David Brand
Encyclopedia
Sir David Brand KCMG
(1 August 1912 – 15 April 1979) was the 19th and longest serving Premier of Western Australia
and a Member of the Legislative Assembly
from 1945 to 1975.
, the eldest of four children of Albert John Brand, a farmer, and his wife Hilda née Mitchell, whose father Samuel Mitchell was a prominent Cornish Australian
geologist and member of the Legislative Council
(1884-85) and represented Murchison in the Legislative Assembly
(1897-1901).
Brand's parents farmed at Northampton
and moved to a farm near Mullewa
in 1924. He left school at 14 to work on the farm. At Mullewa he became secretary of the local branch of the Primary Producers' Association, a forerunner of the Farmers Federation.
In 1935, Brand moved to Kalgoorlie and worked at the Golden Horseshoe Mine, as a truck driver, treatment hand, filter specialist and shift boss. In his spare time, he was active in the Methodist Church and as a scoutmaster.
Like Hawke and Tonkin, Brand was Cornish Australian
Following the outbreak of World War II
, Brand enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force
on 23 November 1939. As a Private
, he was assigned to the 2/11th Battalion, part of the 6th Division, which embarked for the Middle East on 20 April 1940. Brand fought in the North African campaign
, including the advance on Benghazi
, and was promoted to Corporal
before the 2/11th was sent to the Greek campaign, in which he was seriously wounded on 24 April 1941.
Brand was eventually sent back to Australia for further treatment, arriving in August, and was discharged as medically unfit in April 1942. He was re-mobilised in September, as an instructor with the 7th Battalion, Volunteer Defence Corps
, in Geraldton and was promoted to Warrant Officer
in January 1943. With the war effort beginning to wind down, Brand was discharged from the army in January 1945.
Methodist Church on 20 March 1944. (They were to have three children.) After his army discharge, Brand took over the general store at Dongara.
The incumbent Labor
member for the State seat of Greenough
, John Newton, was killed in action with the RAAF
in 1945. Brand won the seat for the Liberal Party
in a by-election that year, defeating Newton's brother by a narrow margin. Brand was the first person in Australia to win election to an Australian parliament as a candidate of the newly formed Liberal Party.
In October 1949, Ross McLarty
became Premier and Brand entered the Ministry
as Minister for Housing, Forests and Local Government. From April 1950 he was Minister for Works, Water Supply and Housing, working to establish the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company refinery at Kwinana
. Brand would later describe this as one of his greatest achievements. He was also involved in the creation of other major industrial projects.
After the Coalition
's defeat in 1953, Brand became deputy leader of the Opposition. After McLarty's retirement, Brand was elected party leader on 1 March 1957. The Coalition returned to power in 1959, and Brand was sworn in as Premier on 2 April. His administration retained office at the elections of 1962, 1965, and 1968. This was achieved with the assistance of the West Australian branch of the Democratic Labor Party
(DLP) which split the Labor vote in some metropolitan electorates. The DLP was active in Western Australia between 1959 and 1974.
In 1960, the Federal government lifted its embargo
on iron
exports, which had been in place since 1938, enabling exploitation of large iron deposits in the Pilbara. The mining of large bauxite
deposits in the Darling Scarp
also commenced, along with expansion of mineral processing at Kwinana and the South West
. Federal finance for the Ord River Scheme was also secured by Brand's government. Substantial oil and gas
deposits were discovered in the Pilbara. In 1968, Western Australia ceased to be a net recipient of federal financial assistance
. In June 1969, Brand was knight
ed.
The mining-pastoral boom of the 1960s gave the Brand government a number of electoral victories over their Labor opponents. However, the rapid growth of the Perth metropolitan area and the strain this put on essential services gradually eroded the government's popularity. In addition, Brand's relations with the federal Liberal Party worsened after the retirement of Robert Menzies
in 1966. While the Brand government suffered from a series of controversies relating to environmental, heritage, Aboriginal and housing issues, the impact of production quotas
for wheat
, imposed by the Gorton government led to open conflict with the federal Liberal Party.
In the midst of this conflict the governments attempt to demolish the remains of the Colonial Barracks ("the Barracks Arch") immediately opposite the parliament building led to a parliamentary revolt within the Liberal Party. Brand prevented this by dropping the proposal, and agreeing to allow the National Trust to restore the Arch. However, the strains this had caused within the government became evident when Brand collapsed while speaking publicly in 1971. He recovered, but the Coalition lost the election that year by one seat.
