John Williams (New South Wales Federal Politician)

John Reginald Williams (born 16 January 1955) is an Australian politician. He has been a National Party member of the Australian Senate since July 2008, representing the state of New South Wales.

Williams was first elected to the Senate at the 2007 federal election. This followed his victory over incumbent Senator Sandy Macdonald in preselection for the National Party's one winnable spot on the Coalition Senate ticket in New South Wales.

Williams was born in Jamestown, South Australia. Prior to entering politics, he was a truck driver, a farmer, a sheep shearer and a small business owner.

Williams vote was the third out of five votes required to give maverick Barnaby Joyce the Senate leadership in September 2008.

Famous quotes containing the words williams, south, wales and/or federal:

    “In nothing was slavery so savage and relentless as in its attempted destruction of the family instincts of the Negro race in America. Individuals, not families; shelters, not homes; herding, not marriages, were the cardinal sins in that system of horrors.”
    —Fannie Barrier Williams (1855–1944)

    “...I believe it is now the duty of the slaves of the South to rebuke their masters for their robbery, oppression and crime.... No station or character can destroy individual responsibility, in the matter of reproving sin.”
    —Angelina Grimké (1805–1879)

    “I just come and talk to the plants, really—very important to talk to them, they respond I find.”
    —Charles, Prince Of Wales (b. 1948)

    “It is odd that the NCAA would place a school on probation for driving an athlete to class, or providing a loan, but would have no penalty for a school that violates Title IX, a federal law.”
    —Cardiss L. Collins (b. 1931)