Serving Communities With Passion

The Hon. Dr. Andrew Theophanous was the Federal Member for Calwell, which was located in Melbourne's north-west. He was a Member of the House of Representatives from October 1980 until November 2001 (21 years). During this period, Dr Theophanous had an outstanding parliamentary record. He served on a wide variety of Parliamentary Committees. And as a Parliamentary Secretary (assistant Minister) to the Prime Minister and the Minister for Health.

Andrew has also had a substantial academic career. Prior to being elected to parliament, Andrew achieved three university degrees, including a Doctor of Philosophy. He taught in universities in Melbourne and the USA. Andrew has also written three published books and more than 20 articles, continuing his academic writing even during his years in parliament. (See details under Section 1)

Most of Andrew’s works are canvassed under the following sections below:

SECTION 1. Academic qualifications published Books and Articles

SECTION 2. General Works in the Federal Parliament

SECTION 3. Works as Parliamentary Secretary (Assistant Minister)

SECTION 4. Works on Parliamentary Committees

SECTION 5: Works on Multiculturalism and Immigration

SECTION 6: On Social Justice and Human Rights Issues

SECTION 7: Works on Foreign Policy Issues

SECTION 8: 21 Years of Work in the Electorates of Burke and Calwell

Andrew has served on various parliamentary committees. In particular, from 1989 to 1993, Dr. Theophanous was Chairman of the Joint Standing Committee on Migration. The Committee produced several important reports, including the key one dealing with the future of the Chinese Students who were in Australia following the Tiananmen massacre in 1989. [see details under Section 4 below]

From December 1993 to March 1996, Andrew served in an Assistant Minister capacity: He was the Parliamentary Secretary to Prime Minister Paul Keating and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health. (see details under Section 3)

Throughout his 21 years of Parliamentary service, Dr. Theophanous has worked tirelessly on issues such as multiculturalism, immigration and refugee issues (See under Section 3). In addition, he has concerned himself with work on a range of foreign policy issues (see Section 7). Dr Theophanous has also been involved in the promotion of social justice, including reconciliation with indigenous Australians and global human rights. (See under Section 6)

After the Labor Party lost government, he served as Secretary to the Shadow Ministry and later as Deputy Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade. Andrew also continued his work on Multiculturalism and Immigration.

Lecturer in Philosophy of Social Sciences and Interdisciplinary Studies at the University of Nevada, Reno, USA,

Senior Teaching Fellow in Political theory at Monash University.

Lecturer in Politics, Melbourne State College; In charge of First-year Politics program and all lectures

Lecturer in Social Theory, Melbourne University.

Currently, Andrew teaches Philosophy to adults Part-time at the Sydney Community College. This involves five different courses.

In Defense of self Determination: A Critique of B.F.Skinner, Behaviorism, Vol 3, Number 1, Spring 1975. **

A priori Metaphysics and the Foundations of Science – A modified Kantian View, Australian Association for History and Philosophy of Science, 1977 Papers.

Whitlam and the Problems of Reform, The Tasmanian Review, Number 4, 1980

ANCIENT GREEK PHILOSOPHY AND THE FOUNDATIONS OF CHRISTIANITY. This paper has received more than 1300 views on Academia.edu. This paper was based on a Special Seminar in May 2005 presented at Latrobe University, Melbourne. It initiated Andrew’s book on the Philosophy of Jesus. (see under Section above)

The Reindustrialization of Australia: Some Suggestions for Government policy, based on a paper distributed to the Labor Parliamentary Caucus in the capacity of Chairman of the Industry Committee, 1984.

Many other published papers are listed in the Sections below.

**THE ACCESS AND EQUITY PROGRAM IN A MULTICULTURAL AUSTRALIA

As Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister, Andrew assisted in a number of roles in government. He had direct responsibility for the Access and Equity Program of the Australian Government. In this capacity, he conducted consultations all over Australia with many community representatives and Federal public servants throughout Australia. The recommendations were referred to in a number of reports to Parliament. The following printed statement sums up its work entitled: “Access and Equity: Opening the Door” Infocus (Ethnic Communities’ Council of NSW) 18 (4), 1995, pp 32-33. Dr Andrew Theophanous looks at the ways in which the Commonwealth Government’s Access and Equity Policy has served to empower ethnic communities.

ADD PHOTO ^^^^

“The multicultural policy of the Whitlam Government was undoubtedly a great advance on the assimilationist and integrationist policies that preceded it. Prior to the introduction of multiculturalism, immigrants from non-English speaking backgrounds (NESB) were expected to assimilate to 'the Australian way of life'; they were expected to shed their cultural heritage and wholeheartedly embrace the customs and values of the host society. Australian multiculturalism has continued to develop since its introduction in the 1970s. Indeed, I believe it is possible to discern two discrete phases in the evolution of multiculturalism in Australia. In its first phase, multiculturalism was principally a means of affirming cultural diversity. It emphasised the importance of cultural maintenance and encouraged people to retain their cultural heritage. The idea of equality, which underlay the first phase, promoted respect for the cultural traditions of others and the acceptance that these traditions should be progressed within the context of a democratic society, which respects the rights of each individual.

Multiculturalism was seen as an extension of the civil and political rights of people in a democracy: in affirming these rights, people were entitled to secure different cultural forms for themselves, which were anchored in their individual historical backgrounds. The second phase in the development of multiculturalism has been concerned with social justice. It is the principles of social justice that have provided the unity required to bring people together within a culturally diverse society. Although this second feature was recognised from the beginning of Australian multiculturalism, it did not begin to be seriously developed until 1985 - and only then in a patchy way until after 1993. The fundamental principle of the second phase is that people in Australia from diverse cultural backgrounds are entitled to genuine social equality and, in particular, equality in terms of access to the services essential to the necessities of life. The Government's Access and Equity Strategy (A&E) has become its principal means for delivering social justice to Australians from NESB.

