George Campbell

Who is George Campbell?

George Campbell was an Australian Labor Party member of the Australian Senate from 1997 to 2008, representing the state of New South Wales. He was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and was a trade union official before entering politics. Victorian State Secretary of the Federal Shipwrights' Union 1970-76, National President of the union 1974, Federal Secretary of the union 1974-76, Assistant National Secretary of the Amalgamated Metal Workers' Union 1976-88 and National Secretary 1988-96. He was a member of the executive of the Australian Council of Trade Unions 1987-97 and ACTU Senior Vice-President 1993-97.

Campbell was a member of the ALP National Executive 1986-2004 and Junior Vice-President of the ALP 1994-2000. He is a prominent member of the Socialist Left faction of the ALP, and was a leading critic of the U.S.-Australia Free Trade Agreement.

Campbell was Parliamentary Secretary to the Shadow Minister for Industry, Innovation, Science and Research 2001-04. From the 2004 election, he served as the Opposition Senate Whip.