Malcolm Mackay
Encyclopedia
Malcolm George Mackay AM
(29 December 1919 – 8 July 1999) was an Australian politician and Minister for the Navy
.
Mackay was born in Brighton, South Australia
and educated at Adelaide
Technical High School. During World War II
he served in the Royal Australian Navy
. After the war he earned a B.A. degree from the University of Sydney
and a B.D.
degree from the University of Melbourne
. He obtained a doctorate from the University of Edinburgh
.
Mackay returned to Australia to be a Presbyterian minister and from 1954 until 1956, he was the Australian General Secretary for the World Council of Churches
. In 1957 he became the first Australian born minister at Sydney's Scots Church. He was the foundation Master of Basser College at the University of New South Wales and assistant minister of the Scots Church, Melbourne, in 1979. He was also one of the first prominent churchmen in Australia to pursue an active career on television. He monitored the Burning Question program on Channel 7 from 1957 until 1961 before moving to the ABC for the current affairs program Open Hearing .
Mackay was elected as the Liberal Party
member for the House of Representatives
seat of Evans
from the 1963 election. He was Minister for the Navy from March 1971 until his defeat by Allan Mulder
at the December 1972 election
. Mackay was the founding president of the Association of Former Members of the Parliament of Australia, and he remained an executive member of the association until his death.
Mackay was made an officer of the Order of Australia
in 1986 for "services to the community particularly in the fields of religion, education and politics." He and his wife, Ruth died in a car accident in Melbourne. One of their daughters, Elspeth, died in 1981 also as a result of a car accident. Malcolm and Ruth were survived by their other daughter Margie and son Andrew.
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"...
(29 December 1919 – 8 July 1999) was an Australian politician and Minister for the Navy
Minister for Defence (Australia)
The Minister for Defence of Australia administers his portfolio through the Australian Defence Organisation, which comprises the Department of Defence and the Australian Defence Force. Stephen Smith is the current Minister.-Ministers for Defence:...
.
Mackay was born in Brighton, South Australia
Brighton, South Australia
Brighton is a coastal suburb of Adelaide, South Australia, situated between Seacliff and Glenelg and aside Holdfast Bay. Some notable features of the area are the Brighton-Seacliff Yacht Club, the Brighton Surf Lifesaving Club, the Brighton Jetty, and its excellent beach...
and educated at 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...
Technical High School. During World War II
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...
he served in the Royal Australian Navy
Royal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Following the Federation of Australia in 1901, the ships and resources of the separate colonial navies were integrated into a national force: the Commonwealth Naval Forces...
. After the war he earned a B.A. degree from the University of Sydney
University of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
and a B.D.
Bachelor of Divinity
In Western universities, a Bachelor of Divinity is usually an undergraduate academic degree awarded for a course taken in the study of divinity or related disciplines, such as theology or, rarely, religious studies....
degree from the University of Melbourne
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
. He obtained a doctorate from the University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
.
Mackay returned to Australia to be a Presbyterian minister and from 1954 until 1956, he was the Australian General Secretary for the World Council of Churches
World Council of Churches
The World Council of Churches is a worldwide fellowship of 349 global, regional and sub-regional, national and local churches seeking unity, a common witness and Christian service. It is a Christian ecumenical organization that is based in the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva, Switzerland...
. In 1957 he became the first Australian born minister at Sydney's Scots Church. He was the foundation Master of Basser College at the University of New South Wales and assistant minister of the Scots Church, Melbourne, in 1979. He was also one of the first prominent churchmen in Australia to pursue an active career on television. He monitored the Burning Question program on Channel 7 from 1957 until 1961 before moving to the ABC for the current affairs program Open Hearing .
Mackay was elected as 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...
member for 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....
seat of Evans
Division of Evans
The Division of Evans was anAustralian Electoral Division in New South Wales.The division was created in 1949 and abolished in 1977. It was named for George Evans, an early explorer. It was located in the inner western suburbs of Sydney, including Ashfield, Croydon and Drummoyne...
from the 1963 election. He was Minister for the Navy from March 1971 until his defeat by Allan Mulder
Allan Mulder
Allan William Mulder was an Australian politician. Born in Sydney, he was a systems operator with Sydney City Council before his election to Canterbury Municipal Council, of which he was Mayor in 1967. In 1972, he was elected to the Australian House of Representatives as the Labor member for...
at the December 1972 election
Australian federal election, 1972
Federal elections were held in Australia on 2 December 1972. All 125 seats in the House of Representatives were up for election. The Liberal Party of Australia had been in power since 1949, under Prime Minister of Australia William McMahon since March 1971 with coalition partner the Country Party...
. Mackay was the founding president of the Association of Former Members of the Parliament of Australia, and he remained an executive member of the association until his death.
Mackay was made 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"...
in 1986 for "services to the community particularly in the fields of religion, education and politics." He and his wife, Ruth died in a car accident in Melbourne. One of their daughters, Elspeth, died in 1981 also as a result of a car accident. Malcolm and Ruth were survived by their other daughter Margie and son Andrew.