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Bruce Smith (Australian politician)
Encyclopedia
Arthur Bruce Smith KC (28 June 1851 – 14 August 1937) was a long serving Australia
n politician
and leading political opponent of the White Australia policy
.
, Surrey
, England
, Smith was the fifth of seven sons of wealthy ship owner William Howard Smith and his second wife Agnes. The family immigrated to Melbourne
in 1854 where Smith was educated at Wesley College
and studied law at the University of Melbourne
before leaving for England where he was called to the Bar in 1877.
in 1881, where he won a Legislative Assembly by-election for Gundagai
in 1882.
Resigning from parliament in April 1884, Smith returned to Melbourne to run his father's business, Wm Howard Smith and Sons Ltd. In March 1885 Smith founded the Victorian Employers' Union, serving as its inaugural president until 1887, and the Victorian Board of Conciliation. Union leaders favourably commented upon his willingness to work with unions to achieve consensus, an attitude missing in fellow employers.
In 1887, Smith published Liberty and Liberalism, a defence of classical Adam Smith
liberalism in politics and economics and an attack against what he considered the increasing interference by the state. Additionally, Smith later wrote books on the Constitution of Australia
, the dangers of socialism and a volume of verse.
After an argument with his father in December 1887, Smith sold all his shares in Howard Smith to his brother Edmund and resigned from the board. Disinherited by his father, Smith returned to Sydney to continue his career as a barrister and founded the New South Wales Employers' Union.
Elected as the member for Glebe
in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly in February 1889, Smith was almost immediately promoted by Premier Henry Parkes
to Secretary for Public Works, and later, Treasurer. Smith proved to be a hard working minister but abrasive figure, frequently clashing with Parkes and accused of threatening to "shoot down" striking maritime workers "like bloody dogs". He did not seek re-election at the 1894 election.
In 1898 Smith unsuccessfully contested Glebe for the National Federal Party and served as a member of the party's Federal Executive finance committee and as editor of their newspaper United Australia from 1900 to 1902.
on 1 January 1901, Smith successfully contested the newly created federal Division of Parkes
at the inaugural Australian federal election as a Free Trade Party
representative. He campaigned strongly against the idea of restricting non-white immigration, believing it to be racial discrimination; in doing so, Smith was the only candidate to oppose all of what would become the White Australia Policy (Andrew Fisher
argued that any Kanaka
who had converted to Christianity and married should be allowed to remain in Australia).
In parliament, Smith often clashed with his Free Trade colleagues, particularly party leader George Reid
, over his refusal to toe the party line. Despite opposing tariffs, social welfare provisions and "meddling legislation", Smith was a strong supporter of the women's movement and was known as parliament's preeminent political economist and one of its finest debaters.
While a member of parliament, Smith continued to act as a barrister and was made a King's Counsel in 1904. Additionally, he served on numerous commercial boards, including as a director of the Colonial Mutual Life Assurance Society Ltd, and held senior positions with community organisations such as New South Wales president of the British Empire League
in Australia and state president of the Association for the Protection of Native Races.
Smith lost Nationalist preselection at the 1919 election
and was defeated as an independent
candidate, having spent almost all his period in federal parliament in opposition. He was offered the role of Speaker of the Australian House of Representatives
twice but declined in order to concentrate on other matters.
Physically, the urbane Smith was a distinctive looking man; tall, stout, double-chinned and the owner of a fine example of a waxed moustache
.
, where he died in 1937. Survived by two daughters and a son, Smith was buried beside his wife in the Bowral Church of England cemetery.
Smith was considered an anachronism by the end of his political career but his stature has been revived in recent years, thanks in part to the recent republishing of Liberty and Liberalism. Prominent historian Keith Windschuttle
refers to Smith as "one of the outstanding intellectuals of Australian history", adding "were anyone to write a proper history of ideas in Australia, Smith should figure prominently."
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
Politics of Australia
The Politics of Australia take place within the framework of a parliamentary democracy, with electoral procedures appropriate to a two-party system. Australia is governed as a federation and as a constitutional monarchy, with an adversarial legislature based upon the Westminster system...
and leading political opponent of the White Australia policy
White Australia policy
The White Australia policy comprises various historical policies that intentionally restricted "non-white" immigration to Australia. From origins at Federation in 1901, the polices were progressively dismantled between 1949-1973....
