Brownie

With the election of Bob Hawke in 1983, John Brown was appointed Minister for Sport, Recreation and Tourism, a position he retained until 1988. Born in Sydney’s western suburbs and educated at Christian Brothers College, Burwood, St Patrick’s College, Strathfield and the University of Sydney, Brown was one of the founders of Brown and Hatton, a meat distribution company which helped create the Pork and Bacon Marketing Council. He has been an active member of the Meat Industry Employees Union since that time, but was also chairman of the Employers Association for five years.

In 1963, Brown married Jan Murray, who ran a public relations consultancy from 1982 to 1995, and they have five children. Following initial reports in The Sun, Murray admitted during a 60 Minutes interview in 1987 to having sexual intercourse with Brown on his desk in his office at Parliament House in Canberra in 1983, and leaving a pair of underwear in an ashtray. A spokesperson for Prime Minister Bob Hawke said while Murray's comments were in ‘poor taste’ they had nothing to do with Brown's ministerial duties. This is John Brown’s memoir, told in his own words.

"Brownie transformed racing, amongst a lot of other things. Buy this book, it’s a bloody good read!" - John Singleton

"Your many initiatives needed to be recorded along with your tales about the great sportspersons you’ve known." - John Coates AC

"History may well dub you the Minister for Good Works. I think this is a worthwhile record for history to savour." - Roy Masters AM

"We set about reshaping a national identity, one that the world would fall in love with." - Paul Hogan AM