Michael Field (politician)
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Michael Walter Field (born 28 May 1948 in Latrobe,
Tasmania Tasmania (; palawa kani: ''Lutruwita'') is an island States and territories of Australia, state of Australia. It is located to the south of the Mainland Australia, Australian mainland, and is separated from it by the Bass Strait. The sta ...
), is a former Australian politician, holding office as the
Premier of Tasmania The premier of Tasmania is the head of the Government of Tasmania, executive government in the Australian state of Tasmania. By convention, the leader of the party or political grouping which has majority support in the Tasmanian House of Assem ...
between 1989 and 1992. Field is also a former
chancellor Chancellor () is a title of various official positions in the governments of many countries. The original chancellors were the of Roman courts of justice—ushers, who sat at the (lattice work screens) of a basilica (court hall), which separa ...
of the
University of Tasmania The University of Tasmania (UTAS) is a public research university, primarily located in Tasmania, Australia. Founded in 1890, it is Australia's fourth oldest university. Christ College (University of Tasmania), Christ College, one of the unive ...
, holding that position from January 2013 to 30 June 2021. He was leader of the Tasmanian Branch of the Labor Party from 1988 until his retirement in 1996. Field is best known for operating in minority government with the support of the Independents, Tasmania's nascent
Green party A green party is a formally organized political party based on the principles of green politics, such as environmentalism and social justice. Green party platforms typically embrace Social democracy, social democratic economic policies and fo ...
, with an agreement known as the Labor–Green Accord.


Biography

Field grew up on the north-west coast of Tasmania, attending Devonport High School. He graduated from the University of Tasmania in 1971 with a
Bachelor of Arts A Bachelor of Arts (abbreviated B.A., BA, A.B. or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is the holder of a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the liberal arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts deg ...
in history and political science. He was elected to the
Tasmanian House of Assembly The House of Assembly, or Lower House, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of Tasmania in Australia. The other is the Tasmanian Legislative Council, Legislative Council or Upper House. It sits in Parliament House, Hobart, Parliament Hou ...
for Braddon in 1976 and was at various times a cabinet minister, premier and leader of the opposition. At the 1989 state election, Labor suffered a one-seat swing. However, the incumbent Liberal government under Robin Gray lost two seats, and in the process lost its majority. The balance of power rested with the Greens who won five seats. Field then reached an agreement with Independent leader
Bob Brown Robert James Brown (born 27 December 1944) is an Australian former politician, medical doctor and environmentalist. He was a Australian Senate, senator and the parliamentary leader of the Australian Greens. Brown was elected to the Australian ...
, giving Field enough support to form government by one seat. Gray had initially intended to form a minority government. When the accord was signed on 29 May, Gray asked the
Governor A governor is an politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political regions, political region, in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the ...
, Sir Phillip Bennett for new elections. However, Bennett refused, concluding that Gray no longer had enough support to govern and had therefore lost the right to seek a dissolution. The Greens had also privately assured Field that they would support a Labor minority government. This was tested on the floor of the house and a motion was passed that expressed no confidence in Gray and confidence in Field. Bennett then duly commissioned Field as premier. Field's government presided over painful fiscal reforms that, while unpopular at the time, helped rehabilitate the state's finances in the long run. The Greens terminated the accord in 1990 but Field was able to survive a confidence vote in 1991. However, at the 1992 state election, Labor was severely punished not only for its fiscal belt-tightening, but for dealing with the Greens. Its popular vote plummeted to 28.9 percent, while the Liberals won a solid majority. Despite this severe defeat, Field was not blamed for the debacle and stayed on as leader. Field stayed on through a federal intervention in the state Labor Party, and led Labor into the 1996 state election. Field promised that he would only govern in majority. He also promised that if the Liberals were reduced to a minority government, he would not bring it down in its first year. At the election, Labor took three seats. While this cost the Liberals their majority, it was short of what Labor needed to make Field premier once again. Although Labor and the Greens had enough seats between them to form government, Field kept his word and did not seek Green support to govern. This left a Liberal minority government supported by the Greens as the only realistic option. However, Groom had also promised only to govern in majority, and resigned as premier in favour of
Tony Rundle Anthony Maxwell Rundle AO (5 March 1939 – 4 April 2025) was an Australian politician who served as Premier of Tasmania from March 1996 until September 1998. He succeeded Ray Groom and was succeeded himself by Jim Bacon. He was a Liberal wh ...
, who reached a deal with the Greens. Since retiring from politics in 1997, Field began working as a management and leadership consultant. In 2003, Field was appointed a Companion 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 ...
for his service to the
Parliament of Tasmania The Parliament of Tasmania is the bicameral legislature of the Australian state of Tasmania. It follows a Westminster-derived parliamentary system and consists of the governor of Tasmania (as representative of the King), the Legislative Counci ...
. He received a
Doctor of Laws A Doctor of Laws (LL.D.) is a doctoral degree in legal studies. The abbreviation LL.D. stands for ''Legum Doctor'', with the double “L” in the abbreviation referring to the early practice in the University of Cambridge to teach both canon law ...
(
honoris causa An honorary degree is an academic degree for which a university (or other degree-awarding institution) has waived all of the usual requirements. It is also known by the Latin phrases ''honoris causa'' ("for the sake of the honour") or ''ad hono ...
) from the University of Tasmania in 2000 for his service to the state and the university. Field was chairman of the Tasmanian Innovations Advisory Board from its inception in 1999. On 3 July 2012, Field was announced as the chancellor of the University of Tasmania, with effect from January 2013. He stepped down from the role on 30 June 2021. Field and his wife, Jan, reside on the
Tasman Peninsula The Tasman Peninsula, officially Turrakana / Tasman Peninsula, is a peninsula located in south-east Tasmania, Australia, approximately by the Arthur Highway, south-east of Hobart. The Tasman Peninsula lies south and west of Forestier Peninsu ...
, and they have three children: Emma Field, Claire Field and Tom Field. Field's last election as ALP leader in 1996 saw the entrance to Parliament of popular union leader Jim Bacon, who was touted as a potential ALP leader. When Field retired in 1997, Bacon did not hesitate in succeeding him as leader, and Bacon became premier when he led the party back to power a year later in 1998.


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Field, Michael 1948 births Living people Premiers of Tasmania Members of the Tasmanian House of Assembly Companions of the Order of Australia Leaders of the opposition in Tasmania Treasurers of Tasmania University of Tasmania alumni