Joe Riordan

Joseph Martin Riordan AO (27 February 1930 – 19 November 2012) was an Australian politician and briefly government minister.^[1]

The Honourable Joe Riordan AO
Minister for Housing and Construction
In office 6 June 1975 – 11 November 1975
Prime Minister	Gough Whitlam
Preceded by	Les Johnson
Succeeded by	John Carrick
Member of the Australian Parliament for Phillip
In office 2 December 1972 – 13 December 1975
Preceded by	William Aston
Succeeded by	Jack Birney
Personal details
Born	(1930-02-27)27 February 1930 Sydney
Died	19 November 2012(2012-11-19) (aged 82) Sydney
Nationality	Australian
Political party	Australian Labor Party
Spouse	Patricia Watkins
Relations	6 children = John Riordan, Peter Riordan, Michael Riordan, Bernie Riordan, Cathy Riordan and Maureen Riordan And 14 Grandchildren
Occupation	Clerk

Early years

Riordan was born in Sydney, raised as a Catholic, and educated at Patrician Brothers School and Marist Brother College in that city. From 1958 to 1972 he was Federal Secretary of the Federated Clerks' Union (a stronghold of anti-Communist social democrats).^[2][3]

Career

Riordan was elected as the Australian Labor Party member for the House of Representatives seat of Phillip at the 1972 election, defeating the Liberal, William Aston. He was Minister for Housing and Construction from June 1975 until the dismissal of the Whitlam Government in November 1975. He was defeated by the Liberals' Jack Birney at the 1975 election.^[4]

Riordan was Senior Deputy President of the Australian Industrial Relations Commission from 1986 to 1995.^[2] He was made an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in January 1995 for "service to industrial relations, to social justice and to the Community".^[5]

Death

He died on 19 November 2012, aged 82.^[6]

Personal life

He was the nephew of Darby Riordan, the Labor member of the House of Representatives for Kennedy from 1929 to 1936.^[7]