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{{Infobox officeholder
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix = [[The Honourable]]
| honorific-prefix = [[The Honourable]]
| name = Chris Hurford
| name = Chris Hurford
| honorific-suffix = {{post-nominals|country=AUS|size=100%|AO}}
| honorific-suffix = {{post-nominals|country=AUS|size=100%|AO}}
| image = Chris_Hurford_1970.png
| image = Chris_Hurford_1970.png
| office1 = [[Minister for Families and Social Services|Minister for Community Services]]
| office1 = [[Minister for Families and Social Services|Minister for Community Services]]
| predecessor1 = [[Don Grimes]]
| predecessor1 = [[Don Grimes]]
| successor1 = [[Neal Blewett]]
| successor1 = [[Neal Blewett]]
| term_start1 = 16 February 1987
| term_start1 = 16 February 1987
| term_end1 = 24 July 1987
| term_end1 = 24 July 1987
| office2 = [[Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs|Minister for Immigration]]
| office2 = [[Department of Immigration and Ethnic Affairs (1975–1987)|Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs]]
| predecessor2 = [[Stewart West]]
| predecessor2 = [[Stewart West]]
| successor2 = [[Mick Young]]
| successor2 = [[Mick Young]]
| term_start2 = 13 December 1984
| term_start2 = 13 December 1984
| term_end2 = 16 February 1987
| term_end2 = 16 February 1987
| office3 = [[Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs|Minister for Housing & Construction]]
| office3 = [[Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs|Minister for Housing & Construction]]
| predecessor3 = [[Tom McVeigh]]
| predecessor3 = [[Tom McVeigh]]
| successor3 = [[Stewart West]]
| successor3 = [[Stewart West]]
| term_start3 = 11 March 1983
| term_start3 = 11 March 1983
| term_end3 = 13 December 1984
| term_end3 = 13 December 1984
| office4 = [[Manager of Opposition Business in the House (Australia)|Manager of Opposition Business]]
| office4 = [[Manager of Opposition Business in the House (Australia)|Manager of Opposition Business]]
| predecessor4 = [[Mick Young]]
| predecessor4 = [[Mick Young]]
| successor4 = [[Lionel Bowen]]
| successor4 = [[Lionel Bowen]]
| leader4 = [[Bill Hayden]]
| leader4 = [[Bill Hayden]]
| term_start4 = 11 February 1980
| term_start4 = 11 February 1980
| term_end4 = 7 November 1980
| term_end4 = 7 November 1980
| constituency_MP5 = [[Division of Adelaide|Adelaide]]
| constituency_MP5 = [[Division of Adelaide|Adelaide]]
| parliament5 = Australian
| parliament5 = Australian
| majority5 =
| majority5 =
| predecessor5 = [[Andrew Jones (Australian politician)|Andrew Jones]]
| predecessor5 = [[Andrew Jones (Australian politician)|Andrew Jones]]
| successor5 = [[Mike Pratt (politician)|Mike Pratt]]
| successor5 = [[Mike Pratt (politician)|Mike Pratt]]
| term_start5 = 25 October 1969
| term_start5 = 25 October 1969
| term_end5 = 31 December 1987
| term_end5 = 31 December 1987
| birth_name = Christopher John Hurford-Jones
| birth_name = Christopher John Hurford-Jones
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1931|7|30}}
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1931|7|30}}
| birth_place = [[Mhow]], [[Indore Residency]], British India
| birth_place = [[Mhow]], [[Indore Residency]], British India
| death_date = 15 November 2020 (aged 89)
| death_date = 15 November 2020 (aged 89)
| death_place = [[Adelaide, South Australia]]
| death_place = [[Adelaide, South Australia]]
| nationality = [[Australia]]n
| nationality = [[Australia]]n
| spouse =
| spouse =
| party = [[Australian Labor Party|Labor]]
| party = [[Australian Labor Party|Labor]]
| relations =
| relations =
| children =
| children =
| residence =
| residence =
| alma_mater =
| alma_mater =
| occupation = Accountant
| occupation = Accountant
| profession =
| profession =
| religion =
| religion =
| signature =
| signature =
| website =
| website =
| footnotes =
| footnotes =
}}
}}
'''Christopher John Hurford''' {{post-nominals|country=AUS|size=100%|AO}} (30 July 1931 – 15 November 2020) was a [[Australian Labor Party|Labor]] member of the [[Australian House of Representatives]] seat of [[Division of Adelaide|Adelaide]] from 1969 to 1987. He played a key role in the development of Australia's skills-oriented immigration policy, and founded the ALP Labor Unity faction in SA.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Hon. Christopher John (Chris) AO Hurford |url=https://www.weeklytimesnow.com.au/tributes/notice/death-notices/the-hon-christopher-john-chris-ao-hurford/5588148/ |publisher=The Weekly Times |access-date=8 January 2021}}</ref>
'''Christopher John Hurford''' {{post-nominals|country=AUS|size=100%|AO}} (30 July 1931 – 15 November 2020) was a [[Australian Labor Party|Labor]] member of the [[Australian House of Representatives]] seat of [[Division of Adelaide|Adelaide]] from 1969 to 1987. He played a key role in the development of Australia's skills-oriented immigration policy, and founded the ALP Labor Unity faction in SA.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Hon. Christopher John (Chris) AO Hurford |url=https://www.weeklytimesnow.com.au/tributes/notice/death-notices/the-hon-christopher-john-chris-ao-hurford/5588148/ |publisher=The Weekly Times |access-date=8 January 2021}}</ref>
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==Ministerial record==
==Ministerial record==
[[File:Chris Hurford.jpg|thumb|left|Opening of the Chris Hurford exhibition at the Bob Hawke Prime Ministerial Library in 2011.]]
[[File:Chris Hurford.jpg|thumb|left|Opening of the Chris Hurford exhibition at the Bob Hawke Prime Ministerial Library in 2011.]]
Hurford was [[Minister for Housing (Australia)|Minister for Housing and Construction]], outside [[Cabinet of Australia|Cabinet]] in the [[first Hawke Ministry]] from March 1983 to December 1984. In the [[second Hawke Ministry]], he was promoted to Cabinet as [[Minister for Immigration and Citizenship (Australia)|Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs]] until February 1987, when he replaced [[Don Grimes]] as [[Minister for Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (Australia)|Minister for Community Services]].
Hurford was [[Minister for Housing (Australia)|Minister for Housing and Construction]], outside [[Cabinet of Australia|Cabinet]] in the [[first Hawke Ministry]] from March 1983 to December 1984. In the [[second Hawke Ministry]], he was promoted to Cabinet as [[Department of Immigration and Ethnic Affairs (1975–1987)|Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs]] until February 1987, when he replaced [[Don Grimes]] as [[Minister for Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (Australia)|Minister for Community Services]].


