Ben Doig
Encyclopedia
Benjamin Cochrane Doig was an Australia
n politician. He was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
from 1957 to 1965, representing the electorate of Burwood
. He was a member of the Liberal Party prior to 1964, but resigned to sit as an independent for his final year in parliament after losing preselection to recontest his seat.
Doig was born in Paddington
, and was educated at Paddington Public School and Fort Street Boys High School before studying psychology at the University of Sydney
. He worked as an industrial psychologist for Bonds Limited
from 1926 to 1927 and as manager for an advertising agency from 1928 to 1932. From 1932 onwards, he worked as an insurance executive for the Mutual Life and Citizens Assurance Company.
Doig was elected to the Legislative Assembly for the safe Liberal seat of Burwood at a 1957 by-election following the death of incumbent MP Leslie Parr
. He was re-elected in 1959 and 1962, but was challenged for preselection for the 1965 election
by opponents of his stance on state aid to church schools. Doig had been among the most ardent supporters of the policy in the Liberal Party, and was defeated by challenger John Jackett
. Doig resigned from the Liberal Party after his loss, and contested the 1965 election as an independent, but was defeated by Jackett. He subsequently returned to his prior role as an insurance executive, and took no further part in elective politics.
Doig died in November 1980 at Strathfield
.
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 1957 to 1965, representing the electorate of Burwood
Electoral district of Burwood (New South Wales)
Burwood was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales, first created in 1894 with the abolition of multi-member electoral districts from part of Canterbury, and named after and including the Sydney suburb of Burwood. With the introduction of...
. He was a member of the Liberal Party prior to 1964, but resigned to sit as an independent for his final year in parliament after losing preselection to recontest his seat.
Doig was born in Paddington
Paddington, New South Wales
Paddington is an inner-city, eastern suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Paddington is located 3 kilometres east of the Sydney central business district and lies across the local government areas of the City of Sydney and the Municipality of Woollahra...
, and was educated at Paddington Public School and Fort Street Boys High School before studying psychology at the University of Sydney
University of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
. He worked as an industrial psychologist for Bonds Limited
Bonds (company)
Bonds Industries Pty Ltd is an Australian manufacturer and importer of men's, women's and children's underwear and clothing, and a subsidiary of Pacific Brands Holdings Pty Ltd. It is a popular mid-range brand within Australia and the United Kingdom...
from 1926 to 1927 and as manager for an advertising agency from 1928 to 1932. From 1932 onwards, he worked as an insurance executive for the Mutual Life and Citizens Assurance Company.
Doig was elected to the Legislative Assembly for the safe Liberal seat of Burwood at a 1957 by-election following the death of incumbent MP Leslie Parr
Leslie Parr
Dr Leslie James Albert Parr was an Australian politician and a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1951 until his death. He was a member of the Liberal Party of Australia....
. He was re-elected in 1959 and 1962, but was challenged for preselection for the 1965 election
New South Wales state election, 1965
The 1965 New South Wales state election was held on 1 May 1965. It was conducted in single member constituencies with compulsory preferential voting and was held on boundaries created at a 1961 redistribution...
by opponents of his stance on state aid to church schools. Doig had been among the most ardent supporters of the policy in the Liberal Party, and was defeated by challenger John Jackett
John Jackett (politician)
John Gordon Thorne Jackett was an Australian politician. He was the Liberal member for Burwood in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1965 to 1978....
. Doig resigned from the Liberal Party after his loss, and contested the 1965 election as an independent, but was defeated by Jackett. He subsequently returned to his prior role as an insurance executive, and took no further part in elective politics.
Doig died in November 1980 at Strathfield
Strathfield, New South Wales
Strathfield is an Inner West suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Strathfield is located 14 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre of the local government area of the Municipality of Strathfield...
.