Charles Jones (Australian politician)
Encyclopedia
Charles Keith Jones AO (12 September 19177 August 2003) was an Australian politician and government minister.
He was Minister for Transport (19 December 197212 June 1974) and Minister for Civil Aviation (19 December 197230 November 1973) in the Second Whitlam Ministry
and Minister for Transport (12 June 197411 November 1975) in the Third Whitlam Ministry
.
Commonly known as "Charlie", C. K. Jones was born in Newcastle
and was educated at Cooks Hill
High School to the equivalent of 7th grade. He then completed an apprenticeship in boilermaking
at the BHP
steelworks and Newcastle Technical College. He married Doreen Wright in 1939.
He first became politically active as a member of the Boilermakers Union and, subsequently, the various metal trade unions. In the early 1940s he became a union official and a delegate to the Newcastle Trades Hall Council.
He was elected to the Newcastle City Council in 1946, and in 1956, at the age of 39, became the youngest Lord Mayor of Newcastle, a position he held until he was elected to the Division of Newcastle
at the 1958 election
. He held the seat until he retired in 1983.
In the Federal Australian Labor Party, he was associated with the Left faction and was a close associate of Jim Cairns
and Tom Uren
. He became the shadow minister for Transport and Civil Aviation following Labor's crushing defeat at the 1966 election
.
Charlie Jones was commissioned as a minister with the election of the Whitlam Government in 1972 and served as the Minister for Transport
until that government was dismissed
on 11 November 1975.
During this period, Jones attempted to improve the co-ordination of Australia's transport systems. Under the Australian constitution, intrastate transport is a responsibility of the various state governments. Consequently Australian transport had a significant degree of systemic inefficiency. Jones proposed a model urban train carriage that could be used in the train systems of the major capitals and also attempted to inaugurate an Inter-State Commission
as proposed by Section 101 of the Australian Constitution.
He was involved in providing air services to Papua New Guinea
when that nation became independent in 1975. He is reported to have said to Michael Somare
, Papua New Guinea's first Prime Minister: "You can talk until you're black in the face, Michael, but Ansett are the niggers in the woodpile".
He was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia
for service to politics and government in the 1984 Australia Day Honours list. In 2001 he was presented with a Centenary Medal for service to the Australian community.
He was Minister for Transport (19 December 197212 June 1974) and Minister for Civil Aviation (19 December 197230 November 1973) in the Second Whitlam Ministry
Second Whitlam Ministry
The Second Whitlam Ministry was the forty-ninth Australian Commonwealth ministry, and ran from 19 December 1972 to 12 June 1974.Australian Labor Party*Hon Gough Whitlam, QC MP: Prime Minister. Minister for Foreign Affairs...
and Minister for Transport (12 June 197411 November 1975) in the Third Whitlam Ministry
Third Whitlam Ministry
The Third Whitlam Ministry was the fiftieth Australian Commonwealth ministry, and ran from 12 June 1974 to 11 November 1975. It was dismissed in the 1975 Australian constitutional crisis.Australian Labor Party...
.
Commonly known as "Charlie", C. K. Jones was born in Newcastle
Newcastle, New South Wales
The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...
and was educated at Cooks Hill
Cooks Hill, New South Wales
Cooks Hill is an inner city suburb of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. It is typified by its tree lined streets, rows of Victorian terrace housing, turn of the century timber cottages and corner pubs.-Description:...
High School to the equivalent of 7th grade. He then completed an apprenticeship in boilermaking
Boilermaker
A boilermaker is a trained craftsman who produces steel fabrications from plates and sections. The name originated from craftsmen who would fabricate boilers, but they may work on projects as diverse as bridges to blast furnaces to the construction of mining equipment.-Boilermaking:Many...
at the BHP
BHP Billiton
BHP Billiton is a global mining, oil and gas company headquartered in Melbourne, Australia and with a major management office in London, United Kingdom...
steelworks and Newcastle Technical College. He married Doreen Wright in 1939.
He first became politically active as a member of the Boilermakers Union and, subsequently, the various metal trade unions. In the early 1940s he became a union official and a delegate to the Newcastle Trades Hall Council.
He was elected to the Newcastle City Council in 1946, and in 1956, at the age of 39, became the youngest Lord Mayor of Newcastle, a position he held until he was elected to the Division of Newcastle
Division of Newcastle
The Division of Newcastle is an Australian Electoral Division in the state of New South Wales. The Division is centred around the city of Newcastle, after which it is named....
at the 1958 election
Australian federal election, 1958
Federal elections were held in Australia on 22 November 1958. All 122 seats in the House of Representatives, and 32 of the 60 seats in the Senate were up for election...
. He held the seat until he retired in 1983.
In the Federal Australian Labor Party, he was associated with the Left faction and was a close associate of Jim Cairns
Jim Cairns
James Ford "J. F." Cairns , Australian politician, was prominent in the Labor movement through the 1960s and 1970s, and was briefly Deputy Prime Minister in the Whitlam government...
and Tom Uren
Tom Uren
Thomas Uren, AO was a Deputy Leader of the Australian Labor Party. He helped establish the heritage and conservation movement in Australia and, in particular, worked to preserve the heritage of inner Sydney.-Early life:...
. He became the shadow minister for Transport and Civil Aviation following Labor's crushing defeat at the 1966 election
Australian federal election, 1966
Federal elections were held in Australia on 26 November 1966. All 124 seats in the House of Representatives were up for election. The incumbent Liberal Party of Australia led by Prime Minister of Australia Harold Holt with coalition partner the Country Party led by John McEwen defeated the...
.
Charlie Jones was commissioned as a minister with the election of the Whitlam Government in 1972 and served as the Minister for Transport
Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government (Australia)
The Australian Minister for Infrastructure and Transport is the Hon Anthony Albanese. On 3 December 2007 he replaced the Minister for Transport and Regional Services, the Hon Mark Vaile, who held office since August 2006, and the Minister for Local Government, Territories and Roads, the Hon Jim...
until that government was dismissed
Australian constitutional crisis of 1975
The 1975 Australian constitutional crisis has been described as the greatest political crisis and constitutional crisis in Australia's history. It culminated on 11 November 1975 with the removal of the Prime Minister, Gough Whitlam of the Australian Labor Party , by Governor-General Sir John Kerr...
on 11 November 1975.
During this period, Jones attempted to improve the co-ordination of Australia's transport systems. Under the Australian constitution, intrastate transport is a responsibility of the various state governments. Consequently Australian transport had a significant degree of systemic inefficiency. Jones proposed a model urban train carriage that could be used in the train systems of the major capitals and also attempted to inaugurate an Inter-State Commission
Inter-State Commission
The Inter-State Commission, or Interstate Commission, is a defunct constitutional body under Australian law. The envisaged chief functions of the Inter-State Commission were to administer and adjudicate matters relating to interstate trade...
as proposed by Section 101 of the Australian Constitution.
He was involved in providing air services to Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
when that nation became independent in 1975. He is reported to have said to Michael Somare
Michael Somare
Sir Michael Thomas Somare, GCL, GCMG, CH, CF, KStJ, MP was Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea from 2002 to 2011; he had previously been Prime Minister from independence in 1975 until 1980 and again from 1982 until 1985. Somare's first two terms were as a member of the Pangu Party, but he then...
, Papua New Guinea's first Prime Minister: "You can talk until you're black in the face, Michael, but Ansett are the niggers in the woodpile".
He was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia
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"...
for service to politics and government in the 1984 Australia Day Honours list. In 2001 he was presented with a Centenary Medal for service to the Australian community.