Archie Cameron
Encyclopedia
Archie Galbraith Cameron (22 March 18959 August 1956), was an Australian politician. He was Leader of the Country Party
1939-40, and Speaker of the House of Representatives
1950-56.
, and was the son of a Scottish-born farmer. He was educated at state schools and worked on his father's farm at Happy Valley until 1916, when he joined the First Australian Imperial Force
and fought on the Western Front
. After World War I Cameron took up farming at Loxton, and became active in the newly formed Country Party
. In 1922, he married Margaret Eileen Walsh.
. In 1934
, he was elected to the House of Representatives
for the rural South Australian electorate of Barker
. Cameron was an extreme conservative with a violent temper, and not really suited to parliamentary life. But in 1937 he was appointed an assistant minister in the government of Joseph Lyons
, and in 1938 he became Postmaster-General
. He temporarily suspended radio 2KY
's licence because he objected to political views expressed on it.
In 1939 Lyons died, and the Country Party leader, Dr Earle Page
, refused to serve under his successor, Robert Menzies
. The Country Party then rebelled against Page's leadership, deposed him and elected Cameron as their new leader.
Cameron took the Country Party back into the coalition government under Menzies, becoming Minister for Commerce
and Minister for the Navy
. After the 1940 election
, however, the Country Party tired of Cameron's domineering style, and replaced him as leader with Arthur Fadden
. Cameron then immediately resigned from the ministry, and from the Country Party: he joined Menzies's party, the United Australia Party
. He rejoined the Army and spent the rest of the war on active service in the Directorate of Military Intelligence at Army Headquarters, Melbourne, where he did useful work on the Japanese order of battle.
In 1945 Cameron joined Menzies's new party, the Liberal Party
, and when the Liberals won the 1949 elections
Menzies appointed him Speaker of the House
: mainly, it was said, to keep him out of the Cabinet. He presided over the House with an autocratic style that caused a number of celebrated rows with members on both sides. Cameron's lungs and heart were weakened by gas during World War I and in August 1955 he contracted influenza, eventually dying of myocardial infarction
in August in Royal Prince Alfred Hospital
, Sydney. He was survived by his wife and son, but not a daughter.
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...
1939-40, and Speaker of the House of Representatives
Speaker of the Australian House of Representatives
The Speaker of the House of Representatives is the presiding officer of the House of Representatives, the lower house of the Parliament of Australia. The presiding officer in the upper house is the President of the Senate....
1950-56.
Biography
Archie Cameron was born in Happy Valley, South AustraliaHappy Valley, South Australia
Happy Valley is a metropolitan suburb of Adelaide, South Australia. It is located 20 km south of the Central Business District of Adelaide.Within the suburb is the Happy Valley Reservoir accompanied by South Australia's largest water treatment plant, responsible for supplying water to much of the...
, and was the son of a Scottish-born farmer. He was educated at state schools and worked on his father's farm at Happy Valley until 1916, when he joined the First Australian Imperial Force
First Australian Imperial Force
The First Australian Imperial Force was the main expeditionary force of the Australian Army during World War I. It was formed from 15 August 1914, following Britain's declaration of war on Germany. Generally known at the time as the AIF, it is today referred to as the 1st AIF to distinguish from...
and fought on the Western Front
Western Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
. After World War I Cameron took up farming at Loxton, and became active in the newly formed 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...
. In 1922, he married Margaret Eileen Walsh.
Political career
In 1927, Cameron was elected to the seat of Wooroora in the South Australian House of AssemblySouth Australian House of Assembly
The House of Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of South Australia. The other is the Legislative Council. It sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Adelaide.- Overview :...
. In 1934
Australian federal election, 1934
Federal elections were held in Australia on 15 September 1934. All 74 seats in the House of Representatives, and 18 of the 36 seats in the Senate were up for election. The incumbent United Australia Party led by Prime Minister of Australia Joseph Lyons with coalition partner the Country Party led...
, he was elected to the House of Representatives
Australian House of Representatives
The House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia; it is the lower house; the upper house is the Senate. Members of Parliament serve for terms of approximately three years....
for the rural South Australian electorate of Barker
Division of Barker
The Division of Barker is an Australian Electoral Division in the south-east of South Australia.The division was created in 1903 and is named for Collet Barker, an early explorer of the region at the mouth of the Murray River...
