David Gordon (Australian politician)
Encyclopedia
Sir David John Gordon was an Australia
n politician. He was a member of the House of Representatives
in the Federal Parliament
, and later of the Legislative Council
in the Parliament of South Australia
.
Born in Riverton, South Australia
, the son of a Scottish carpenter, miller and farmer, Gordon was educated at Stanley Grammar School
, Watervale
before his family moved to Yorke Peninsula
where he worked on the family farm.
Gordon moved to Adelaide
and worked as a grain merchant. He became a deacon
of the Congregational Church
, and met Anna Louise Peel, a pianist at his local church, who he married on 4 April 1888. Later that year Gordon became a journalist with the South Australian Register, in which capacity he accompanied Clement Giles on his exploration of central Australia. Returning from the trek, Gordon became an enthusiastic supporter of the development of central Australia, writing numerous books and articles on the subject over the next twenty years, including The Central State and The 'Nile' of Australia. Additionally, Gordon edited several editions of the annual Handbook of South Australia.
Gordon eventually became leader-writer at the Register and regularly advocated for the improvement of the farming and pastoral industries in South Australia, as well as transportation throughout the state. His level of influence was such that he was able to persuade the government to establish a freezing works at Port Adelaide
.
Involved in liberal politics, Gordon unsuccessfully stood as a Commonwealth Liberal Party
Senate
candidate at the 1910 election
before his election as a member for the Federal Division of Boothby
at a by-election in 1911 following the death of the incumbent Lee Batchelor
. In parliament Gordon was a vocal supporter of the development of South and central Australia and was a member of the Royal Commission on the fruit industry. Gordon lost his seat at the 1913 election
but switched to state politics and was elected to the South Australian Legislative Council in 1913.
Gordon was appointed Minister for Education and Repatriation by Premier Archibald Peake
in July 1917 but resigned the next month in protest at the Commonwealth Liberal Party's coalition with the Nationalist Party of Australia
, and rejected further offers of ministerial posts from Peake.
Gordon became party leader in the council in 1918 and President of the Legislative Council from 1932 until his retirement from politics in 1944. He was made a knight bachelor
in 1925 and in 1927 chaired the Australian delegation to the International Economic Conference, Geneva
.
He served variously as President of the Australian Liberal Union, the Associated Chambers of Commerce of Australia, the Adelaide Chamber of Commerce, and President of the South Australian branch of Toc H
and the Sailors' and Soldiers' Fathers' Association. He was also a director of numerous companies.
Referred to as "a highly principled man with a strong personality", Gordon died in Unley Park, South Australia
, survived by two sons and two daughters (his wife predeceasing him by 12 years). One son, Douglas, served in the Legislative Council while the second, John, was a pilot who was awarded the Military Cross
in World War I
.
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. He was a member of the House of Representatives
Australian House of Representatives
The House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia; it is the lower house; the upper house is the Senate. Members of Parliament serve for terms of approximately three years....
in the Federal Parliament
Parliament of Australia
The Parliament of Australia, also known as the Commonwealth Parliament or Federal Parliament, is the legislative branch of the government of Australia. It is bicameral, largely modelled in the Westminster tradition, but with some influences from the United States Congress...
, and later of the Legislative Council
South Australian Legislative Council
The Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of South Australia. Its central purpose is to act as a house of review for legislation passed through the lower house, the House of Assembly...
in the Parliament of South Australia
Parliament of South Australia
The Parliament of South Australia is the bicameral legislature of the Australian state of South Australia. It consists of the Legislative Council and the House of Assembly. It follows a Westminster system of parliamentary government....
.
Born in Riverton, South Australia
Riverton, South Australia
Riverton is a small town of distinctive character and interest to travellers in the Mid North of South Australia, in the Gilbert Valley. It is situated on the Gilbert River, from which the town derives its name...
, the son of a Scottish carpenter, miller and farmer, Gordon was educated at Stanley Grammar School
Stanley Grammar School
Stanley Grammar School was a school for boys and girls, located in the South Australian Clare Valley town of Watervale. It was opened in 1863 by teacher, educator and former temporary headmaster Joseph Cole...
, Watervale
Watervale, South Australia
Watervale is a town located in the Clare Valley, South Australia, approximately 9 kilometres north of Auburn and 15 kilometres south of Clare. It is surrounded by a number of small wineries and several B&Bs. The Riesling Trail runs past the town to the west, between the Main North Road and the...
before his family moved to Yorke Peninsula
Yorke Peninsula
The Yorke Peninsula is a peninsula located north-west and west of Adelaide in South Australia, Australia, between Spencer Gulf on the west and Gulf St Vincent on the east. It has geographic coordinates of...
where he worked on the family farm.
