John Williams (Australian senator)

Senator
John Williams
Senator for New South Wales
Assumed office
1 July 2008
Personal details
Born (1955-01-16) 16 January 1955
Jamestown, South Australia, Australia
Nationality Australian
Political party The Nationals
Spouse(s) Nancy Capel
Children 3
Residence Inverell, New South Wales
Occupation Farmer, smallbusinessman
Website http://www.johnwilliams.com.au/

John Reginald Williams (born 16 January 1955) is an Australian politician. He has been a Nationals member of the Australian Senate since July 2008, representing the state of New South Wales.

Williams was first elected to the Senate at the 2007 federal election. This followed his victory over incumbent Senator Sandy Macdonald in preselection for the National Party's one winnable spot on the Coalition Senate ticket in New South Wales.

Williams was born in Jamestown, South Australia. Prior to entering politics, he was a truck driver, a farmer, a sheep shearer and a small business owner.[1]

William’s vote was the third out of five votes required to give Barnaby Joyce the Senate leadership in September 2008.[2]

Senator Williams is consulted by the media in relation to the Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry being one the earliest and strongest advocates for such an inquiry.[3] He was the sole Government Senator to cross the floor to vote against his party on a number of occasions in support of a Royal Commission into banking prior to 2017. Most critically, he had gathered sufficient supporters in his party by December 2017 for a Parliamentary Inquiry into Banking such that the Government was facing certain defeat in the House of Representatives. At this time, the Banks themselves wrote to the Government requesting a Royal Commission although they had always been opposed. As a result the Government acceded to the Banks’ request and thus avoided a House vote defeat.[4]

Referring to the ministerial resignation of Jamie Briggs in December 2015, Williams said "With Briggs leaving, it means there will be no deterioration in the overall quality of the ministry, in fact it should improve."[5]

In May 2016 he said that his current term, due to expire on 30 June 2019, would be his last.[6]

He is a public opponent of same sex marriage, and was one of twelve senators who voted against the 2017 bill.[7]

References

  1. ↑ NSW Nationals - John 'Wacka' Williams
  2. ↑ "A quiet coup makes Joyce Senate leader of Nationals". The Age. 18 September 2008.
  3. ↑ Belot, Henry (23 March 2017). "Banking inquiry: Nationals senator to cross floor and vote against Government to support Greens bill". ABC News.
  4. ↑ "Turnbulls Banking Royal Commission Back-flip is About Survival". Canberra Times. 1 December 2017. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
  5. ↑ Jamie Briggs is no loss, says John Williams: Inverell Times 29 December 2015
  6. ↑ "Election 2016: Wacka pleased with Senate ticket rank". Inverell Times. 31 May 2016.
  7. ↑ "Senate passes same-sex marriage bill". News.com.au. News Limited. 29 November 2017. Retrieved 9 January 2018.


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