. Cameron was an extreme conservative with a violent temper, and not really suited to parliamentary life. But in 1937 he was appointed an assistant minister in the government of Joseph Lyons
Joseph Lyons
Joseph Aloysius Lyons, CH was an Australian politician. He was Labor Premier of Tasmania from 1923 to 1928 and a Minister in the James Scullin government from 1929 until his resignation from the Labor Party in March 1931...
, and in 1938 he became Postmaster-General
Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy (Australia)
The Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy is currently Senator the Hon Stephen Conroy. He replaced Senator the Hon Helen Coonan on 3 December 2007.-Portfolio:...
. He temporarily suspended radio 2KY
2KY
2KY is a commercial radio station based in Sydney, broadcasting throughout New South Wales and Canberra on a network of over 140 narrowcast transmitters as well as the main 1017 AM frequency in Sydney. 2KY broadcasts live commentary of thoroughbred, harness and greyhound racing...
's licence because he objected to political views expressed on it.
In 1939 Lyons died, and the Country Party leader, Dr Earle Page
Earle Page
Sir Earle Christmas Grafton Page, GCMG, CH was the 11th Prime Minister of Australia, and is to date the second-longest serving federal parliamentarian in Australian history, with 41 years, 361 days in Parliament.-Early life:...
, refused to serve under his successor, Robert Menzies
Robert Menzies
Sir Robert Gordon Menzies, , Australian politician, was the 12th and longest-serving Prime Minister of Australia....
. The Country Party then rebelled against Page's leadership, deposed him and elected Cameron as their new leader.
Cameron took the Country Party back into the coalition government under Menzies, becoming Minister for Commerce
Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (Australia)
The current Australian Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry is Senator the Hon Joe Ludwig.-Portfolio responsibilities:The minister administers his portfolio through the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, and its component bodies:...
and Minister for the Navy
Minister for Defence (Australia)
The Minister for Defence of Australia administers his portfolio through the Australian Defence Organisation, which comprises the Department of Defence and the Australian Defence Force. Stephen Smith is the current Minister.-Ministers for Defence:...
. After the 1940 election
Australian federal election, 1940
Federal elections were held in Australia on 21 September 1940. All 74 seats in the House of Representatives, and 19 of the 36 seats in the Senate were up for election...
, however, the Country Party tired of Cameron's domineering style, and replaced him as leader with Arthur Fadden
Arthur Fadden
Sir Arthur William Fadden, GCMG was an Australian politician and, briefly, the 13th Prime Minister of Australia.-Introduction:...
. Cameron then immediately resigned from the ministry, and from the Country Party: he joined Menzies's party, the United Australia Party
United Australia Party
The United Australia Party was an Australian political party that was founded in 1931 and dissolved in 1945. It was the political successor to the Nationalist Party of Australia and predecessor to the Liberal Party of Australia...
. He rejoined the Army and spent the rest of the war on active service in the Directorate of Military Intelligence at Army Headquarters, Melbourne, where he did useful work on the Japanese order of battle.
In 1945 Cameron joined Menzies's new party, the Liberal Party
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
, and when the Liberals won the 1949 elections
Australian federal election, 1949
Federal elections were held in Australia on 10 December 1949. All 121 seats in the House of Representatives, and 42 of the 60 seats in the Senate were up for election, where the single transferable vote was introduced...
Menzies appointed him Speaker of the House
Speaker of the Australian House of Representatives
The Speaker of the House of Representatives is the presiding officer of the House of Representatives, the lower house of the Parliament of Australia. The presiding officer in the upper house is the President of the Senate....
: mainly, it was said, to keep him out of the Cabinet. He presided over the House with an autocratic style that caused a number of celebrated rows with members on both sides. Cameron's lungs and heart were weakened by gas during World War I and in August 1955 he contracted influenza, eventually dying of myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
in August in Royal Prince Alfred Hospital
Royal Prince Alfred Hospital
The Royal Prince Alfred Hospital is a major public teaching hospital in Sydney, Australia, located on Missenden Road in Camperdown...
, Sydney. He was survived by his wife and son, but not a daughter.