Brian Austin

{{Short description|Australian politician}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}

{{Use Australian English|date=August 2021}}

{{Infobox officeholder

|honorific-prefix =

|name = Brian Austin

|honorific-suffix =

|image =

|caption =

| constituency_AM1 = Wavell

| assembly1 = Queensland Legislative

| term_start1 = 12 November 1977

| term_end1 = 1 November 1986

| predecessor1 = Arthur Crawford

| successor1 = Seat abolished

| constituency_AM2 = Nicklin

| assembly2 = Queensland Legislative

| term_start2 = 1 November 1986

| term_end2 = 26 October 1989

| predecessor2 = New seat

| successor2 = Bob King

|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1943|3|22|df=y}}

|birth_place = Cleveland, Queensland, Australia

|death_date =

|death_place =

|restingplace =

|birthname = Brian Douglas Austin

|nationality = Australian

|party = National Party

|otherparty = Liberal Party

|spouse = Leonie McKenzie

| alma_mater = University of Queensland

| occupation = Civil Engineer

| relations =

}}

Brian Douglas Austin (born 22 March 1943) is an Australian politician and Minister of Health (1980–1983 and 1983 - 1986) and Minister for Finance and Minister Assisting the Premier and Treasurer (1987 - 1989) and who represented the state seat of Wavell for the Liberal Party (1977–1983) and then for the National Party (1983–1986). In 1983, Austin switched to the National Party (along with Don Lane, who was the Transport Minister, after Premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen lobbied several Liberals to cross the floor, thus enabling the National Party to form government with a very slim majority. Prior to their defection, the Nationals were one seat short of governing in their own right. At the 1986 Queensland state election, Austin became the first MP for the new Queensland electorate of Nicklin (1986–1989).

In 1987, Austin was one of three ministers who told Governor Walter Campbell that Bjelke-Petersen no longer had enough support to govern. That was a precursor to the caucus coup that saw Bjelke-Petersen deposed as premier later that year.

Austin was subsequently implicated in the corruption being investigated by Fitzgerald Inquiry and was forced to retire in 1989.Lock, Stock & Barrel: A Political Biography of Mike Ahern, by Paul Reynolds, University of Queensland Press, {{ISBN|0-7022-3294-7}}, c2002, pages 51, 89."Queensland Young Libs say they are glad the 'misfits' defected", by Damien Murphy, Sydney Morning Herald, 31 January 1984, p.3{{cite web

| title = Queensland Election: Nicklin

| author = Antony Green

| author-link = Antony Green

| publisher = Australian Broadcasting Corporation

| date = 7 September 2006

| url = http://www.abc.net.au/elections/qld/2006/guide/nick.htm

| accessdate=30 May 2010}}

{{cite web

| title = The Liberal who stood up to Joh

| author = Tony Koch

| publisher = The Australian

| date = 6 February 2010| url = http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/features/the-liberal-who-stood-up-to-joh/story-e6frg6z6-1225826997950

| accessdate=30 May 2010}} He was convicted on 25 counts of misappropriating public funds, involving $8700 spent on private accommodation, travel and meals, and was sentenced to 15 months' jail.{{cite news |last1=Allen |first1=Elizabeth |title=Players in a vast drama |url=https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/players-in-a-vast-drama/news-story/9271190b1c687ec7a76571395f6421b0?sv=7d60de3363144b968d3a60ad3dfff7ca |accessdate=2020-11-01 |work=Courier-Mail |date=2007-05-14}}

In 2010, Brisbane's Courier-Mail reported that Austin was selling real estate in the exclusive Brisbane suburbs of Ascot, Hamilton and Clayfield.