Career within Commonwealth

Mr Brian Leslie Howe was born in Melbourne on 28 January 1936, and was educated at the University of Melbourne, and McCormick Theological Seminary (USA).  Mr Howe was a Minister in the Methodist Church in Victoria from 1961 to 1969, and Senior Lecturer in Sociology at Swinburne Institute of Technology from 1970 to 1977.

Mr Howe then entered Federal politics in 1977 as the Member for Batman (Vic) on behalf of the Australian Labor Party.  He was re-elected to the House of Representatives in 1980, 1983, 1984, 1987, 1990 and 1993. 

The Hon Brian Howe was appointed Minister for Defence Support on 11 March 1983 and he served in this capacity until 13 December 1984.  He then became Minister for Social Security from 13 December 1984 until 4 April 1990.  He functioned as Minister assisting the Prime Minister for Social Justice from 2 February 1988 until 24 March 1993. The Hon Brian Howe then served as Minister for Community Services and Health from 4 April 1990 until 7 June 1991, from 7 June 1991 until 24 March 1993 as Minister for Health, Housing and Community Services and from 24 March 1993 to 23 Dec 1993 as Minister for Health, Housing, Local Government and Human Services. On 25 March 1994 he became Minister for Housing and Regional Development.  He was appointed as Deputy Prime Minister on 3 June 1991 and resigned from this position on 21 June 1995.  He has also served on a number of Parliamentary Committees and held various positions as Minister assisting the Prime Minister.

Brian Howe retired from Parliament prior to the 1996 general elections (date unknown).

On 26 January 2008, Howe was made an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO).

Sources

It’s An Honour Website

http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au/honours/honour_roll, accessed 1 February 2008