John Elliott (businessman)

For other people named John Elliott, see John Elliott (disambiguation).

John Dorman Elliott (born 3 October 1941) is an Australian businessman and former president of the Liberal Party, and former president of Carlton Football Club. He has frequently provoked controversy due to his political affiliations, his brushes with the law, and his abrasive personal style.

Education

He completed his secondary schooling at Carey Baptist Grammar School, in Kew. He then attended the University of Melbourne and graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce (Hons) degree and later completed a Master of Business Administration degree at Melbourne Business School.

Career

Elliott joined the global consulting firm McKinsey & Co. From there, he acquired control of IXL Ltd, an Australian Stock Exchange listed food manufacturer. He and his team built the company up through a string of acquisitions throughout the late 1970s and 1980s, including Australian corporate icons Elders Limited, an agricultural services concern, Carlton and United Breweries now part of the Foster's Brewing Group and Australia's largest beer manufacturer, and Henry Jones IXL food manufacturer. During this time he was also a high-profile President of the Carlton Football Club. He was an effective advocate for the club on a range of issues, and during his presidency the club won two VFL (now AFL) premierships.

In 1985 Elliott's company - by then called Elders IXL - played an important role as a white knight in fending off Robert Holmes à Court's attempted takeover of diversified mining company BHP. Elders bought a large share in BHP which blocked Holmes à Court's attempt to take control. As a result, Elliott joined the BHP board. He then attempted a management buyout of Elders, but this was unsuccessful and left his A$80 million fortune considerably reduced.

Subsequently the National Crime Authority (NCA) investigated a foreign exchange transaction undertaken by Elders. Elliott was cleared of criminal charges. He accused the NCA of a vendetta inspired by the then Labor government and motivated by his position as Liberal Party President. He later launched civil action for damages, which was ultimately unsuccessful. He has also been a director of a number of public companies including National Mutual Life Association, Bridge Oil Limited and North Limited. Elliott has been a member of the Liberal Party for over thirty years. He has held positions in the party including Federal President (1987-1990), Federal Treasurer, State Treasurer and Vice President in Victoria. He is past Chairman of the 500 Club, which he formed in the 1980s, and has been the biggest donor to the Liberal Party in Victoria.

In 1990, Elliott was a vocal supporter of the Multifunction Polis (MFP), a controversial concept to build in Australia a new technology city with a population of 100,000. At the time, the leader of the Liberal Party, Andrew Peacock, was vehemently opposed to the plan, claiming the Multifunction Polis would become an "Asian enclave".

Later developments

After the 2002 AFL season Elliott was sacked as President of the Carlton Football Club, a position he had held for two decades. He was blamed for Carlton winning the wooden spoon in 2002. In a move some thought to be ungracious, given his long service, his name was removed from the club signs at its home ground, Optus Oval, Princes Park.

Elliott's venture into rice milling with Water Wheel Holdings as an outside director and shareholder which ended when the company collapsed in 2000.

He was caricatured in Rubbery Figures, a satirical rubber puppet series that screened in Australia in various forms from 1984 to 1990. He has been a regular guest on Q&A, the popular ABC guest panelist program and more recently on the Dick Smith population debate where John Elliott’s vision to harness Northern Australia’s excess rainfall via pipeline to the Murray-Darling headwaters in Queensland, received wide support. He is featured on the commercial radio station 3AW with son Tom every Friday and on the Agony Uncles TV program. Elliott is a past director of the Foundation of the University of Melbourne Business School and was recently made an Honorary Fellow of the school.

Personal life

He was divorced from the late Lorraine Elliott, a former Victorian state parliamentarian for the Liberal Party. They have three children. The eldest is Tom Elliott (born 1967), an investment banker and radio and television presenter. He also has two children from his second marriage, which also ended in divorce.

External links

• John Elliott Full Biography at ICMI.com.au
• The John Elliott Report

Preceded by Ian Rice

Carlton Football Club president 1983-2002

Succeeded by Ian Collins