Mick Clough
Encyclopedia
Ralph James "Mick" Clough (22 October 1927 – 12 August 2008) was an Australia
n politician
, He was an Australian Labor Party
Member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
from 1976 to 1981, representing the electorate of Blue Mountains and representing the electorate of Bathurst from 1981 to 1988 and again from 1991 to 1999.
on 22 October 1927. Although christened Ralph James he was known as "little Mick" after his father.
Clough attended schools in Warialda, Granville
, Hornsby
and then St Patrick's College, Strathfield
.
then Australia Post
as a telegraphist
and postmaster
for a total of 34 years in New South Wales
, South Australia
and Western Australia
before entering politics. As a telegram boy during World War II, he was often an unwelcome sight, bringing bad news of loved ones. He served as a member of the Citizens Military Force
from 1948 to 1964.
In 1951, Clough, aged 24, married Doreen Frost and they had three children: Elizabeth, Peter and David. Peter Clough went on to play interstate cricket for Tasmania
and Western Australia
, and was inducted into the Tasmanian Cricket Hall of Fame.
Having joined the Australian Labor Party
in 1948, Clough stood unsuccessfully in the 1973 State election
for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
in the electoral district of Blue Mountains. He entered public office as an alderman on the Blue Mountains City Council from 1974 to 1979.
sitting member Harold Coates
three years earlier. Clough was subsequently re-elected in the 1978 State election
.
In the 1981 State election
, following an electoral boundary adjustment, Clough stood for election in the electoral district of Bathurst which he won defeating Country Party of Australia sitting member, Clive Osborne
with a margin of 0.05%. He was subsequently re-elected to that seat in the 1984 State election
.
At the 1988 State election
, Clough lost the seat to Liberal
candidate David Berry
. He contested the 1991 State election
, regaining the seat from Berry. Clough retained the seat at the 1995 State election
. He decided not to contest the 1999 State election
and retired from public life. Former Lithgow Mayor, Gerard Martin
, successfully retained the seat for Labor.
Clough did not achieve a higher office during his lengthy parliamentary career. (He did, however, serve as Acting Chairman of Committees for a short time in 1997).
Friends and colleagues recalled Clough as a tough fighter for his electorate. During his terms in office his achievements included Bathurst's Macquarie Homes retirement village. He was a strong opponent of privatisation of power stations, financial deregulation and cuts to local services.
.
In 2002 Clough retired to Perth, Western Australia
where he died on 12 August 2008 following a long battle with bowel cancer.
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
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, He was 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...
Member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
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...
from 1976 to 1981, representing the electorate of Blue Mountains and representing the electorate of Bathurst from 1981 to 1988 and again from 1991 to 1999.
Private life
Clough was born to Michael "Gordon" Clough and Irene Clough (née Smith) in Warialda, New South WalesWarialda, New South Wales
Warialda is a town in the Northwest Slopes region of New South Wales, Australia, in Gwydir Shire. Situated on the banks of the Warialda Creek, the town’s name means “Place of Wild Honey.” At the 2006 census, Warialda had a population of 1,206.- Transport :...
on 22 October 1927. Although christened Ralph James he was known as "little Mick" after his father.
Clough attended schools in Warialda, Granville
Granville, New South Wales
Granville, is a suburb in western Sydney, Australia. Granville is located west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Parramatta. A small part in the north-west is located in the Local Government Area of the City of Holroyd.South Granville is a...
, Hornsby
Hornsby, New South Wales
* Highest Maximum Temperature: 42 °C* Lowest Maximum Temperature: 4.9 °C* Warmest Month: January* Coolest Month: July* Highest Precipitation: February* Lowest Precipitation: July-Notable residents:...
and then St Patrick's College, Strathfield
St Patrick's College, Strathfield
St Patrick's College is an independent, Roman Catholic, day school for boys, located in Strathfield in the inner west of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
.
Early years
After leaving school he followed his father's occupation and worked for the Postmaster-General's DepartmentPostmaster-General's Department
The Postmaster-General's Department was created at Federation in 1901 to control all postal services within Australia. Its minister was the Postmaster-General. In mid-1975 it was disaggregated into the Australian Telecommunications Commission and the Australian Postal Commission...
then Australia Post
Australia Post
Australia Post is the trading name of the Australian Government-owned Australian Postal Corporation .-History:...
as a telegraphist
Telegraphist
Telegraphist is an operator who uses the morse code in order to communicate by land or radio lines. Telegraphists were indispensable at sea in the early day of Wireless Telegraphy. During the Great War the Royal Navy enlisted many volunteers as Telegraphists. Telegraphists are also called Telegraph...
