Having spent years as a Franciscan friar, student, teacher and actor, Michael Macklin completed his doctorate at the University of Queensland where he lectured in Philosophy in the Graduate School of Education for eight years.
During this time, he established the Australian Democrats in Queensland and won a Senate seat for that party at the 1980 election. He served consecutively as Whip, Deputy Leader and Leader of the party in the Senate, holding several shadow portfolios and several posts in the party organisation. He sat on a wide range of key Parliamentary Committees including those overseeing ASIO (Australian Security Intelligence Organisation) and the National Crime Authority.
Upon retiring from the Senate in 1990, he oversaw, as Director of Development for the University of Queensland, the establishment of appeals including the campaign to restore the historic Customs House.
In 1994, Macklin moved to the private sector in Hall Chadwick, a national chartered accounting and business advisory firm, as the inaugural CEO of Hall Chadwick Education Advisory. In early 2002, he accepted an appointment as Professor and Dean of Arts at the University of New England.
As well as his novel Professor Macklin has published a number of papers, recordings and books on political and educational subjects.
