Anthony John Messner (24 September 1939 – 11 October 2024) was an Australian politician and government minister.

Life and career

Messner was born in Melbourne and educated at a state primary school in

Queensland Queensland ( , commonly abbreviated as Qld) is a States and territories of Australia, state in northeastern Australia, and is the second-largest and third-most populous state in Australia. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Austr ...

Pulteney Grammar School Pulteney Grammar School is an Independent school, independent, Anglican Church of Australia, Anglican, co-educational day school. Founded in 1847 by members of the Anglican Church of Australia, Anglican Church, it is the second oldest independen ...

Adelaide Adelaide ( , ; ) is the list of Australian capital cities, capital and most populous city of South Australia, as well as the list of cities in Australia by population, fifth-most populous city in Australia. The name "Adelaide" may refer to ei ...

and the

South Australian Institute of Technology The University of South Australia is a public research university based in Adelaide, South Australia. Established in 1991, it is the successor of the former South Australian Institute of Technology. Its main campuses along North Terrace are ...

. Messner was elected as a

Senator A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or Legislative chamber, chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the Ancient Rome, ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior ...

for South Australia at the 1975 election. He was appointed

Minister for Veterans' Affairs The Minister for Veterans' Affairs is an Australian Government position. In the Government of Australia, the minister oversees income support, compensation, care and commemoration programs for more than 400,000 veterans and their widows, widowe ...

in November 1980 and held that position until the defeat of the

Fraser Fraser may refer to: Places Antarctica * Fraser Point, South Orkney Islands Australia * Fraser, Australian Capital Territory, a suburb in the Canberra district of Belconnen * Division of Fraser (Australian Capital Territory), a former federal ...

government at the March 1983 election. He resigned from parliament in April 1990. Messner was

Administrator of Norfolk Island The administrator of Norfolk Island acts as a representative both of the Crown and the Government of Australia The Australian Government, also known as the Commonwealth Government or simply as the federal government, is the national Exe ...

from August 1997 to July 2003. He was made a

member of the Order of Australia The Order of Australia is an Australian honours and awards system, Australian honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. It was established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Monarch ...

in 2004 for "service to the Australian Parliament, to Norfolk Island as Administrator, and to the community, particularly veterans and their families". Messner died on 11 October 2024, at the age of 85.

Notes

1939 births 2024 deaths Liberal Party of Australia members of the Parliament of Australia Members of the Australian Senate for South Australia Members of the Australian Senate Administrators of Norfolk Island Members of the Order of Australia University of South Australia alumni 20th-century Australian politicians People educated at Pulteney Grammar School {{Australia-Liberal-politician-stub