Tony McGrady

Interviewed by
Danielle Miller
Dec 07 2011
Tony McGrady

Tony McGrady was the State Labor member for Mount Isa 1989-2006, following a four year term as Mayor of Mount Isa.  He was Minister for Resource Industries (1991-92), Energy (1992-96, 1998-2001), Mines (1998-2001), Police and Corrective Services (2001-04), Innovation and State Development (2004-05) and Speaker (2005-06). His mining background influenced a range of policy changes.

Biography
Time Summary Keywords
00:00:05

Tony McGrady details his early childhood in Liverpool, UK. He describes his move to Australia and his choice to move to Mount Isa. He discusses work conditions before and after the 1964 Mount Isa Mines dispute, including industrial relations issues.
00:04:12

Tony McGrady discusses his move into politics. He describes competing for the seat of Kennedy in the 1972 election, his move into the Mount Isa local council in 1973, his election as mayor and the subsequent move into State politics in 1989.

 1989 election, Bob Katter, local government, Mt Isa, Wayne Goss, Wayne Swan
00:07:08

Tony McGrady describes his experience of the differences between the British and Australian Labor Parties. He describes the feeling after the 1989 election. He details his first role as Caucus chair. 

 1989 election, Bjelke-Petersen Government 1968-87
00:10:37

Tony McGrady discusses the feelings within caucus after the 1989 election. He details the importance of ministerial staff. 

 1989 election, Matt Foley, ministerial staff, Peter Beattie, Wayne Goss
00:13:57

Tony McGrady discusses campaigning for the 1989 election and his approaches to campaigning in subsequent elections. He discusses moving into the Goss cabinet.

 1989 election, campaign strategy, Goss Government 1989-96
00:18:19

Tony McGrady discusses the achievements of the Goss government for rural Queenslanders. He also notes some of the failures, such as closing court houses. He discusses the creation of the Carpentaria Minerals Province as one of his greatest achievements. He details the creation of the Century Mine and his support of the project.

 Tom Burns
00:22:35

Tony McGrady discusses some of the benefits that Labor governments provided to rural Queensland, such as the patient transit scheme and education. He discusses the cattle and mining industries as the cornerstones of the Queensland economy.

 Goss Government 1989-96, mining, Peter Beattie, regions
00:25:37

Tony McGrady discusses Peter Beattie as a politician and the vision of the Smart State. He discusses the Smart State strategy and his involvement. 

 Peter Beattie, Peter Coaldrake, Smart State
00:31:19

Tony McGrady discusses the roots of the Smart State in the Goss government's policies. He discusses what the Smart State encompassed, including education, government, and employment.

 Smart State
00:33:20

Tony McGrady outlines his first ministry of Resource Industries. He describes work changing the energy sector. He discusses the importance of the relationship with the director general.

 Bob Atkinson, directors general, energy production, relationship with public service, Resource Industries, Robert Flew
00:38:05

Tony McGrady discusses the role of ministerial advisors. He discusses the challenges of politics and family life.

 ministerial advisers, work life balance
00:41:44

Tony McGrady discusses working with different interest groups such as mines, environmental groups and traditional owners. He discusses the Mount Isa Mineral Province, the Ernest Henry Mine and the overall reactions to the projects.

 mining, Mt Isa
00:44:50

Tony McGrady discusses his experience as minister when a coal seam gas regime for Queensland was proposed. He details his experience of the second Moura mine disaster and the introduction of mine safety legislation.

 coal seam gas, mining
00:47:55

Tony McGrady discusses uranium mining in Queensland and his support of it. He notes the ALP conference where the three mines policy was abandoned.

 mining, uranium mining
00:50:06

Tony McGrady describes his move into the police portfolio and his achievements, such as changes to legislation relating to pedophilia.

Police
00:56:32

Tony McGrady discusses private and publicly funded prisons.

 prisons, privatisation
00:57:55

Tony McGrady discusses his role in the Innovation portfolio. He discusses the impact of One Nation on negotiations with international investors when he was a minister.

 Innovation, Linda Lavarch, One Nation, Pauline Hanson
01:01:29

Tony McGrady discusses the Smart State strategy and the task of changing the perception of Queensland.

 Chuck Feeney, Peter Beattie, Smart State, Wayne Goss
01:04:46

Tony McGrady discusses his role as Speaker and also the personal health challenges that he faced at the time. He provides his opinion on the recent changes to the role of the Speaker in Queensland parliament.

 Speaker
01:09:27

Tony McGrady discusses his regrets, including not investigating the public funding of organisations. He discusses more of his achievements, including setting up a residential college in Mount Isa. 

 Mt Isa
01:14:01

Interview ends
Position:
Labor, Politician
Bailiwick:
Mines and Energy, Police Service, Resource Industries, Speaker, State Development
Decade:
1990s, 2000s
Sound byte: 

Tony McGrady

Biography

Tony McGrady

Tony McGrady was the State Labor member for Mount Isa 1989-2006, following a four year term as Mayor of Mount Isa.  He was Minister for Resource Industries (1991-92), Energy (1992-96, 1998-2001), Mines (1998-2001), Police and Corrective Services (2001-04), Innovation and State Development (2004-05) and Speaker (2005-06). His mining background influenced a range of policy changes.

Anthony (Tony) McGrady was born in Liverpool, United Kingdom, on 28 March 1944. He joined the British Labour Party at age 15. He moved to Australia in 1964 and settled in Mount Isa working in the mines. He joined the Australian Labor Party and was involved in the 1964 Mount Isa Mines Dispute.

McGrady pursued a political career. He challenged but was defeated for the federal seat of Kennedy in the 1972 federal election. The following year he made a successful bid for the local council, becoming Mayor in 1985. In 1989 he was elected to State parliament winning what was then a safe conservative seat. He held the seat of Mount Isa until his retirement in 2006.

As a member of Queensland parliament he entered Cabinet in 1991 becoming Minister for Resource Industries. It was this interest in mining, resources and energy that would dominate the portfolios McGrady held through the Goss years and into the first Beattie government. From 2001-04, McGrady moved to Minister for Police and Corrective Services, but maintained a strong influence in creating the Carpentaria Minerals Province. He moved into Minister for State Development before becoming Speaker of the House 2005-06.

In 2012 McGrady announced his intention to stand again as Mount Isa Mayor in the 28 April 2012 local government elections.

Copyright © Centre for the Government of Queensland, the University of Queensland, 2012.

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