Graham Harris

{{Short description|Australian politician}}

{{for|the rugby league footballer who played in the 1960s|Graham Harris (rugby league)}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2016}}

{{Use Australian English|date=August 2016}}

{{Infobox MP

|honorific-prefix =

|name = Graham Harris

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|image =

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|constituency_MP = Chisholm

|parliament = Australian

|majority =

|term_start = 18 October 1980

|term_end = 5 March 1983

|predecessor = Tony Staley

|successor = Helen Mayer

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1937|8|29}}

|birth_place = Melbourne, Australia

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|nationality = Australian

|party = Liberal Party of Australia

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|alma_mater = University of Melbourne

|occupation =

|profession = Barrister

|cabinet =

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}}

Graham McDonald Harris (born 29 August 1937) is a former Australian politician. He was a Liberal Party of Australia member of the Australian House of Representatives from 1980 to 1983, representing the electorate of Chisholm.

Harris was born in Melbourne and studied law at the University of Melbourne, before practising as a barrister from 1961 until his election to parliament. He was a member of the Royal Australian Naval Reserve from 1965 and was promoted to Lieutenant Commander in 1974. Harris was an active member of the Liberal Party for many years, serving on its state council from 1970 to 1981 and as chairman of his state and federal electorate committees.{{cite web | url=https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;query=Id%3A%22handbook%2Fallmps%2FKNK%22;src1=sm1 | title=Biography for HARRIS, Graham McDonald | publisher=Parliament of Australia | accessdate=5 August 2021}}

In 1980, he was elected to the House of Representatives at the 1980 election upon the retirement of Tony Staley. He held the seat until his defeat in 1983 by Labor's Helen Mayer.{{cite web|last=Carr |first=Adam |title=Australian Election Archive |work=Psephos, Adam Carr's Election Archive |url=http://psephos.adam-carr.net/countries/a/australia |year=2008 |accessdate=2008-06-14 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080723090718/http://psephos.adam-carr.net/countries/a/australia |archivedate=23 July 2008 |df=dmy-all }} Harris opposed the controversial Franklin Dam in Tasmania, which was highly unpopular in his electorate, and attributed anti-dam campaigning targeting the government by The Wilderness Society as a factor in his defeat.{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/122181152/?terms=%22graham%20harris%22&match=1 | title=A time of sound and fury as the lobby groups reappear | work=The Age | date=21 February 1983 | accessdate=5 August 2021}}{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/122296952/?terms=%22graham%20harris%22&match=1 | title=Marginal seats will be at risk over dams, survey shows | work=The Age | date=13 January 1983 | accessdate=5 August 2021}}{{cite news | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/122232580/?terms=%22graham%20harris%22&match=1 | title=Chisholm stays marginal | work=The Age | date=12 November 1984 | accessdate=5 August 2021}} Harris recontested the seat against Mayer at the 1984 election, losing by only 200 votes in a closely-fought race in which Harris campaigned on opposition to the Hawke government's assets test for taxation.{{cite web | url=http://psephos.adam-carr.net/countries/a/australia/1984/1984repsvic.txt | title=COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA LEGISLATIVE ELECTION OF 1 DECEMBER 1984 | publisher=Psephos | accessdate=5 August 2021}}

Harris returned to legal practice after his defeat in 1983 and remained a practising barrister until 1994, after which he engaged in other business interests. He was awarded the Reserve Force Decoration in 1985, was promoted by the Navy Reserve to the rank of Commander in 1985 and served as Director Naval Intelligence (Reserves) in the RANR from 1989 to 1993. He was later state president (1992-1994) and national president (1994-2017) of the Navy League.{{cite web | url=https://navyleague.org.au/a-change-at-the-helm-of-the-navy-league/ | title=A change at the helm of the Navy League | publisher=Navy League | accessdate=5 August 2021}}

Harris was a Director of Kilmour Investments Pty Ltd from 1973 to 2022 (Chairman 1979 to 2017) Harris has been a Director of Associated Kiln Driers Pty Ltd (AKD) since 1991 and Chairman since 2015. Harris retired as Chairman in June 2023. He remains a Director. AKD is Australia's largest timber miller.