People Australia

Jack Tripovich, 1974

National Archives of Australia, B582:T4/1/1974/AB

John Matthew (Jack) Tripovich (1907-1976) railway employee, trade unionist, party official and parliamentarian 

Birth: 16 December 1907, at Coburg, Melbourne, Victoria, son of native-born parents Elias Tripovich (1872-1950), a labourer or butcher, of Croatian ancestry, and Caroline Paley, née Sunderland, late Grimshaw (1864-1935). Marriage: 4 June 1929 at Melbourne, to Edna May Alder (1908-1989). They had one son and one daughter. Death: 6 August 1976 at Parkville, Melbourne; usual residence Mount Alexander Road, Moonee Ponds, Melbourne. Religion: Methodist. 

• Educated at Preston West and Essendon State schools. Attended business college.
• Joined Victorian Railways as a porter at Glenroy in 1923. Assistant station master at towns of Mallee and Wimmera in 1936-1946. Was active in the Australian Railways Union.
• Australian Labor Party country organiser from 1946 to 1955. Secretary of Nhill branch of the ALP. Assistant State secretary of the ALP in 1955. State secretary from 1955 to 1961.
• Contested Legislative Assembly seats of Lowan in 1944 (by-election), Rainbow in 1945 and Dandenong in 1955.
• Elected member of the Legislative Council of Victoria for Doutta Galla in a by-election in 1960. Held the seat until 1976.
• Deputy leader of the Legislative Council in June 1970 and from 1970 to 1976 and leader from June to August 1970. Member of Statute Law Revision Committee 1964-1976.
• ALP representative to the Australian Convention established in 1970.
• Member of Fitzroy and Glenroy High School Councils. Member of Develop Victoria Council. Executive member of inter-church trade and industry mission.
• Prominent in many local organizations. Ardent bowler.
• Cause of death: myocardial infarction (5 days) and coronary artery disease (years).

Sources
Geoff Browne, Biographical register of the Victorian Parliament, 1900-84 (Melbourne, 1985); Recorder, No 84 October 1976, p 2.