Ted Grace

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Ted Grace
Member of the Australian Parliament
for Fowler
In office
1 December 1984 – 31 August 1998
Preceded byNew seat
Succeeded byJulia Irwin
Personal details
Born(1931-03-13)13 March 1931
Swansea, Wales, UK
Died22 August 2020(2020-08-22) (aged 89)
NationalityAustralian
Political partyAustralian Labor Party
OccupationAir-conditioning consultant

Edward Laurence Grace (13 March 1931 – 22 August 2020)[1] was an Australian politician. He represented the Australian Labor Party (ALP) in the House of Representatives from 1984 to 1998, holding the New South Wales seat of Fowler.

Early life[edit]

Grace was born on 13 March 1931 in Swansea, Wales. He served in the British Merchant Navy before moving to Australia, where he became a self-employed air-conditioning consultant in Sydney. He served on the Fairfield City Council from 1977 to 1985 and was also a board member of the Prospect County Council electricity utility, including as chair from 1981 to 1984.[2]

Politics[edit]

Grace was elected to parliament at the 1984 federal election, and subsequently re-elected on four occasions.[2] He retired at the 1998 election and was succeeded by his former staffer Julia Irwin.[3]

Grace served as an ALP whip from 1990 to 1998. He also served on various standing committees, including as chair of the members' interests committee from 1993 to 1996.[2] He was president of the Australian-Croatian Parliamentary Friendship Group.[4] In 1992, he and Brian Courtice were the only two members of an ALP caucus committee to oppose allowing gay people to serve in the Australian Defence Force.[5]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "GRACE, Mr Edward Laurence (Ted)". Hansard. Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
  2. ^ a b c "Biography for GRACE, Edward Laurence". Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  3. ^ "Irwin, Julia Claire (1951 - )". The Australian Women's Register. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  4. ^ "Chamber music and pictures to commemorate Croatia". The Canberra Times. 6 June 1994.
  5. ^ "Cabinet to lift services' ban on gays 'within weeks'". The Canberra Times. 19 September 1992.
Parliament of Australia
New seat Member for Fowler
1984–1998
Succeeded by