The union movement remains an ideal training ground for politicians and it is a trend that should continue, former Tasmanian Labor premier Paul Lennon says.
Mr Lennon, 55, who was in the island state's top job from 2004 to 2008, had previously been head of Tasmania's trade union and sees no reason to loosen ties between the movement and the Labor party.
"Into the future you are going to see people with a trade union background representing working people in parliament," he told AAP in Hobart.
Mr Lennon, who now runs a private business development company, has been appointed an Officer in the Order of Australia (AO)in the Queen's Birthday Honours, for his distinguished service to parliament and Tasmania.
"You don't go into life expecting these sorts of awards to come your way but when they do you accept them with pride," he said.
The honour specifies Mr Lennon's contribution to "economic diversification and sustainability".
"In 1998 Tasmania was regarded as a basket case: our unemployment rate was more than 11 per cent, we were riddled with public sector debt and 80 per cent of Tasmanians didn't think we had a future."
Within a decade there was a turnaround that saw Tasmania boast the nation's fastest growing economy, with unemployment at four per cent.
Fellow Tasmanian Labor politician Michael Polley has been appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for his services, including 19 years as speaker of the state's House of Assembly.
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