Brand retired as leader of the Liberal Party in 1973 and was replaced by his deputy Sir Charles Court
. He died of heart disease in Carnamah
in 1979.
The federal electoral Division of Brand
in Western Australia
, created in 1984, is named after him as is the Brand Highway
and the Sir David Brand Primary School.http://www.aec.gov.au/_content/When/elections/2001/map_profiles/profiles/b/brand.htm From 1988 to 1995, the West Australian Tourism Awards were named the Sir David Brand Awards, in recognition of his work to advance the tourism industry.http://www.tourismcouncilwa.com.au/awardscon.asp#4
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
(1 August 1912 – 15 April 1979) was the 19th and longest serving Premier of Western Australia
Premier of Western Australia
The Premier of Western Australia is the head of the executive government in the Australian State of Western Australia. The Premier has similar functions in Western Australia to those performed by the Prime Minister of Australia at the national level, subject to the different Constitutions...
and a Member of the Legislative Assembly
Members of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly
Following are lists of members of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly:...
from 1945 to 1975.
Early life
Brand was born in Dongara, Western AustraliaDongara, Western Australia
Dongara is a town located 351 km north-northwest of Perth on the Brand Highway. The town is located at the mouth of the Irwin River. In recent years the area has been marketed as the 'Rock lobster capital of Australia'....
, the eldest of four children of Albert John Brand, a farmer, and his wife Hilda née Mitchell, whose father Samuel Mitchell was a prominent Cornish Australian
Cornish Australian
Cornish Australians are citizens of Australia whose ancestry originates in Cornwall, United Kingdom, one of the six Celtic Nations. They form part of the worldwide Cornish diaspora which also includes large numbers of people in the US, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, Mexico and many Latin...
geologist and member of the Legislative Council
Western Australian Legislative Council
The Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of parliament in the Australian state of Western Australia. Its central purpose is to act as a house of review for legislation passed through the lower house, the Legislative Assembly. It sits in Parliament House in the state...
(1884-85) and represented Murchison in the Legislative Assembly
Western Australian Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of parliament in the Australian state of Western Australia. It sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Perth....
(1897-1901).
Brand's parents farmed at Northampton
Northampton, Western Australia
Northampton is a town north of Geraldton, in the Mid West region of Western Australia. At the 2006 census, the town had a population of 813. It is historic, with an outstanding National Trust building. The town lies on the North West Coastal Highway. Formerly named Gwalla after the location's...
and moved to a farm near Mullewa
Mullewa, Western Australia
- External links :* *...
in 1924. He left school at 14 to work on the farm. At Mullewa he became secretary of the local branch of the Primary Producers' Association, a forerunner of the Farmers Federation.
In 1935, Brand moved to Kalgoorlie and worked at the Golden Horseshoe Mine, as a truck driver, treatment hand, filter specialist and shift boss. In his spare time, he was active in the Methodist Church and as a scoutmaster.
Like Hawke and Tonkin, Brand was Cornish Australian
Cornish Australian
Cornish Australians are citizens of Australia whose ancestry originates in Cornwall, United Kingdom, one of the six Celtic Nations. They form part of the worldwide Cornish diaspora which also includes large numbers of people in the US, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, Mexico and many Latin...
War service
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Brand enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force
Second Australian Imperial Force
The Second Australian Imperial Force was the name given to the volunteer personnel of the Australian Army in World War II. Under the Defence Act , neither the part-time Militia nor the full-time Permanent Military Force could serve outside Australia or its territories unless they volunteered to...
on 23 November 1939. As a Private
Private (rank)
A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank .In modern military parlance, 'Private' is shortened to 'Pte' in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries and to 'Pvt.' in the United States.Notably both Sir Fitzroy MacLean and Enoch Powell are examples of, rare, rapid career...
, he was assigned to the 2/11th Battalion, part of the 6th Division, which embarked for the Middle East on 20 April 1940. Brand fought in the North African campaign
North African campaign
During the Second World War, the North African Campaign took place in North Africa from 10 June 1940 to 13 May 1943. It included campaigns fought in the Libyan and Egyptian deserts and in Morocco and Algeria and Tunisia .The campaign was fought between the Allies and Axis powers, many of whom had...
