974 to 1983 and from 1984 to 1987, representing the Queensland seat of Petrie.

Early life

Hodges was born in Brisbane on 3 October 1937.[1] He was raised in Cooktown, Queensland.

Hodges was a pharmaceutical chemist by profession. He served on the Redcliffe City Council from 1967 to 1976, including as deputy mayor from 1970.[1]

Politics

Hodges was elected to the Liberal Party's Queensland state executive in 1973.[1] The following year, he defeated incumbent single-term MP Marshall Cooke for Liberal preselection in the seat of Petrie.[2] He retained the seat for the Liberal Party at the 1974 election.[1]

In 1978, Hodges was appointed as deputy government whip in the House of Representatives.[1] He was appointed Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs in the Fraser government in May 1982 following a ministerial reshuffle.[3] As immigration minister, he supported the government's official policy of multiculturalism. At a policy forum in August 1982 he stated that Australia had never been a monocultural society, but that "multiculturalism can become a reality only when it is accepted by the nation as a whole"[4]

Hodges lost his seat to the Australian Labor Party (ALP) candidate Dean Wells at the 1983 election.[5] Howoever, he reclaimed Petrie for the Liberal Party at the 1984 election.[6] He supported John Howard against Andrew Peacock in the 1985 Liberal leadership spill.[7] He narrowly lost Petrie a second time at the 1987 election, following the National Party's decision to run a candidate against him in support of "Joh for Canberra" campaign.[6]

Later life

In 1987, Hodges and his wife purchased what was then the only pharmacy on Bribie Island, located at Bongaree. They eventually came to own or part-own another three pharmacies on the island, before retiring in 2018.[8]

Notes and References

  1. News: HODGES, the Hon. John Charles. Parliamentary Library. 21 April 2024.
  2. News: Petrie: Member replaced. The Canberra Times. 8 May 1974.
  3. News: Bigger Cabinet means Killen will stay on. The Canberra Times. 8 May 1982.
  4. News: Minister: Need Understanding. The Australian Jewish News. 6 August 1982.
  5. News: Hodges admits he is beaten. The Canberra Times. 7 March 1983.
  6. News: New residents hold key in shaky Brisbane seat. The Canberra Times. 4 July 1987.
  7. News: Lib brawl still smoulders. Murray. Massey. Geoff. Kitney. Australian Financial Review. 1 June 1989. 21 April 2024.
  8. News: John and Margaret Hodges, who opened first pharmacy on Bribie Island, have sold up and retired. Luke. Simmonds. The Courier-Mail. 23 March 2018. 21 April 2024.