Gordon moved to 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...
and worked as a grain merchant. He became a deacon
Deacon
Deacon is a ministry in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...
of the Congregational Church
Congregational church
Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing Congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its own affairs....
, and met Anna Louise Peel, a pianist at his local church, who he married on 4 April 1888. Later that year Gordon became a journalist with the South Australian Register, in which capacity he accompanied Clement Giles on his exploration of central Australia. Returning from the trek, Gordon became an enthusiastic supporter of the development of central Australia, writing numerous books and articles on the subject over the next twenty years, including The Central State and The 'Nile' of Australia. Additionally, Gordon edited several editions of the annual Handbook of South Australia.
Gordon eventually became leader-writer at the Register and regularly advocated for the improvement of the farming and pastoral industries in South Australia, as well as transportation throughout the state. His level of influence was such that he was able to persuade the government to establish a freezing works at Port Adelaide
Port Adelaide
Port Adelaide is a suburb of Adelaide lying about 14 kilometres northwest of the City of Adelaide. It lies within the City of Port Adelaide Enfield and is the main port for the city of Adelaide...
.
Involved in liberal politics, Gordon unsuccessfully stood as a Commonwealth Liberal Party
Commonwealth Liberal Party
The Commonwealth Liberal Party was a political movement active in Australia from 1909 to 1916, shortly after federation....
Senate
Australian Senate
The Senate is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of Australia, the lower house being the House of Representatives. Senators are popularly elected under a system of proportional representation. Senators are elected for a term that is usually six years; after a double dissolution, however,...
candidate at the 1910 election
Australian federal election, 1910
Federal elections were held in Australia on 13 April 1910. All 75 seats in the House of Representatives, and 18 of the 36 seats in the Senate were up for election...
before his election as a member for the Federal Division of Boothby
Division of Boothby
The Division of Boothby is an Australian Electoral Division in South Australia. The division was created in 1903 and is named after William Boothby , the Returning Officer for the first election of Members of the House of Representatives in 1901....
at a by-election in 1911 following the death of the incumbent Lee Batchelor
Lee Batchelor
Egerton Lee Batchelor, known as Lee Batchelor, , Australian politician, was the 2nd leader of the South Australian branch of the Australian Labor Party, a member of the First Australian Parliament, and the first member for the Federal Division of Boothby in South Australia, from 1903 to 1911...
. In parliament Gordon was a vocal supporter of the development of South and central Australia and was a member of the Royal Commission on the fruit industry. Gordon lost his seat at the 1913 election
Australian federal election, 1913
Federal elections were held in Australia on 31 May 1913. All 75 seats in the House of Representatives, and 18 of the 36 seats in the Senate were up for election. The incumbent Australian Labor Party led by Prime Minister of Australia Andrew Fisher was defeated by the opposition Commonwealth Liberal...
but switched to state politics and was elected to the South Australian Legislative Council in 1913.
Gordon was appointed Minister for Education and Repatriation by Premier Archibald Peake
Archibald Peake
Archibald Henry Peake was an Australian politician and the 25th Premier of South Australia, serving on three separate occasions in the 1910s.-Early life and career:...
in July 1917 but resigned the next month in protest at the Commonwealth Liberal Party's coalition with the Nationalist Party of Australia
Nationalist Party of Australia
The Nationalist Party of Australia was an Australian political party. It was formed on 17 February 1917 from a merger between the conservative Commonwealth Liberal Party and the National Labor Party, the name given to the pro-conscription defectors from the Australian Labor Party led by Prime...
, and rejected further offers of ministerial posts from Peake.
Gordon became party leader in the council in 1918 and President of the Legislative Council from 1932 until his retirement from politics in 1944. He was made a knight bachelor
Knight Bachelor
The rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. It is the most basic rank of a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not as a member of one of the organised Orders of Chivalry...
in 1925 and in 1927 chaired the Australian delegation to the International Economic Conference, Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
.
He served variously as President of the Australian Liberal Union, the Associated Chambers of Commerce of Australia, the Adelaide Chamber of Commerce, and President of the South Australian branch of Toc H
Toc H
Toc H is an international Christian movement. The name is an abbreviation for Talbot House, 'Toc' signifying the letter T in the signals spelling alphabet used by the British Army in World War I. A soldiers' rest and recreation centre named Talbot House was founded in December 1915 at Poperinghe,...
and the Sailors' and Soldiers' Fathers' Association. He was also a director of numerous companies.
Referred to as "a highly principled man with a strong personality", Gordon died in Unley Park, South Australia
Unley Park, South Australia
Unley Park is a southern suburb of Adelaide in the City of Unley. Its postcode is 5061.It is located on the north side of Cross Road and east of the Belair railway line...
, survived by two sons and two daughters (his wife predeceasing him by 12 years). One son, Douglas, served in the Legislative Council while the second, John, was a pilot who was awarded the Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.