, including the advance on Benghazi
Operation Compass
Operation Compass was the first major Allied military operation of the Western Desert Campaign during World War II. British and Commonwealth forces attacked Italian forces in western Egypt and eastern Libya in December 1940 to February 1941. The attack was a complete success...
, and was promoted to Corporal
Corporal
Corporal is a rank in use in some form by most militaries and by some police forces or other uniformed organizations. It is usually equivalent to NATO Rank Code OR-4....
before the 2/11th was sent to the Greek campaign, in which he was seriously wounded on 24 April 1941.
Brand was eventually sent back to Australia for further treatment, arriving in August, and was discharged as medically unfit in April 1942. He was re-mobilised in September, as an instructor with the 7th Battalion, Volunteer Defence Corps
Volunteer Defence Corps
Volunteer Defence Corps may refer to:*Volunteer Defence Corps in Australia*Volunteer Defence Corps in Hong Kong*Shanghai Volunteer Corps...
, in Geraldton and was promoted to Warrant Officer
Warrant Officer
A warrant officer is an officer in a military organization who is designated an officer by a warrant, as distinguished from a commissioned officer who is designated an officer by a commission, or from non-commissioned officer who is designated an officer by virtue of seniority.The rank was first...
in January 1943. With the war effort beginning to wind down, Brand was discharged from the army in January 1945.
Civilian life and political career
Brand married Doris Elspeth McNeill at MingenewMingenew, Western Australia
Mingenew is a town in Western Australia, located north of the state capital, Perth. It is the seat of government for the Shire of Mingenew.- History :...
Methodist Church on 20 March 1944. (They were to have three children.) After his army discharge, Brand took over the general store at Dongara.
The incumbent Labor
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...
member for the State seat of Greenough
Electoral district of Greenough
Greenough was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Western Australia from 1890 to 2008.Greenough was one of the original 30 seats contested at the 1890 state election. The district was based in the northern part of Western Australia's Wheatbelt region...
, John Newton, was killed in action with the RAAF
Royal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
in 1945. Brand won the seat 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...
in a by-election that year, defeating Newton's brother by a narrow margin. Brand was the first person in Australia to win election to an Australian parliament as a candidate of the newly formed Liberal Party.
In October 1949, Ross McLarty
Ross McLarty
Sir Duncan Ross McLarty KBE MM was the 17th Premier of Western Australia.-Early life:McLarty was born in Pinjarra, Western Australia, the youngest of seven children of Edward McLarty, a farmer and grazier and member of the Western Australian Legislative Council, and his wife Mary Jane, née Campbell...
became Premier and Brand entered the Ministry
McLarty-Watts Ministry
The McLarty-Watts Ministry was the 21st Ministry of the Government of Western Australia, led by Liberal Premier Sir Ross McLarty and his deputy, Country Party leader Arthur Watts. It succeeded the Wise Ministry on 1 April 1947, following the defeat of the Labor government at the 1947 election two...
as Minister for Housing, Forests and Local Government. From April 1950 he was Minister for Works, Water Supply and Housing, working to establish the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company refinery at Kwinana
Kwinana
Kwinana may refer to:*Town of Kwinana, a Local Government Area in Western Australia*Kwinana Beach, Western Australia, a suburb in Western Australia*Kwinana Freeway, a major road in Western Australia...
. Brand would later describe this as one of his greatest achievements. He was also involved in the creation of other major industrial projects.
After the Coalition
Coalition (Australia)
The Coalition in Australian politics refers to a group of centre-right parties that has existed in the form of a coalition agreement since 1922...
's defeat in 1953, Brand became deputy leader of the Opposition. After McLarty's retirement, Brand was elected party leader on 1 March 1957. The Coalition returned to power in 1959, and Brand was sworn in as Premier on 2 April. His administration retained office at the elections of 1962, 1965, and 1968. This was achieved with the assistance of the West Australian branch of the Democratic Labor Party
Democratic Labor Party (historical)
The Democratic Labor Party was an Australian political party that existed from 1955 until 1978.-History:The DLP was formed as a result of a split in the Australian Labor Party that began in 1954. The split was between the party's national leadership, under the then party leader Dr H.V...
(DLP) which split the Labor vote in some metropolitan electorates. The DLP was active in Western Australia between 1959 and 1974.
