Cliff Mallam
Encyclopedia
Heathcote Clifford Mallam (4 December 1909 – 18 February 2006) was an Australian politician and a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
between 1953 and 1968 and between 1971 and 1981. He was a member of the Australian Labor Party
(ALP).
and was the son of a farmer. He was educated to elementary level at numerous state schools in the North Coast region of New South Wales. At the age of 12 he left school and worked on dairy farms, he was also employed as a shearer, drover, storekeeper and bus driver. He eventually became a taxi and bus service owner in Hurstville
and Earlwood
and ran a ferry service on Port Hacking
. He was a long term member of the Transport Workers Union
and joined the Labor Party in 1926. Between 1946 and 1976 he was an editorial assistant on Jack Lang's
paper, The Century.
at the 1944
state election and the 1951 by-election caused by the death of the sitting Liberal
member Gordon Jackett
. He was eventually elected to parliament as the member for Dulwich Hill
at the 1954 by-election caused by the resignation of the sitting Labor member George Weir
who had accepted a position as a judge on the Industrial Relations Commission of New South Wales
. Mallam retained the seat at the next 4 elections, until it was abolished by a redistribution at the 1968
election. He did not contest that election but won Labor endorsement for the new seat of Cook
at the 1969
federal election. He was defeated by the Liberal's Don Dobie
. In 1971
, Mallam was selected by the Labor Party for the seat of Campbelltown
which was physically and demographically far removed from his previous seat. At the election he defeated the sitting Liberal member Max Dunbier
. He retained the seat at the next 3 elections and retired from public life at the election in 1981
. Mallam did not hold party, parliamentary or ministerial office but had a reputation for being a very hard working local member. He was a member of all Parents and Citizens Associations
in his electorate and worked to establish TAFE
colleges in south-west Sydney. He died at age 96.
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...
between 1953 and 1968 and between 1971 and 1981. He was a member of the Australian Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
(ALP).
Early life
Mallam was born at Backwater near Glen Innes, New South WalesGlen Innes, New South Wales
Glen Innes is a parish and town on the Northern Tablelands, in the New England region of New South Wales, Australia. It is the centre of the Glen Innes Severn Shire Council. The town is located at the intersection of the New England Highway and the Gwydir Highway...
and was the son of a farmer. He was educated to elementary level at numerous state schools in the North Coast region of New South Wales. At the age of 12 he left school and worked on dairy farms, he was also employed as a shearer, drover, storekeeper and bus driver. He eventually became a taxi and bus service owner in Hurstville
Hurstville, New South Wales
Hurstville is a suburb in southern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Hurstville is located 16 kilometres south of the Sydney central business district and is part of the St George area. Hurstville is the administrative centre of the local government area of the City of...
and Earlwood
Earlwood, New South Wales
Earlwood is a suburb in the inner-west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Earlwood is located 12 kilometres south of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Canterbury...
and ran a ferry service on Port Hacking
Port Hacking
Port Hacking is an Australian estuary, located in Southern Sydney, New South Wales and fed by the Hacking River and several smaller creeks, including Bundeena Creek and The Basin. It is a ria, a river basin which has become submerged by the sea...
. He was a long term member of the Transport Workers Union
Transport Workers Union of Australia
The Transport Workers Union of Australia is a trade union with over 80,000 members throughout Australia. It has 5 main branches in Australia* Australian Capital Territory/New South Wales* Queensland* Victoria/Tasmania...
and joined the Labor Party in 1926. Between 1946 and 1976 he was an editorial assistant on Jack Lang's
Jack Lang (Australian politician)
John Thomas Lang , usually referred to as J.T. Lang during his career, and familiarly known as "Jack" and nicknamed "The Big Fella" was an Australian politician who was Premier of New South Wales for two terms...
paper, The Century.
