January 29, 2019
Former Deputy Prime Minister – and Kingaroy Shire Chairman – Warren Truss was awarded Australia’s highest honour in the Australia Day Awards announced on Saturday.
Mr Truss, who was raised on a navy bean farm near Kumbia, was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC).
He began his political career in 1976 when he was elected a councillor on the former Kingaroy Shire Council, becoming the Shire’s Chairman in 1983 before being elected to the Federal seat of Wide Bay in 1990.
He served in Federal Parliament for 26 years, the last three as Deputy Prime Minister, before retiring in 2016.
Mr Truss served at times as Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Minister; Customs and Consumer Affairs Minister; Transport and Regional Services Minister; and Trade Minister.
He was made a life member of the LNP in 2016.
His Australia Day award citation reads “for eminent service to the Parliament of Australia, particularly in the areas of trade, transport, agriculture, and rural and regional development”.
Mr Truss’ father, the late Errol Truss, was awarded an Order of Australia Meal (OAM) in the 1986 Australia Day honours list.
Errol Truss was chairman of Bean Growers Co-Operative Association Ltd from 1968-91.
- Related article: Truss Looks Back On 26 Years
[Originally published as “Truss Earns Australia Day Honour”]
