Alfred Dennis
Encyclopedia
Alfred Hugh Dennis is an Australia
n politician. He was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
from 1959 to 1962, representing the electorate of Blacktown. He was elected in 1959 as a Liberal for the typically safe Labor seat, but resigned to sit as an independent in 1962.
Dennis was born in Bondi
, and was educated at Blacktown Public School. He served with the Second Australian Imperial Force
in the South Pacific during World War II
, and trained at Yanco Experimental Farm
after repatriation. He operated a dairy farm near Richmond
, while also working as a farming contractor. He was chairman of the Windsor District Milk Zone Dairymen's Council, and a member of the New South Wales executive of the Primary Producers Union. He was an alderman of the Windsor Council from 1956 until his election to parliament in 1959.
Dennis was nominated as the Liberal candidate for the Labor-held seat of Blacktown at the 1959 state election
. Blacktown had been a safe Labor seat, but an electoral redistribution had made it marginal, and the sitting member, John Freeman
had chosen to retire. Dennis went on to win the seat against Labor candidate Jim Southee
despite Labor's statewide victory.
A further redistribution before the 1962 election
eliminated his majority, turning Blacktown into a notional Labor seat, and Dennis attempted to win Liberal preselection for the safe Liberal seat of The Hills
, losing to Max Ruddock
. Dennis subsequently resigned from the Liberal Party and contested The Hills as an independent, losing to Ruddock, while the defeated candidate from 1962, Southee, went on to win Blacktown. He subsequently rejoined the Liberal Party, contesting a 1965 by-election for the rural seat of Oxley, but was defeated by Country Party
candidate Bruce Cowan
.
Dennis moved to Hervey Bay
in Queensland
in 1970, where he operated a business manufacturing masonry products.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n politician. He was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
New South Wales Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of New South Wales, an Australian state. The other chamber is the Legislative Council. Both the Assembly and Council sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney...
from 1959 to 1962, representing the electorate of Blacktown. He was elected in 1959 as a Liberal for the typically safe Labor seat, but resigned to sit as an independent in 1962.
Dennis was born in Bondi
Bondi, New South Wales
Bondi is an eastern suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Bondi is located seven kilometres east of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Waverley Council. The postcode is 2026.-Location:...
, and was educated at Blacktown Public School. He served with the Second Australian Imperial Force
Second Australian Imperial Force
The Second Australian Imperial Force was the name given to the volunteer personnel of the Australian Army in World War II. Under the Defence Act , neither the part-time Militia nor the full-time Permanent Military Force could serve outside Australia or its territories unless they volunteered to...
in the South Pacific during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and trained at Yanco Experimental Farm
Yanco Agricultural High School
Yanco Agricultural High School is a major co-educational agricultural secondary school located in the small town of Yanco in the Local Government Area of Leeton in south western New South Wales...
after repatriation. He operated a dairy farm near Richmond
Richmond, New South Wales
Richmond is a town in New South Wales, north-west of Sydney, in the Local Government Area of the City of Hawkesbury. It is located at a latitude of 33° 35' 54" South and a longitude of 150°45' 04" east, 19 metres above sea level on the alluvial Hawkesbury River flats, at the foot of the Blue...
, while also working as a farming contractor. He was chairman of the Windsor District Milk Zone Dairymen's Council, and a member of the New South Wales executive of the Primary Producers Union. He was an alderman of the Windsor Council from 1956 until his election to parliament in 1959.
Dennis was nominated as the Liberal candidate for the Labor-held seat of Blacktown at the 1959 state election
New South Wales state election, 1959
The 1959 New South Wales state election was held on 21 March 1959. It was conducted in single member constituencies with compulsory preferential voting and was held on boundaries created at a 1957 redistribution...
. Blacktown had been a safe Labor seat, but an electoral redistribution had made it marginal, and the sitting member, John Freeman
John Freeman (Australian politician)
John Stanley Freeman was an Australian politician. He was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1945 until 1959 and a member of the Australian Labor Party ....
had chosen to retire. Dennis went on to win the seat against Labor candidate Jim Southee
Jim Southee
James Bernard "Jim" Southee was an Australian politician. He was an Labor member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, representing Blacktown from 1962 to 1971 and Mount Druitt from 1971 to 1973....
despite Labor's statewide victory.
A further redistribution before the 1962 election
New South Wales state election, 1962
The 1962 New South Wales state election was held on 3 March 1962. It was conducted in single member constituencies with compulsory preferential voting and was held on boundaries created at a 1961 redistribution...
eliminated his majority, turning Blacktown into a notional Labor seat, and Dennis attempted to win Liberal preselection for the safe Liberal seat of The Hills
Electoral district of The Hills
The Hills was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales from 1962 to 2007. It was a 51.08 km² urban electorate in Sydney's north-west, taking in the suburbs of Carlingford, Castle Hill, Cherrybrook, Glenhaven, Kellyville, Pennant Hills and West...
, losing to Max Ruddock
Max Ruddock
Maxwell Stanley Ruddock was a New South Wales politician, Assistant Treasurer and Minister of the Crown in the cabinets of Tom Lewis and Sir Eric Willis...
. Dennis subsequently resigned from the Liberal Party and contested The Hills as an independent, losing to Ruddock, while the defeated candidate from 1962, Southee, went on to win Blacktown. He subsequently rejoined the Liberal Party, contesting a 1965 by-election for the rural seat of Oxley, but was defeated by Country Party
National Party of Australia
The National Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Traditionally representing graziers, farmers and rural voters generally, it began as the The Country Party, but adopted the name The National Country Party in 1975, changed to The National Party of Australia in 1982. The party is...
candidate Bruce Cowan
Bruce Cowan
David Bruce Cowan, AM was an Australian politician and Minister of the Crown in the cabinets of Tom Lewis and Sir Eric Willis...
.
Dennis moved to Hervey Bay
Hervey Bay, Queensland
Hervey Bay is a city in Queensland, Australia. The city is situated approximately north of the state capital, Brisbane, and lies on the coast of a natural bay between the Queensland mainland and nearby Fraser Island. The local economy relies on tourism, for which whale watching, Fraser Island and...
in Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
in 1970, where he operated a business manufacturing masonry products.