As Immigration Minister, Hurford led a change in Australia's immigration policy that has survived into the 2020s. He brought in a system that combined a higher level of immigration with a higher proportion of skilled migrants, as judged by a points-based system that assessed their skills, qualifications and experience.<ref name="ipiq">{{cite journal |last1=Miller |first1=Paul W. |date=1999 |title=Immigration Policy and Immigrant Quality: The Australian Points System |url=http://www.jstor.org/stable/117105 |journal=The American Economic Review |volume=89 |issue=2 |pages=192–197 |doi=10.1257/aer.89.2.192 |jstor=117105 |access-date=February 2, 2024}}</ref> He argued that such a system would benefit Australia economically both by improving the country's level of human capital, and by reducing the demographic ageing of the population.<ref name="ipsef">[https://www.ppesydney.net/content/uploads/2020/04/Immigration-policy-sound-economic-foundations.pdf Immigration Policy: Sound Economic Foundations?], Flinders University.</ref> The system won international approval and is now often referred to as the "Australian points-based system".<ref>{{cite news
As Immigration Minister, Hurford led a change in Australia's immigration policy that has survived into the 2020s. He brought in a system that combined a higher level of immigration with a higher proportion of skilled migrants, as judged by a points-based system that assessed their skills, qualifications and experience.<ref name="ipiq">{{cite journal |last1=Miller |first1=Paul W. |date=1999 |title=Immigration Policy and Immigrant Quality: The Australian Points System |url=http://www.jstor.org/stable/117105 |journal=The American Economic Review |volume=89 |issue=2 |pages=192–197 |doi=10.1257/aer.89.2.192 |jstor=117105 |access-date=February 2, 2024}}</ref> He argued that such a system would benefit Australia economically both by improving the country's level of human capital, and by reducing the demographic ageing of the population.<ref name="ipsef">[https://www.ppesydney.net/content/uploads/2020/04/Immigration-policy-sound-economic-foundations.pdf Immigration Policy: Sound Economic Foundations?], Flinders University.</ref> The system won international approval and is now often referred to as the "Australian points-based system".<ref>{{cite news

Revision as of 05:00, 20 July 2024

The Honourable
Chris Hurford
AO
Minister for Community Services
In office
16 February 1987 – 24 July 1987
Preceded byDon Grimes
Succeeded byNeal Blewett
Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs
In office
13 December 1984 – 16 February 1987
Preceded byStewart West
Succeeded byMick Young
Minister for Housing & Construction
In office
11 March 1983 – 13 December 1984
Preceded byTom McVeigh
Succeeded byStewart West
Manager of Opposition Business
In office
11 February 1980 – 7 November 1980
LeaderBill Hayden
Preceded byMick Young
Succeeded byLionel Bowen
Member of the Australian Parliament
for Adelaide
In office
25 October 1969 – 31 December 1987
Preceded byAndrew Jones
Succeeded byMike Pratt
Personal details
Born
Christopher John Hurford-Jones

(1931-07-30)30 July 1931
Mhow, Indore Residency, British India
Died15 November 2020 (aged 89)
Adelaide, South Australia
NationalityAustralian
Political partyLabor
OccupationAccountant

