The Honourable
John Hodges
Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs
In office
7 May 1982 – 11 March 1983
Prime MinisterMalcolm Fraser
Preceded byIan Macphee
Succeeded byStewart West
Member of the Australian Parliament
for Petrie
In office
1 December 1984 – 11 July 1987
Preceded byDean Wells
Succeeded byGary Johns
In office
18 May 1974 – 5 March 1983
Preceded byMarshall Cooke
Succeeded byDean Wells
Personal details
Born (1937-10-03) 3 October 1937 (age 86)
Brisbane, Queensland
NationalityAustralian
Political partyLiberal Party of Australia
OccupationPharmacist

John Charles Hodges (born 3 October 1937) is a former Australian 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.[2]

Hodges was a pharmaceutical chemist by profession.[3] 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.[3] 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.[4] 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"[5]

Hodges lost his seat to the Australian Labor Party (ALP) candidate Dean Wells at the 1983 election.[6] Howoever, he reclaimed Petrie for the Liberal Party at the 1984 election.[7] He supported John Howard against Andrew Peacock in the 1985 Liberal leadership spill.[8] 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.[7]

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.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "HODGES, the Hon. John Charles". Parliamentary Library. Retrieved 21 April 2024.
  2. ^ a b Simmonds, Luke (23 March 2018). "John and Margaret Hodges, who opened first pharmacy on Bribie Island, have sold up and retired". The Courier-Mail. Retrieved 21 April 2024.
  3. ^ a b "Petrie: Member replaced". The Canberra Times. 8 May 1974.
  4. ^ "Bigger Cabinet means Killen will stay on". The Canberra Times. 8 May 1982.
  5. ^ "Minister: Need Understanding". The Australian Jewish News. 6 August 1982.
  6. ^ "Hodges admits he is beaten". The Canberra Times. 7 March 1983.
  7. ^ a b "New residents hold key in shaky Brisbane seat". The Canberra Times. 4 July 1987.
  8. ^ Massey, Murray; Kitney, Geoff (1 June 1989). "Lib brawl still smoulders". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 21 April 2024.
Political offices Preceded byIan Macphee Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs 1982–1983 Succeeded byStewart West Parliament of Australia Preceded byMarshall Cooke Member for Petrie 1974–1983 Succeeded byDean Wells Preceded byDean Wells Member for Petrie 1984–1987 Succeeded byGary Johns
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