In 1960, the Federal government lifted its embargo
Embargo
An embargo is the partial or complete prohibition of commerce and trade with a particular country, in order to isolate it. Embargoes are considered strong diplomatic measures imposed in an effort, by the imposing country, to elicit a given national-interest result from the country on which it is...
on iron
Iron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
exports, which had been in place since 1938, enabling exploitation of large iron deposits in the Pilbara. The mining of large bauxite
Bauxite
Bauxite is an aluminium ore and is the main source of aluminium. This form of rock consists mostly of the minerals gibbsite Al3, boehmite γ-AlO, and diaspore α-AlO, in a mixture with the two iron oxides goethite and hematite, the clay mineral kaolinite, and small amounts of anatase TiO2...
deposits in the Darling Scarp
Darling Scarp
The Darling Scarp, also referred to as the Darling Range or Darling Ranges, is a low escarpment running north-south to the east of the Swan Coastal Plain and Perth, Western Australia...
also commenced, along with expansion of mineral processing at Kwinana and the South West
South West region of Western Australia
The South West region is one of the nine regions of Western Australia. It is so named because it located in the south west corner of Western Australia. The South West region has an area of 23,970 km², and a population of about 123,000 people....
. Federal finance for the Ord River Scheme was also secured by Brand's government. Substantial oil and gas
Natural gas
Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
deposits were discovered in the Pilbara. In 1968, Western Australia ceased to be a net recipient of federal financial assistance
Commonwealth Grants Commission
The Commonwealth Grants Commission is an Australian government body that advises on Australian Government financial assistance to the states and territories of Australia with the aim of achieving Horizontal Fiscal Equalisation....
. In June 1969, Brand was knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
ed.
The mining-pastoral boom of the 1960s gave the Brand government a number of electoral victories over their Labor opponents. However, the rapid growth of the Perth metropolitan area and the strain this put on essential services gradually eroded the government's popularity. In addition, Brand's relations with the federal Liberal Party worsened after the retirement of Robert Menzies
Robert Menzies
Sir Robert Gordon Menzies, , Australian politician, was the 12th and longest-serving Prime Minister of Australia....
in 1966. While the Brand government suffered from a series of controversies relating to environmental, heritage, Aboriginal and housing issues, the impact of production quotas
Output (economics)
Output in economics is the "quantity of goods or services produced in a given time period, by a firm, industry, or country," whether consumed or used for further production.The concept of national output is absolutely essential in the field of macroeconomics...
for wheat
Wheat
Wheat is a cereal grain, originally from the Levant region of the Near East, but now cultivated worldwide. In 2007 world production of wheat was 607 million tons, making it the third most-produced cereal after maize and rice...
, imposed by the Gorton government led to open conflict with the federal Liberal Party.
In the midst of this conflict the governments attempt to demolish the remains of the Colonial Barracks ("the Barracks Arch") immediately opposite the parliament building led to a parliamentary revolt within the Liberal Party. Brand prevented this by dropping the proposal, and agreeing to allow the National Trust to restore the Arch. However, the strains this had caused within the government became evident when Brand collapsed while speaking publicly in 1971. He recovered, but the Coalition lost the election that year by one seat.
Brand retired as leader of the Liberal Party in 1973 and was replaced by his deputy Sir Charles Court
Charles Court
Sir Charles Walter Michael Court, was a Western Australian politician, 21st Premier of Western Australia and member for the seat of Nedlands for the Liberal Party for nearly 30 years.-Early life:...
. He died of heart disease in Carnamah
Carnamah, Western Australia
Carnamah is a town in the Mid West region of Western Australia, about north of Perth along the Midlands Road. According to 2006 census, the population of the town is approximately 496....
in 1979.
The federal electoral Division of Brand
Division of Brand
The Division of Brand is an Australian electoral division in the state of Western Australia. The division was named after Sir David Brand, a former state premier, and is a safe Labor seat held by Gary Gray who first won the seat at the 2007 federal election...
in Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
, created in 1984, is named after him as is the Brand Highway
Brand Highway
Brand Highway is a 362 kilometre main highway linking the northern outskirts of Perth, the capital of Western Australia, to the port city of Geraldton in Western Australia's Mid West region. Together with North West Coastal Highway, it forms part of the Western Australian coastal link to the...
and the Sir David Brand Primary School.http://www.aec.gov.au/_content/When/elections/2001/map_profiles/profiles/b/brand.htm From 1988 to 1995, the West Australian Tourism Awards were named the Sir David Brand Awards, in recognition of his work to advance the tourism industry.http://www.tourismcouncilwa.com.au/awardscon.asp#4