Ernie Bridge
Encyclopedia
Ernest Frances "Ernie" Bridge (born 15 December 1936) is an Australia
n politician and country music
singer. He was a member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly
from 1980 to 2001, representing the electorate of Kimberley
, first as an Australian Labor Party
representative (1980–1996) and then as an independent MP (1996–2001). He was the first indigenous Australian to be a Cabinet minister in any Australian government. He is married and has 2 daughters and 2 sons.
Bridge was born in Halls Creek
. He was a pastorialist and businessman prior to entering politics, and was also a founding member of the Aboriginal Lands Trust in 1972. He served on the Halls Creek council from 1962–1979. He contested the marginal seat of Kimberley for the Labor Party at the 1980 state election
and won, defeating incumbent Liberal Alan Ridge becoming the first Aboriginal member of the WA parliament. He was a backbencher for his first two terms, being re-elected at the 1983 election
and 1986 election
.
Bridge was promoted to the ministry by Premier
Brian Burke
after the return of the Labor government at the 1986 election
, with his appointment as Honorary Minister assisting the Ministers for Water Resources, The North-West and Aboriginal Affairs. This made him the first indigenous politician anywhere in Australia to serve in a ministerial portfolio. He was promoted in July of that year to Minister for Water Resources, the North-West and Aboriginal Affairs. He was shifted to the portfolio of Minister for Small Business in 1988 after the accession of Peter Dowding
as Premier, but regained his old portfolios in 1989 with his appointment as Minister for Agriculture, Water Resources and the North West, a role which he held until the defeat of the Labor government at the 1993 state election
.
Bridge continued as a member of the Shadow Ministry after Labor's defeat in 1993, serving as Shadow Minister for Trade from 1993 to 1994 and Shadow Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and the North West from 1993 to 1996. He became increasingly disgruntled with the Labor Party during this period, however, and he resigned to sit as an independent in mid-1996. He retired at the 2001 election
.
In 1997, he established Unity of First People of Australia, a non-profit organisation which assists Aboriginal people in Western Australia with employment within the law and order, health and education industries.
Bridge is noted also for promoting the concept of a water pipeline from the Fitzroy River to Perth
. He later went on to promote a larger scale scheme including piping water from northern Queensland rivers to the south-eastern Australian cities.
Ernie and Noel Bridge
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 and country music
Australian country music
Australian country music is a part of the music of Australia. There is a broad range of styles, from bluegrass, to yodelling to folk to the more popular. The genre has been influenced by Celtic and English folk music, by the traditions of Australian bush balladeers, as well as by popular American...
singer. He was a member of the Western Australian 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....
from 1980 to 2001, representing the electorate of Kimberley
Electoral district of Kimberley
-External links:* ABC Election Profiles: * WAEC District Maps:...
, first as an 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...
representative (1980–1996) and then as an independent MP (1996–2001). He was the first indigenous Australian to be a Cabinet minister in any Australian government. He is married and has 2 daughters and 2 sons.
Bridge was born in Halls Creek
Halls Creek, Western Australia
Halls Creek is a small town situated in the East Kimberley region of Western Australia. It is located between the towns of Fitzroy Crossing and Turkey Creek on the Great Northern Highway...
. He was a pastorialist and businessman prior to entering politics, and was also a founding member of the Aboriginal Lands Trust in 1972. He served on the Halls Creek council from 1962–1979. He contested the marginal seat of Kimberley for the Labor Party at the 1980 state election
Western Australian state election, 1980
Elections were held in the state of Western Australia on 23 February 1980 to elect all 55 members to the Legislative Assembly and 16 members to the 32-seat Legislative Council...
and won, defeating incumbent Liberal Alan Ridge becoming the first Aboriginal member of the WA parliament. He was a backbencher for his first two terms, being re-elected at the 1983 election
Western Australian state election, 1983
Elections were held in the state of Western Australia on 19 February 1983 to elect all 57 members to the Legislative Assembly and 18 members to the 34-seat Legislative Council....
and 1986 election
Western Australian state election, 1986
Elections were held in the state of Western Australia on 8 February 1986 to elect all 57 members to the Legislative Assembly and 17 members to the 34-seat Legislative Council...
.
Bridge was promoted to the ministry by Premier
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...
Brian Burke
Brian Burke
Brian Thomas Burke was Labor premier of Western Australia from 25 February 1983 until his resignation on 25 February 1988...
after the return of the Labor government at the 1986 election
Western Australian state election, 1986
Elections were held in the state of Western Australia on 8 February 1986 to elect all 57 members to the Legislative Assembly and 17 members to the 34-seat Legislative Council...
, with his appointment as Honorary Minister assisting the Ministers for Water Resources, The North-West and Aboriginal Affairs. This made him the first indigenous politician anywhere in Australia to serve in a ministerial portfolio. He was promoted in July of that year to Minister for Water Resources, the North-West and Aboriginal Affairs. He was shifted to the portfolio of Minister for Small Business in 1988 after the accession of Peter Dowding
Peter Dowding
Peter McCallum Dowding SC was the 24th Premier of Western Australia, serving from 25 February 1988 until his resignation on 12 February 1990 after an internal party dispute....
as Premier, but regained his old portfolios in 1989 with his appointment as Minister for Agriculture, Water Resources and the North West, a role which he held until the defeat of the Labor government at the 1993 state election
Western Australian state election, 1993
Elections were held in the state of Western Australia on 6 February 1993 to elect all 57 members to the Legislative Assembly and all 34 members to the Legislative Council...
.
Bridge continued as a member of the Shadow Ministry after Labor's defeat in 1993, serving as Shadow Minister for Trade from 1993 to 1994 and Shadow Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and the North West from 1993 to 1996. He became increasingly disgruntled with the Labor Party during this period, however, and he resigned to sit as an independent in mid-1996. He retired at the 2001 election
Western Australian state election, 2001
Elections were held in the state of Western Australia on 10 February 2001 to elect all 57 members to the Legislative Assembly and all 34 members to the Legislative Council...
.
In 1997, he established Unity of First People of Australia, a non-profit organisation which assists Aboriginal people in Western Australia with employment within the law and order, health and education industries.
Bridge is noted also for promoting the concept of a water pipeline from the Fitzroy River to Perth
Kimberley-Perth Canal
The Kimberley-Perth Canal is a recurrent proposal to channel water from the Kimberley region of Western Australia to the southwestern capital of Perth, a distance of approximately...
. He later went on to promote a larger scale scheme including piping water from northern Queensland rivers to the south-eastern Australian cities.
Discography
- Sings Kimberly Favourites (EMI Custom, 1979)
- "Helicopter Ringer" (EMI Custom, 1980)
- Helicopter Ringer (EMI Custom, 1980)
- Live At The Concert Hall (EMI, 1982)
- Signs It Australian (EMI, 1983)
- Great Australian Dream (1990)
Ernie and Noel Bridge
- 200 Years Ago (1994)