James Michael Sheehan (24 July 1885 – 10 April 1967) was an Australian trade unionist and politician.

Jim Sheehan
Senator for Victoria
In office
12 July 1938 – 20 September 1940
Preceded byJohn Barnes (died between election and beginning of term)
Succeeded byJohn Spicer
In office
1 July 1944 – 30 June 1962
Personal details
Born(1885-07-24)24 July 1885
Castlemaine, Victoria
Died10 April 1967(1967-04-10) (aged 81)
Castlemaine, Victoria
NationalityAustralian
Political partyAustralian Labor Party
OccupationRailway worker, unionist

Born in Castlemaine, Victoria, he received a primary education before becoming a railway worker.[1] He was an organiser with the Australian Workers' Union and President of the Victorian Trades Hall Council, as well as being an active member of the Victorian Labor Party.[2] On 12 July 1938, he was appointed to the Australian Senate for Victoria to fill a casual vacancy caused by the death of Labor Senator John Barnes. The Australian Constitution dictated that an appointment to a casual vacancy was required to be re-contested at the next election and while Sheehan was number one on the Labor ticket, he was defeated in 1940 with the UAP-Country coalition winning all four seats.[3] He was third on Labor's ticket at the 1943 election, with Labor winning all three seats,[4] taking his place at the in 1944. He remained in the Senate until his retirement in 1961, taking effect in 1962.[1][5]

Sheehan died in 1967, aged 81.[2]

References

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  1. ^ a b Doyle, Helen (2004). "SHEEHAN, James Michael (1885–1967) Senator for Victoria, 1938–40, 1944–62 (Australian Labor Party)". The Biographical Dictionary of the Australian Senate. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
  2. ^ a b Strangio, Paul (2002). "Sheehan, James Michael (1885–1967)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Vol. 16. Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. ISBN 978-0-522-84459-7. ISSN 1833-7538. OCLC 70677943. Retrieved 18 January 2023.
  3. ^ Carr, Adam. "1940 Senate election: Victoria". Psephos, Adam Carr's Election Archive. Retrieved 18 January 2023.
  4. ^ Carr, Adam. "1943 Senate election: Victoria". Psephos Adam Carr's Election Archive. Retrieved 18 January 2023.
  5. ^ Carr, Adam (2008). "Australian Election Archive". Psephos, Adam Carr's Election Archive. Archived from the original on 17 July 2007. Retrieved 12 November 2008.