The strategy for which I have a responsibility as Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister requires that all government agencies delivering mainstream services must ensure that people from NESB, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have equal access to services and receive equitable outcomes from those services. Where necessary, agencies must adapt their services and methods of service delivery to make them appropriate for the needs of the individual. The Government has been particularly concerned to push the A&E agenda in the key areas of health, aged care, disability services, employment, labour market programs, education and legal services.

I am very pleased to say that the Government has been making real advances over the past 12 months, particularly in the areas of aged care, employment and labour market programs. The challenge for Access and Equity Strategy in the second half of the 1990s - and indeed, the challenge for multiculturalism itself - is to translate the abstract notion of "a fair go" into reality for all Australians. The new National Agenda for a Multicultural Australia recognised the importance of Access and Equity when it says: “The A&E Strategy is the Commonwealth Government's principal mechanism to ensure social justice for all residents of a culturally diverse Australia. The social justice dimension of multiculturalism is not just about improving A&E for people from a migrant background, and it is also the principle that is the basis for social cohesion and unity in Australia.”

MAJOR TASKS AS ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR HEALTH

Example 1: THE NATIONAL FOOD AUTHORITY

Andrew carried out a number of innovations into food safety and standards as well as initiating new legislation in food packaging and protection of consumers. Here are two examples:

Example 1: New Food Standard A9 launched after 15 years, from a statement by the Australian Institute of Health in August 1995.

Andrew launched the campaign for Australian people to buy fresh food products as Parliamentary Secretary for Health.

“After more than 15 years of deliberation, the revised Standard A9 was launched in Canberra on 8 June 1995. At the launch, Parliamentary Secretary Dr Andrew Theophanous said that the new scientifically based standard for adding vitamins and minerals to foods will provide clarity and consistency to both industry and consumers. How does it differ? The new Standard A9:

• permits an expanded selection of vitamins and minerals for cereal-based products, including pasta. These are B6, folate, E, magnesium and zinc, in addition to thiamin, niacin, riboflavin, calcium and iron at 15-50% of the RDI per reference quantity, based on the range of naturally occurring vitamins and minerals present in those foods;

• permits continued fortification of breakfast cereals with other micronutrients (carotene forms of vitamin A and vitamin C) on the basis of established precedent;

• permits, for the first time, the addition of vitamins and minerals to cheese and cheese products and textured vegetable protein at levels found in cheddar cheese and meat, respectively;

• decreases the range and number of vitamins that may be added to fruit, tomato and vegetable juices based on their natural vitamin profile and content;

Implications for nutrition monitoring: “These standards balance consumer choice and market demand with solid scientific evidence underpinning public health and safety. For those who want fortification, it is now more widely available and, at the same time, more carefully regulated. The impact of the new standard will need to be carefully monitored and adjustments made when necessary.”

Example 2: Andrew’s Comments on the Introduction of the AUSTRALIA NEW ZEALAND FOOD AUTHORITY AMENDMENT BILL 1999 [No. 2] – from Hansard

Dr THEOPHANOUS (Calwell)(6.14 p.m.)—I come to this debate on the Australia New Zealand Food Authority Amendment Bill 1999 [No. 2] with a certain amount of history, having been the parliamentary secretary for health with responsibility in the Keating government for the Australia New Zealand Food Authority. In fact, it was while I was parliamentary secretary that we formed with New Zealand ANZFA, and I was actually an official signatory, on behalf of the Prime Minister, Mr Keating, to the agreement between Australia and New Zealand that formed the authority.

That time was one of great optimism as to what would happen to food standards and how the authority could play a very constructive and positive role in actually promoting our food industries in Australia and New Zealand, assisting the export industries and ensuring that we had the highest food standards.

As Parliamentary Secretary for Health, Andrew was also in charge of the National Hearing Service. In this capacity, Andrew initiated several programs to improve hearing in Australia, especially in relation to Aboriginal children.

Example 3: National Hearing Services

As Parliamentary Secretary for Health, Andrew was also in charge of the National Hearing Service. In this capacity, Andrew initiated several programs to improve hearing in Australia, especially in relation to Aboriginal children.

A BRIEF NOTE ON ANDREW’S PERSONAL LIFE

Born at Polis Chrisohou, Paphos, Cyprus, Andrew migrated to Australia at the age of eight with his mother, brother and sister; his father had arrived three years earlier. He grew up in the working-class suburb of Broadmeadows, where his parents were factory workers. He managed to enter university and graduated with a BA (First Class Honours in Philosophy) from Monash University. He was admitted to Oxford University in England, where he received a B Litt degree. Under a special lectureship award from the National Foundation of Humanities of the US government, Andrew lectured at the University of Nevada in Reno for two years. Upon returning to Australia, he taught at Melbourne and Monash Universities and gained his Ph D in Philosophy from Melbourne University.

In 1996, Andrew married Dr. Kathryn Eriksson, an Archaeologist specialising in the East Mediterranean societies of the Bronze Age. They have a daughter, Margaret, who is working as a film and theatre director. Andrew also has a daughter, Marieke, from his first marriage. She is working as a senior economist for the Federal Government.

Below: Andrew and Kathryn at their wedding on 8 September 1996