Christopher John Hurford AO (30 July 1931 – 15 November 2020) was a Labor member of the Australian House of Representatives seat of Adelaide from 1969 to 1987. He played a key role in the development of Australia's skills-oriented immigration policy, and founded the ALP Labor Unity faction in SA.[1]

Early life

Hurford was born in Mhow, India, to an English father and Australian mother. In 1940, his mother took the children to Perth, Western Australia where Hurford attended school, before returning to India, then to England. In 1949, his whole family migrated to Western Australia as 'ten-pound poms', despite their Australian heritage.[2] After studying at the London School of Economics, Hurford worked in accountancy. He entered federal parliament in 1969, representing the Division of Adelaide, South Australia.[3] The seat had fallen to Liberal Andrew Jones during the massive Coalition landslide of 1966. However, Jones' strong conservatism did not play well in this traditionally Labor seat, and Hurford retook the seat for Labor on a resounding 14.3 percent swing, turning it into a safe Labor seat in one election cycle, taking a majority of the first preferences. He held Adelaide until his resignation in 1987.

Ministerial record

Opening of the Chris Hurford exhibition at the Bob Hawke Prime Ministerial Library in 2011.

Hurford was Minister for Housing and Construction, outside Cabinet in the first Hawke Ministry from March 1983 to December 1984. In the second Hawke Ministry, he was promoted to Cabinet as Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs until February 1987, when he replaced Don Grimes as Minister for Community Services.

As Immigration Minister, Hurford led a change in Australia's immigration policy that has survived into the 2020s. He brought in a system that combined a higher level of immigration with a higher proportion of skilled migrants, as judged by a points-based system that assessed their skills, qualifications and experience.[4] He argued that such a system would benefit Australia economically both by improving the country's level of human capital, and by reducing the demographic ageing of the population.[5] The system won international approval and is now often referred to as the "Australian points-based system".[6] While introducing a formal category of skilled migration, the system under Hurford retained both a humanitarian and a family reunion intake.

Hurford also made an early, unsuccessful attempt to reduce ministerial discretions in the granting of immigration visas.

Hurford's period as Immigration Minister was also notable for his unsuccessful attempt to have Sheikh Taj El-Din Hilaly deported.[7]

In July 1987, Hurford withdrew from the third Hawke ministry for personal reasons. He resigned from Parliament at the end of the year.[8]

The resulting by-election in his seat of Adelaide saw his party lose the seat with voters expressing anger at the by-election, having believed that Hurford would serve them as their member of parliament for the full term.

Internal ALP role

Within the South Australian ALP, Hurford is arguably an important modernising figure. He led the creation of the Labor Unity faction, a group variously described as "right-wing", moderate or (after the ascension of the UK Blair Government) "Third Way". A Catholic, Hurford won support from the socially conservative leadership of the Shop Distributive and Allied Trades Union in forming the faction.

In the 1980s Hurford led the SA Labor Unity group in vigorously defending within the ALP the policy direction of the Hawke Government, a direction with which the larger Centre-Left and Left factions were uncomfortable. By the 1990s Labor Unity became a substantial counterweight to the other factions in SA.

Post political life

On resignation from Parliament at the end of 1987, Hurford became Australia's Consul-General in New York for four years.[9] In 1991 he was appointed as head of external relations at the University of South Australia.[10]

Notes

  1. ^ "The Hon. Christopher John (Chris) AO Hurford". The Weekly Times. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
  2. ^ Don Dunstan Oral History Project, Flinders University.
  3. ^ "Members of the House of Representatives since 1901". Parliamentary Handbook. Parliament of Australia. Archived from the original on 17 November 2007. Retrieved 2007-11-18.
  4. ^ Miller, Paul W. (1999). "Immigration Policy and Immigrant Quality: The Australian Points System". The American Economic Review. 89 (2): 192–197. doi:10.1257/aer.89.2.192. JSTOR 117105. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
  5. ^ Immigration Policy: Sound Economic Foundations?, Flinders University.
  6. ^ "What is an Australian-style immigration system and how might it work?". The Independent. 28 January 2020. Archived from the original on 16 February 2022. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
  7. ^ "Former minister outlines reservations over sheik". Insiders. ABC. 29 June 2003. Archived from the original on 18 May 2006. Retrieved 18 November 2007.
  8. ^ "Chris Hurford". Insiders. The Bob Hawke Prime Ministerial Library. Archived from the original on 31 August 2007. Retrieved 18 November 2007.
  9. ^ "Chris Hurford". Insiders. The Bob Hawke Prime Ministerial Library. Archived from the original on 31 August 2007. Retrieved 18 November 2007.
  10. ^ Hollis, Shaun. "Obituaries for December 19, 2020: Psychologist John Raftery and politician Chris Hurford". The Advertiser. Retrieved 20 December 2022.
Political offices
Preceded by Minister for Housing and Construction
1983–1984 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs
1984–1987 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister for Community Services
1987 		Succeeded by
Parliament of Australia
Preceded by Member for Adelaide
1969–1988 		Succeeded by
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by Australian Consul General in New York
1988–1992 		Succeeded by
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Chris_Hurford&oldid=1235600868"