State politics
Mallam was the unsuccessful Labor candidate for the seat of BurwoodElectoral district of Burwood
The electoral district of Burwood is an electorate for the Victorian Legislative Assembly in Australia. It is located approximately 13 kilometres east of Melbourne, and covers an area of 24 km². It includes the suburbs of Ashburton, Ashwood, Box Hill South, and parts of Burwood, Camberwell,...
at the 1944
New South Wales state election, 1944
The 1944 New South Wales state election was held on 27 May 1944. It was conducted in single member constituencies with compulsory preferential voting and was held on boundaries created at a 1940 redistribution...
state election and the 1951 by-election caused by the death of the sitting Liberal
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...
member Gordon Jackett
Gordon Jackett
Harry Gordon Jackett was an Australian politician and a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1935 and 1938 and from 1941 until his death. He was variously a United Australia Party , Independent UAP, Democratic Party and Liberal Party member of parliament .Jackett was born in...
. He was eventually elected to parliament as the member for Dulwich Hill
Electoral district of Dulwich Hill
Dulwich Hill was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales, created in 1913, and named after and including the Sydney suburb of Dulwich Hill. With the introduction of proportional representation, it was absorbed into the multi-member electorate of...
at the 1954 by-election caused by the resignation of the sitting Labor member George Weir
George Weir
George Weir was an Australian politician and a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1941 to 1953.-Early life:...
who had accepted a position as a judge on the Industrial Relations Commission of New South Wales
Industrial Relations Commission of New South Wales
The Industrial Relations Commission of New South Wales conciliates and arbitrates industrial disputes, sets conditions of employment and fixes wages and salaries by making industrial awards, approves enterprise agreements and decides claims of unfair dismissal in New South Wales, a state of Australia...
. Mallam retained the seat at the next 4 elections, until it was abolished by a redistribution at the 1968
New South Wales state election, 1968
The 1968 New South Wales state election was held on 24 February 1968. It was conducted in single member constituencies with compulsory preferential voting and was held on boundaries created at a 1966 redistribution...
election. He did not contest that election but won Labor endorsement for the new seat of Cook
Division of Cook
The Division of Cook is an Australian Electoral Division in New South Wales. The division was created in 1969 and is named for James Cook, who mapped the east coast of Australia in 1770. It is located in the southern suburbs of Sydney, including Caringbah, Cronulla, Miranda and Sylvania...
at the 1969
Australian federal election, 1969
Federal elections were held in Australia on 25 October 1969. All 125 seats in the House of Representatives were up for election. The incumbent Liberal Party of Australia led by Prime Minister of Australia John Gorton with coalition partner the Country Party led by John McEwen defeated the Australian...
federal election. He was defeated by the Liberal's Don Dobie
Don Dobie
James Donald Mathieson "Don" Dobie was an Australian politician. Born in Glasgow in Scotland, he migrated to Australia as a child and was educated at Brisbane Grammar School, the University of Melbourne, and Columbia University in New York...
. In 1971
New South Wales state election, 1971
Elections for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly were held in the state of New South Wales, Australia, on Saturday 13 February 1971. The Liberal-Country Party coalition government led by Sir Robert Askin won a third term in office. The Labor Party opposition was led by Pat Hills.The...
, Mallam was selected by the Labor Party for the seat of Campbelltown
Electoral district of Campbelltown
Campbelltown is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly of the Australian state of New South Wales in Sydney's South-west.It is represented by Bryan Doyle of the Liberal Party of Australia.-Members for Campbelltown:-Election results:...
which was physically and demographically far removed from his previous seat. At the election he defeated the sitting Liberal member Max Dunbier
Max Dunbier
Maxwell John Rowland "Max" Dunbier is a former Australian politician. He was the Liberal member for Campbelltown in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1968 to 1971....
. He retained the seat at the next 3 elections and retired from public life at the election in 1981
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...
. Mallam did not hold party, parliamentary or ministerial office but had a reputation for being a very hard working local member. He was a member of all Parents and Citizens Associations
Parents and Citizens
Some Australian State Schools, both primary and high, are supported by Parents and Citizens Associations. These groups provide volunteer support, raise funds for infrastructure and other expenses and assist in the administration of their school....
in his electorate and worked to establish TAFE
TAFE NSW
TAFE NSW is Australia's largest vocational education and training provider. Annually, the network trains over 400,000 people in campus, workplace, online, or distance education methods of education....
colleges in south-west Sydney. He died at age 96.