Stanley James Collard was born on 25 March 1936 at Maleny, South East Queensland and is one of three sons. He grew up on the family dairy farm located at Maleny. He worked on the farm until 1955 and then switched to truck driving. He later joined the Queensland Government Railways. There he became involved in every facet of Locomotive Engine Operations, and figured prominently in the transition from steam to diesel electric locomotives, especially in the rich coal fields of Central Queensland. He was also a member of the AFULE and Office Holder at Branch level.
 
Collard's career with the railways came to an end in 1975 when he was elected to the Senate as a National Party Senator for the State of Queensland.
 
The National Party has long played a significant role in the
Collard family. Senator Collard became involved in the political sphere, when as a young man, he joined what was then known as the Young Australia Country Party section of the organisation. He has held various offices in the party since that time.
 
Throughout his railway career, the Senator and his family travelled extensively throughout Queensland. He has now settled in Rockhampton where his electorate office was also located.
 
In the course of Senator Collard's parliamentary career, he has held the office of National Party whip in the Senate from 1981 through January 1985. Senator Collard was also Deputy Leader of the National Party in the Senate and Temporary Chairman of Committees. He has served on many of the Committees of the Senate including the Senate Legislative and General Purpose Standing Committees on Education and the Arts, Foreign Affairs and Defence, Trade and Commerce.
 
In addition he was part of the Parliamentary Delegation to South East Asia (1976) and was a member of the 67th IPU Conference held in East Berlin in September 1980.
 
In July 1986, Senator Collard was part of a Parliamentary delegation to Russia and Poland where human rights issues figured prominently on the agenda.
 
In December 1984, Senator Collard was appointed to the Opposition Front Bench as shadow Minister for Veteran's Affairs. The Senator worked hard at ensuring the Government did not disadvantage
Veterans with the introduction of the controversial Veterans' Entitlement Bill.
 
After only six months as Opposition Spokesman on Veterans' Affairs, Senator Collard assumed responsibility for the Arts Heritage and Environment. This appointment came soon after his rise to Leader of the National Party in the Senate following the retirement of Senator Doug Scott.
 
Senator Collard has always held a strong interest in the Arts and his farming background has stood him in good stead for the environment matters. His areas of traditional interest throughout his parliamentary career have been transportation, communications, foreign affairs and defence.
 
It was Senator Collard's keen interest in aviation that prompted him to join the Committee organising the Hinkler Bicentennial Air Race to be staged in April 1988. In 1985 he took over the reins as President of the CSR Hinkler Bicentennial Air Race which apart from honouring Australia's contribution to the advancement of world aviation is also a fund raising exercise for the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
 
Stan Collard's outside interests include classical music, the theatre and aviation.