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1985 in Australia

The following lists events that happened during 1985 in Australia.

Incumbents

State and territory leaders

Governors and administrators

Events

January

  • 1 January – Australia commences a two-year term as a member of the United Nations Security Council.
  • 19 January – A hailstorm accompanied by severe winds sweeps through Brisbane and surrounding areas, causing an estimated $110 million of property damage. Subsequently, around 95,000 insurance claims are lodged.
  • 28 January – Victorian Premier John Cain's support for reforms to the Upper House rather than its abolition defuse this as an election issue.
  • 29 January – Federal Cabinet endorses an earlier decision to provide refuelling facilities to United States aircraft monitoring MX missile tests in the Pacific. Strong anti-American and anti-nuclear reaction soon forces Prime Minister Bob Hawke to withdraw the offer.

February

March

  • March – The Bondi beast rapist commits his first assault in Clovelly, New South Wales.
  • 1 March – Uniform credit legislation is introduced in New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia.
  • 2 March – The ALP government of John Cain reelected in Victoria for a second consecutive term with 47 seats and over 50% of the primary vote. A tied result in Nunawading, decided in Labor's favour, is later declared void by Justice Starke.
  • 4 March – At the request of the United States, the Federal Government cancels the annual meeting of the ANZUS Council.
  • 21 March – The Queensland Government enacts harsh anti-strike legislation.
  • 23 March – Two electric trains collide head on just north of Trinder Park railway station in Woodridge, Queensland at 6.47 a.m. Two people including a train driver, are killed in the smash, and another 28 people are injured.
  • 30 March – Alderman Sallyanne Atkinson is elected as Brisbane's first female Lord Mayor.
  • 31 March – In excess of 300,000 people throughout Australia march in the Palm Sunday anti-nuclear rallies.

April

May

  • 14 May – Federal Treasurer Paul Keating releases a mini-Budget aimed at reducing Government spending, with cuts falling mainly on defence and the unemployed.
  • 20 May – Queensland police raid the Greenslopes Fertility Clinic, Brisbane and seize the patient files of 20,000 women. The search warrant is later ruled invalid and the files returned. Other raids are carried out on clinics in Brisbane and Townsville.
  • 30 May – At the Premiers' Conference, the Grants Commission makes cuts, especially to the Northern Territory and Queensland. Business and conservative interests praise Federal Treasurer Paul Keating as a result.

June

July

  • 1 July – 4 July – A Tax Summit is held. Federal Treasurer Paul Keating abandons his preferred Option C (a 12.5% retail sales tax) after a public outcry.
  • 11 July Minister of Transport, Hon. D.F. Lane, M.L.A opened Albion Station.

August

September

October

November

  • 13 November – Mr. Justice Paul Brereton introduces amendments to the Darling Harbour Bill, stating that the intransigence of the SSC had forced the New South Wales Government to exempt the controversial Sydney Monorail from normal planning controls and claiming that the casino planned for the site would spell the end to illegal gambling.
  • 25 November – A man, later to be revealed as Bruce Goodluck, wears a chicken suit and walks into the House of Representatives and sits on the government front bench but is removed by officers at the request of the deputy speaker, Allan Rocher.

December

  • 2 December – Federal Parliament passes the Australia Act, cutting the nation's last legal and constitutional ties with Britain.
  • 4 December – Retiring New South Wales Local Government Minister Kevin Stewart sacks Warringah Shire Council for negligence and granting favours to a developer.
  • 5 December – The Royal Commission into British atomic tests in Australia (McClelland Royal Commission) severely criticises Britain for violating safety standards and recommends that Britain clean up contaminated areas and pay compensation.
  • 7 December – The Labor government of John Bannon is re-elected for a second term in South Australia.
  • 16 December – New South Wales Premier Neville Wran is charged with contempt of court by the Federal Department of Public Prosecutions in relation to remarks he had made on 28 November when the Appeal Court had ordered a new trial for Mr. Justice Lionel Murphy.
  • 22 December – The new Victorian Governor is announced as academic and Uniting Church minister, Rev. Davis McCaughey, to be sworn in on 18 February 1986.
  • 30 December – Rural discontent at soaring interest rates and falling commodity prices is symbolised by a Canowindra farmer when he dumps 23 tonnes of wheat outside Parliament House in Canberra. His subsequent prosecution prompts a mass rally of up to 8,000 famers in Canberra on 14 February 1986.

Unknown dates

Arts and literature

Film

Television

  • 11 February – Ray Martin takes over Mike Walsh's old daytime slot, replacing The Mike Walsh Show with Midday with Ray Martin.
  • 18 February – Network 0/28 becomes known as SBS.
  • 18 March – Neighbours premieres on the Seven Network. Six months later Neighbours is axed by HSV-7 with the final episode going to air on 8 November 1985. Network Ten subsequently buys the rights and begins screening it from 20 January 1986 where it becomes a hit.
  • 8 June – Hey Hey It's Saturday moves to 6:30 pm Saturdays.

Sport

Births

Full date unknown

Deaths

See also

References

External links