Bruce McDonald (Australian politician)
Encyclopedia
Bruce John McDonald, AM
(born 26 May 1935) was a New South Wales politician, Leader of the Opposition and Leader for the Liberal Party
of New South Wales. McDonald was Leader of the Opposition of New South Wales
, Australia
from 1 June 1981 to 12 October 1981, when he lost the election to Labor Premier, Neville Wran
. McDonald lost the parliamentary seat he contested at the same election.
and Sydney Technical High School
. He studied civil engineering and urban planning at Sydney Technical College
and the University of Sydney
and was later employed as a Cadet Engineer for the Metropolitan Water Sewerage and Drainage Board from 1951 to 1956. Subsequently he became a Member of the Institute of Engineers and the Royal Australian Planning Institute. He served as the Foundation President of the Urban Development Institute of Australia
from 1962 to 1964 and again from 1974 to 1976, becoming a Life Member.
seat of Kirribilli
, at a 1976 by-election, through which he defeated the sitting member John Waddy
for preselection before the 1976 contest
. Waddy resigned from the party and contested the seat as an independent, but lost by a large margin to McDonald.
As a member, McDonald served in various Parliamentary committees and Shadow portfolios, including as Shadow Treasurer, Shadow Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs, Business and Consumer Affairs and Deputy Chairman of the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee. McDonald was then elected as Deputy Leader of the New South Wales Liberal Party, and was Deputy Leader of the Opposition in 1978 under Leader John Marsden Mason
, until Mason was deposed by a party poll in late May 1981. Elected the party's leader on 1 June 1981, McDonald led the party up to its massive defeat at the 1981 election
, at which his seat was abolished. He contested the seat of North Shore
but was defeated by the independent candidate, Ted Mack
. McDonald's defeat in North Shore meant that the 1981 election was the second election in a row in which the sitting Opposition Leader had failed to win a seat in Parliament after Peter Coleman in 1978.
Following his loss McDonald moved to South Australia, settling in the Adelaide
suburb of Kent Town
, and becoming a Member of the SA State Executive (1984-1993), Executive Vice-President from 1984 to 1987 and President of Liberal Party of South Australia from 1987 to 1990. He was also made a Life Member of the State Council of SA. Afterwards he switched to federal politics, becoming Federal Vice-President of the Liberal Party of Australia
(1998-2005) and a Member of Federal Executive from 1987-1990 and 1998-2005.
His brother Donald had served as chairman of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation from 1996 to 2006.
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
(born 26 May 1935) was a New South Wales politician, Leader of the Opposition and Leader for 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...
of New South Wales. McDonald was Leader of the Opposition of New South Wales
Leader of the Opposition (New South Wales)
The role of the Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition in New South Wales is a title held by the leader of the largest minority party in the state lower house, the New South Wales Legislative Assembly...
, Australia
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...
from 1 June 1981 to 12 October 1981, when he lost the election to Labor Premier, Neville Wran
Neville Wran
Neville Kenneth Wran, AC, CNZM, QC was the Premier of New South Wales from 1976 until 1986. He was National President of the Australian Labor Party from 1980 to 1986 and Chairman of both the Lionel Murphy Foundation and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation from 1986...
. McDonald lost the parliamentary seat he contested at the same election.
Early life
McDonald was born in the Sydney suburb of Drummoyne in 1935 and was educated at Drummoyne Boys' High SchoolDrummoyne Boys' High School
Drummoyne Boys' High School is a former high school in the inner western Sydney suburb of Drummoyne, New South Wales, Australia. It was a boys high school operated by the New South Wales Department of Education and Training with students from years 7 to 12. The school was established in 1940...
and Sydney Technical High School
Sydney Technical High School
Sydney Technical High School is an academically selective, state-funded high school for boys in Bexley, a southern suburb of Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1911 as part of Sydney Technical College, the school was one of the six original New South Wales selective schools...