.
Early life
Born in RotherhitheRotherhithe
Rotherhithe is a residential district in inner southeast London, England and part of the London Borough of Southwark. It is located on a peninsula on the south bank of the Thames, facing Wapping and the Isle of Dogs on the north bank, and is a part of the Docklands area...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Smith was the fifth of seven sons of wealthy ship owner William Howard Smith and his second wife Agnes. The family immigrated to Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
in 1854 where Smith was educated at Wesley College
Wesley College, Melbourne
Wesley College, Melbourne is an independent, co-educational, Christian day school in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Established in 1866, the college is a school of the Uniting Church in Australia. Wesley is the largest school in Australia by enrolment, with 3,511 students and 564 full-time staff...
and studied law at the University of Melbourne
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
before leaving for England where he was called to the Bar in 1877.
Colonial politics
Returning to Melbourne the next year, Smith was admitted to the Victorian Bar and on 15 January 1879, married Sara Jane Creswell, who bore him four sons and three daughters. Developing an interest in politics, Smith unsuccessfully stood for the Victorian electoral district of Emerald Hill in February 1880, before moving to SydneySydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
in 1881, where he won a Legislative Assembly by-election for Gundagai
Electoral district of Gundagai
Gundagai was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales from 1880 to 1904 in the Gundagai area. It was replaced by Wynyard.-Members for Gundagai:...
in 1882.
Resigning from parliament in April 1884, Smith returned to Melbourne to run his father's business, Wm Howard Smith and Sons Ltd. In March 1885 Smith founded the Victorian Employers' Union, serving as its inaugural president until 1887, and the Victorian Board of Conciliation. Union leaders favourably commented upon his willingness to work with unions to achieve consensus, an attitude missing in fellow employers.
In 1887, Smith published Liberty and Liberalism, a defence of classical Adam Smith
Adam Smith
Adam Smith was a Scottish social philosopher and a pioneer of political economy. One of the key figures of the Scottish Enlightenment, Smith is the author of The Theory of Moral Sentiments and An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations...
liberalism in politics and economics and an attack against what he considered the increasing interference by the state. Additionally, Smith later wrote books on the Constitution of Australia
Constitution of Australia
The Constitution of Australia is the supreme law under which the Australian Commonwealth Government operates. It consists of several documents. The most important is the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Australia...
, the dangers of socialism and a volume of verse.
After an argument with his father in December 1887, Smith sold all his shares in Howard Smith to his brother Edmund and resigned from the board. Disinherited by his father, Smith returned to Sydney to continue his career as a barrister and founded the New South Wales Employers' Union.
Elected as the member for Glebe
Electoral district of Glebe
Glebe was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales, originally created in 1859, partly replacing Sydney Hamlets, and named after and including the Sydney suburb of Glebe. It elected one member from 1859 to 1885 and two members from 1885 to 1894....
in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly in February 1889, Smith was almost immediately promoted by Premier Henry Parkes
Henry Parkes
Sir Henry Parkes, GCMG was an Australian statesman, the "Father of Federation." As the earliest advocate of a Federal Council of the colonies of Australia, a precursor to the Federation of Australia, he was the most prominent of the Australian Founding Fathers.Parkes was described during his...
to Secretary for Public Works, and later, Treasurer. Smith proved to be a hard working minister but abrasive figure, frequently clashing with Parkes and accused of threatening to "shoot down" striking maritime workers "like bloody dogs". He did not seek re-election at the 1894 election.
In 1898 Smith unsuccessfully contested Glebe for the National Federal Party and served as a member of the party's Federal Executive finance committee and as editor of their newspaper United Australia from 1900 to 1902.
