Bridget Archer, the federal Member for Bass, crossed the floor last week in the House of Representatives. Her purpose was to get the government to hurry up with a decent model for a federal integrity commission.
Ms Archer won the seat of Bass with the smallest margin of all Coalition MPs : 0.4 per cent. It will be interesting to see whether she is punished or rewarded by her constituents at the next election for her action.
The prognosis is good: Tasmanian Archers have a strong record in such matters. The late Sen Brian Archer crossed the floor fourteen times. (As far as Google tells, Bridget is not related to the late Senator.)
Brian Archer was a Senator for 18 years and had a good reputation for hard work and integrity. He worked for the Tasmanian Liberals on three election campaigns before he was old enough to vote.
The main issues with which he was concerned are with us today and read like a DLP: a Decent Liberal’s Portfolio (which, interestingly enough, is a portmanteau). He was concerned about the problem of affordable housing and the lack of government support for domestic manufacturing. He also had an interest in the dairy industry and was a senior member of the Coalition’s rural committee. He was critical of the practice of ‘truncated debate’ on rural bills dealing with a range of different issues, thrown together near the end of a parliamentary session.
In his first speech in the Senate (February 1976) Brian Archer said “I am a Tasmanian by birth, by inclination, and by conviction. I love Tasmania and in this place and outside it I will present Tasmania’s case and do what I can to ease its disabilities and relieve its increasing isolation”.
Archer had specialised knowledge of the Australian fishing industry, starting with the belief that Australia is not a fish-rich country. “The whole history of Australian fishing regrettably is … a history of over-fishing and recoveries.” There were too many boats chasing too few fish. This was the issue on which I came across Sen Archer as a new and junior Ministerial staffer. He was very decent – even if he was the reason for many ministerials.
The report which bears his name was a thorough investigation of the Australian fishing industry. He supported the establishment of a national statutory fisheries authority and the development of a national fisheries policy.
He also had a strong interest in plant variety rights and the dairy industry. He was a supporter of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), once proclaiming that “the reindustrialisation of Australia starts with the CSIRO”.
In 1978 he questioned whether Australia could adopt the American practice of subsidies for solar heating, as an environmental measure. He studied the future demand and supply of electricity. Later his attention turned to greenhouse gas emissions. Way before his time.
Brian Archer was credited with having strengthened political linkages between Australia and Taiwan through his continual interest and energetic advocacy.
His approach to legislation was summed up when he said: “I didn’t run to the press to try and score political points; I worked in well with [Labor] Ministers and their staff and was able to achieve a lot more for my electorate.”
However, as is daily being confirmed, no-one is perfect. When speaking on the Sex Discrimination Bill of 1983 he reflected the views of some of his local constituents stating that “Men, by nature, are more likely to be leaders, providers and protectors. We can legislate all we like, but we will not change that.”
In a conscience vote Brian Archer was one of twelve Coalition Senators who voted against the third reading of the Bill in 1984. How some things have changed.
