14 Facts About Jack Birney

Reginald John Birney was an Australian barrister and politician.

Jack Birney was a member of the Liberal Party and served in the House of Representatives from 1975 to 1983, representing the New South Wales seat of Phillip.

In 1962, Jack Birney was a vice-president of the United Australia Movement, which campaigned for the Territory of Papua and New Guinea to be granted representation in federal parliament and for Australian annexation of Dutch New Guinea.

Jack Birney visited Port Moresby where he spoke on "the immediacy of the Indonesian threat to East New Guinea", and with solicitor Bruce Miles was involved with the New Guinea Party which stood candidates at the 1963 federal election.

Jack Birney was elected to the New South Wales state council of the Liberal Party in 1974.

Jack Birney was elected to the House of Representatives at the 1975 federal election, winning the seat of Phillip from the incumbent Australian Labor Party MP Joe Riordan.

Jack Birney was reportedly an "enthusiastic backbencher" with "a talent for getting his name in print, usually as a champion of the bizarre or the sanctimonious".

Jack Birney was one of the few Liberal MPs to oppose the construction of the Franklin Dam in Tasmania.

Jack Birney suffered a heart attack while visiting the protest site in 1983.

Jack Birney was re-elected at the 1977 and 1980 elections, but lost his seat to the ALP candidate Jeanette McHugh as the Coalition was defeated at the 1983 election.

Jack Birney was later an unsuccessful preselection candidate for the New South Wales Legislative Council prior to the 1984 New South Wales state election.

Jack Birney returned to his legal practice following the end of his parliamentary career.

Jack Birney had a total of six children across his marriages, including Matt Birney who briefly served as leader of the Liberal Party in Western Australia.

Jack Birney died in his sleep on 1 January 1995, aged 66, while on holiday at Coolah, New South Wales.