Federal politics
Following the Federation of AustraliaFederation of Australia
The Federation of Australia was the process by which the six separate British self-governing colonies of New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia formed one nation...
on 1 January 1901, Smith successfully contested the newly created federal Division of Parkes
Division of Parkes (1901-69)
The Division of Parkes was an Australian Electoral Division in the state of New South Wales. It was located in the south-west of Sydney, and originally included the suburbs of Canterbury, Burwood and Ashfield...
at the inaugural Australian federal election as a Free Trade Party
Free Trade Party
The Free Trade Party which was officially known as the Australian Free Trade and Liberal Association, also referred to as the Revenue Tariff Party in some states and renamed the Anti-Socialist Party in 1906, was an Australian political party, formally organised between 1889 and 1909...
representative. He campaigned strongly against the idea of restricting non-white immigration, believing it to be racial discrimination; in doing so, Smith was the only candidate to oppose all of what would become the White Australia Policy (Andrew Fisher
Andrew Fisher
Andrew Fisher was an Australian politician who served as the fifth Prime Minister on three separate occasions. Fisher's 1910-13 Labor ministry completed a vast legislative programme which made him, along with Protectionist Alfred Deakin, the founder of the statutory structure of the new nation...
argued that any Kanaka
Kanakas
Kanaka was the term for a worker from various Pacific Islands employed in British colonies, such as British Columbia , Fiji and Queensland in the 19th and early 20th centuries...
who had converted to Christianity and married should be allowed to remain in Australia).
In parliament, Smith often clashed with his Free Trade colleagues, particularly party leader George Reid
George Reid (Australian politician)
Sir George Houstoun Reid, GCB, GCMG, KC was an Australian politician, Premier of New South Wales and the fourth Prime Minister of Australia....
, over his refusal to toe the party line. Despite opposing tariffs, social welfare provisions and "meddling legislation", Smith was a strong supporter of the women's movement and was known as parliament's preeminent political economist and one of its finest debaters.
While a member of parliament, Smith continued to act as a barrister and was made a King's Counsel in 1904. Additionally, he served on numerous commercial boards, including as a director of the Colonial Mutual Life Assurance Society Ltd, and held senior positions with community organisations such as New South Wales president of the British Empire League
British Empire League
The British Empire League was formed in London in 1894 in order to support the ideology of British imperialism and to promote loyalty to and the unity of the British Empire...
in Australia and state president of the Association for the Protection of Native Races.
Smith lost Nationalist preselection at the 1919 election
Australian federal election, 1919
Federal elections were held in Australia on 13 December 1919. All 75 seats in the House of Representatives, and 19 of the 36 seats in the Senate were up for election. The incumbent Nationalist Party of Australia led by Prime Minister of Australia Billy Hughes defeated the opposition Australian...
and was defeated as an independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
candidate, having spent almost all his period in federal parliament in opposition. He was offered the role of Speaker of the Australian 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....
twice but declined in order to concentrate on other matters.
Physically, the urbane Smith was a distinctive looking man; tall, stout, double-chinned and the owner of a fine example of a waxed moustache
Moustache wax
Moustache wax is a stiff pomade applied to a moustache as a grooming aid to hold the hairs in place, especially at the extremities. It can also have restorative properties, which become more important as the hair length increases...
.
Post-political life
In 1925 he retired to Bowral, New South WalesBowral, New South Wales
-Attractions:Bowral is perhaps the best known of the towns and villages of the Southern Highlands, and in recent years has become the commercial centre of the Wingecarribee Shire. Bowral is known for its boutiques, antique stores, gourmet restaurants, and rich coffee culture.Bowral is home to the...
, where he died in 1937. Survived by two daughters and a son, Smith was buried beside his wife in the Bowral Church of England cemetery.
Smith was considered an anachronism by the end of his political career but his stature has been revived in recent years, thanks in part to the recent republishing of Liberty and Liberalism. Prominent historian Keith Windschuttle
Keith Windschuttle
Keith Windschuttle is an Australian writer, historian, and ABC board member, who has authored several books from the 1970s onwards. These include Unemployment, , which analysed the economic causes and social consequences of unemployment in Australia and advocated a socialist response; The Media: a...
refers to Smith as "one of the outstanding intellectuals of Australian history", adding "were anyone to write a proper history of ideas in Australia, Smith should figure prominently."
External links
- Liberty and Liberalism (1887), online e-book