John Devereux

John Robert Devereux (born 8 February 1946) is a former Australian politician. He was a Senator for Tasmania from 1987 to 1996. He was elected as a member of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) but resigned from the party in 1994 and served the remainder of his final term as an independent.

Early life Devereux was born on 8 February 1946 in Gormanston, Tasmania. He was the second of seven children born to Albert Bernard and Floris Merle Devereux. His father was a truck and bus driver. Following a double dissolution of the Commonwealth Parliament, Devereux was elected at the election of 11 July 1987.

From 24 to 27 January 1994, thirty protesters from the Tasmanian Wilderness Society (TWS) blockaded Riveaux Road in the Picton Valley in Tasmania to prevent logging of woodland. At the blockade, Devereux announced his resignation from the ALP in protest against its policies on forest issues.

Devereux served out the rest of his term, from 1994 until 1996, as an independent Senator.

On 7 February 1996, Devereux resigned from the Senate in order to contest the 1996 Tasmanian state election as an independent. He was an unsuccessful candidate for the Tasmanian House of Assembly seat of Franklin.

Personal life He lives in Tasmania with his wife Glynis. His three children, all married, also live in Tasmania. He was previously the CEO of the Tasmanian Pacing Club.