Tom McVeigh
Quick Facts
Biography
Daniel Thomas "Tom" McVeigh (born 7 May 1930) is a former Australian politician. He served in the House of Representatives from 1972 to 1988, representing the National Party (previously the National Country Party). He held ministerial office in the Fraser Government, serving as Minister for Housing and Construction (1980–1982) and Minister for Home Affairs and the Environment (1982–1983).
Early life
McVeigh was born in Allora, Queensland and was a farmer before entering the Australian Parliament. He was a member of the Queensland State Wheat Board from 1965 to 1974, the Queensland delegate to the Australian Wheatgrowers' Federation from 1964 to 1966 and a state councillor of the Queensland Graingrowers' Association from 1963 to 1966.
Politics
McVeigh won the seat of Darling Downs for the National Country Party at the 1972 election. He was appointed Minister for Housing and Construction in the Fraser government in November 1980. In May 1982, he was moved to the portfolio of Minister for Home Affairs and the Environment and held that position to the defeat of the government at the 1983 election. In 1984, with the abolition of the seat of Darling Downs, McVeigh followed most of his constituents into the new Division of Groom, which he held until his resignation in February 1988.
Family
His son, John, served in the Queensland Legislative Assembly for Toowoomba South from 2012 to 2016 before winning the federal seat of Groom in 2016.