Early Life and Background
Bartlett was born in Brisbane, where he has lived all his life. He is married with one daughter. Andrew is of Irish, Swiss, English and Greek origins, including his great-great-grandfather claimed to be the first Greek settler in Australia, arriving in Adelaide in 1840. He was educated at the University of Queensland, where he graduated in arts and social work. Before entering politics, Bartlett was a social worker with the Department of Social Security, and worked with alternative radio station, 4ZZZFM, in roles including announcer and finance coordinator. A big modern music fan, he played in a number of local rock bands, as a drummer and keyboard player. On his personal blog, Bartlett has noted that he is a fan of both Joy Division and Nick Cave. Bartlett is active on animal rights issues, and considers himself an atheist.
In 1990, Bartlett joined the staff of Queensland senator Cheryl Kernot. Three years later, he joined the staff of Democrats senator John Woodley as an adviser and researcher. He was the Democrats' Queensland campaign director for the 1993 and 1996 elections and federal campaign director in 1998. Bartlett was appointed in 1997 to the Senate casual vacancy caused by the resignation of Kernot, and was elected for a six-year term at the 2001 federal election.
Read more about this topic: Andrew Bartlett
Famous quotes containing the words early life, early, life and/or background:
“... goodness is of a modest nature, easily discouraged, and when much elbowed in early life by unabashed vices, is apt to retire into extreme privacy, so that it is more easily believed in by those who construct a selfish old gentleman theoretically, than by those who form the narrower judgments based on his personal acquaintance.”
—George Eliot [Mary Ann (or Marian)
“Mormon colonization south of this point in early times was characterized as going over the Rim, and in colloquial usage the same phrase came to connote violent death.”
—State of Utah, U.S. public relief program (1935-1943)
“The aim of art is almost divine: to bring to life again if it is writing history, to create if it is writing poetry.”
—Victor Hugo (18021885)
“I had many problems in my conduct of the office being contrasted with President Kennedys conduct in the office, with my manner of dealing with things and his manner, with my accent and his accent, with my background and his background. He was a great public hero, and anything I did that someone didnt approve of, they would always feel that President Kennedy wouldnt have done that.”
—Lyndon Baines Johnson (19081973)