Stan Collard

Stanley James Collard (25March 193613August 2025) was an Australian politician. He was a Senator for Queensland from 1975 to 1987, representing the National Party. He was elected as the party's Senate leader in 1985, but failed to win National Party preselection prior to the 1987 federal election owing to his opposition to the "Joh for Canberra" movement. He was a locomotive engine driver with Queensland Railways and trade unionist before his election to the Senate.

Early life Collard was born on 25 March 1936 in Maleny, Queensland. He was the oldest of three sons born to Edina and William Alfred Collard.

Collard was raised on the family dairy farm at Maleny which his paternal grandfather had acquired in 1918. He attended primary school in Maleny and then spent two years at Nambour State High School, before leaving school to help on the farm. He later moved to Brisbane where he joined Queensland Railways as a trainee engine man.

Collard served as the Nationals' whip and deputy leader in the Senate from 1981 to 1985. He replaced Doug Scott as the party's Senate leader in 1985 and was a shadow minister under Andrew Peacock and John Howard, holding the portfolios of veterans' affairs (1984–1985) and arts, heritage and the environment (1985–1987). but was publicly critical of the "Joh for Canberra" efforts. Following another double dissolution, he failed to win preselection on the Nationals' Senate ticket at the 1987 federal election, thus bringing an end to his term as the party's Senate leader. He was subsequently chosen as the party's candidate for Capricornia, but was defeated by incumbent Labor MP Keith Wright at the 1990 federal election.

Later life After leaving the Senate, Collard returned to his family farm. He was the president of the organising committee for the Hinkler Bicentennial Air Race, a nine-day air race honouring Bert Hinkler which concluded in Brisbane on the opening day of World Expo 88. He was also involved with Life Education Australia, serving as state president for three years and on the national board for ten years, and was deputy chairman of the Library Board of Queensland from 1996 to 1999.