. He studied civil engineering and urban planning at Sydney Technical College
Sydney Technical College
The Sydney Technical College was a name used by Australia's oldest technical education institution.It began as the Sydney Mechanics' Institute in 1843...
and 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...
and was later employed as a Cadet Engineer for the Metropolitan Water Sewerage and Drainage Board from 1951 to 1956. Subsequently he became a Member of the Institute of Engineers and the Royal Australian Planning Institute. He served as the Foundation President of the Urban Development Institute of Australia
Urban Development Institute of Australia
The Urban Development Institute of Australia is an education and non-profit organisation with offices in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Western Australia, South Australia, Northern Territory and Australian Capital Territory. Its mission is to promote affordability, sustainability and...
from 1962 to 1964 and again from 1974 to 1976, becoming a Life Member.
Political career
He was elected for the New South Wales Legislative AssemblyNew 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...
seat of Kirribilli
Electoral district of Kirribilli
Kirribilli was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales, created in 1962, partly replacing Neutral Bay, and named after and including the Sydney suburb of Kirribilli. It was abolished in 1981 and partly replaced by North Shore.-Members for...
, at a 1976 by-election, through which he defeated the sitting member John Waddy
John Lloyd Waddy
John Lloyd Waddy OBE, DFC was a senior officer and aviator in the Royal Australian Air Force , who later served as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly and Minister of the Crown...
for preselection before the 1976 contest
New South Wales state election, 1976
A general election for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly was held in the state of New South Wales, Australia, on Saturday 1 May 1976. The result was a narrow win for the Australian Labor Party under Neville Wran—the party's first in the state in more than a decade.- Issues :The incumbent...
. Waddy resigned from the party and contested the seat as an independent, but lost by a large margin to McDonald.
As a member, McDonald served in various Parliamentary committees and Shadow portfolios, including as Shadow Treasurer, Shadow Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs, Business and Consumer Affairs and Deputy Chairman of the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee. McDonald was then elected as Deputy Leader of the New South Wales Liberal Party, and was Deputy Leader of the Opposition in 1978 under Leader John Marsden Mason
John Mason (Australian politician)
John Marsden Mason is a former Australian politician, a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for 16 years.-Early life:Mason was born in Rose Bay in Sydney in 1928, the son of Kay Mason and Stella Marsden...
, until Mason was deposed by a party poll in late May 1981. Elected the party's leader on 1 June 1981, McDonald led the party up to its massive defeat at the 1981 election
New South Wales state election, 1981
Elections were held in the state of New South Wales, Australia, on Saturday 19 September 1981. The result was a second "Wranslide": a landslide victory for the Australian Labor Party under Neville Wran, in which the government increased its already sizeable majority.The Liberals suffered the double...
, at which his seat was abolished. He contested the seat of North Shore
Electoral district of North Shore
North Shore is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is represented by Jillian Skinner of the Liberal Party of Australia.-History:...
but was defeated by the independent candidate, Ted Mack
Ted Mack (politician)
Edward Carrington Mack is an Australian politician. He is the only person ever to have been elected and re-elected as an independent to local, state and federal government in Australia, and is often referred to as the "father of the independents".-Early life:Mack was born in the Sydney suburb of...
. McDonald's defeat in North Shore meant that the 1981 election was the second election in a row in which the sitting Opposition Leader had failed to win a seat in Parliament after Peter Coleman in 1978.
Following his loss McDonald moved to South Australia, settling in the Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
suburb of Kent Town
Kent Town, South Australia
Kent Town is an inner urban suburb of Adelaide, South Australia. It is located in the City of Norwood Payneham & St Peters.-History:The suburb was named after Dr Benjamin Archer Kent, who established a farm and flour mill on which the suburb now stands.....
, and becoming a Member of the SA State Executive (1984-1993), Executive Vice-President from 1984 to 1987 and President of Liberal Party of South Australia from 1987 to 1990. He was also made a Life Member of the State Council of SA. Afterwards he switched to federal politics, becoming Federal Vice-President of the Liberal Party of Australia
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...
(1998-2005) and a Member of Federal Executive from 1987-1990 and 1998-2005.
His brother Donald had served as chairman of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation from 1996 to 2006.
Honours
- On 1 January 2001 he was awarded the Centenary MedalCentenary MedalThe Centenary Medal is an award created by the Australian Government in 2001. It was established to commemorate the Centenary of Federation of Australia and to honour people who have made a contribution to Australian society or government...
.
- On 11 June 2007, he was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the General Division for "service to the Liberal Party of Australia, to the New South Wales Parliament, and to the transport industry".