and postmaster
Postmaster
A postmaster is the head of an individual post office. Postmistress is not used anymore in the United States, as the "master" component of the word refers to a person of authority and has no gender quality...
for a total of 34 years in New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
and 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...
before entering politics. As a telegram boy during World War II, he was often an unwelcome sight, bringing bad news of loved ones. He served as a member of the Citizens Military Force
Australian Army Reserve
The Australian Army Reserve is a collective name given to the reserve units of the Australian Army. Since the Federation of Australia in 1901, the reserve military force has been known by many names, including the Citizens Forces, the Citizen Military Forces, the Militia and, unofficially, the...
from 1948 to 1964.
In 1951, Clough, aged 24, married Doreen Frost and they had three children: Elizabeth, Peter and David. Peter Clough went on to play interstate cricket for Tasmania
Tasmanian Tigers
The Tasmanian cricket team, nicknamed the Tigers, represents the Australian state of Tasmania in cricket tournaments. They compete annually in the Australian domestic senior men's cricket season, which currently consists of the first-class Sheffield Shield, the limited overs Ford Ranger Cup, and...
and Western Australia
Western Warriors
The Western Australia cricket team are an Australian first class cricket team representing the state of Western Australia...
, and was inducted into the Tasmanian Cricket Hall of Fame.
Having joined 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...
in 1948, Clough stood unsuccessfully in the 1973 State election
New South Wales state election, 1973
Elections for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly were held in the state of New South Wales, Australia, on Saturday 17 November 1973. The result was a win for the Liberal-Country Party coalition under Sir Robert Askin, which had been in office since 1965....
for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
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...
in the electoral district of Blue Mountains. He entered public office as an alderman on the Blue Mountains City Council from 1974 to 1979.
New South Wales state political career
In 1976 Clough again contested the seat of Blue Mountains, this time winning the election and reversing the victory of the independentIndependent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
sitting member Harold Coates
Harold Coates
Harold George Coates, OBE was an Australian politician, serving as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly during the period 1965-1976.-Political career:...
three years earlier. Clough was subsequently re-elected in the 1978 State election
New South Wales state election, 1978
A general election was held in the state of New South Wales, Australia, on Saturday 7 October 1978. The result was the "Wranslide": a landslide victory for the Australian Labor Party under Neville Wran....
.
In the 1981 State election
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...
, following an electoral boundary adjustment, Clough stood for election in the electoral district of Bathurst which he won defeating Country Party of Australia sitting member, Clive Osborne
Clive Osborne
Clive Geoffrey Osborne was an Australian politician. He was a Country Party member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1967 to 1981, representing the electorate of Bathurst.-Private life:...
with a margin of 0.05%. He was subsequently re-elected to that seat in the 1984 State election
New South Wales state election, 1984
Elections were held in the state of New South Wales, Australia, on Saturday 24 March 1984. The Labor government led by Neville Wran won a fourth term in office, although with a reduced margin and a 7% swing against it....
.
At the 1988 State election
New South Wales state election, 1988
Elections to the 49th Parliament of New South Wales were held on Saturday 19 March 1988. All seats in the Legislative Assembly and half the seats in the Legislative Council were up for election...
, Clough lost the seat to 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...
candidate David Berry
David Berry
David Berry is the name of:* David Carson Berry , American music theorist and historian* David Berry , American inventor, entrepreneur, and venture capitalist* David Berry , Australian politician...
. He contested the 1991 State election
New South Wales state election, 1991
Elections to the 50th Parliament of New South Wales were held on Saturday 25 May 1991. All seats in the Legislative Assembly and half the seats in the Legislative Council were up for election...
, regaining the seat from Berry. Clough retained the seat at the 1995 State election
New South Wales state election, 1995
Elections to the 51st Parliament of New South Wales were held on Saturday 25 March 1995. All seats in the Legislative Assembly and half the seats in the Legislative Council were up for election. The minority Liberal Party of Australia-led Coalition government of Premier John Fahey was defeated by...
. He decided not to contest the 1999 State election
New South Wales state election, 1999
Elections to the 52nd Parliament of New South Wales were held on Saturday, 27 March 1999. All seats in the Legislative Assembly and half the seats in the Legislative Council were up for election...
and retired from public life. Former Lithgow Mayor, Gerard Martin
Gerard Martin
Gerard Francis Martin MP , a former Australian politician, was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly representing the electorate of Bathurst between 1999 and 2011 for the Australian Labor Party....
, successfully retained the seat for Labor.
Clough did not achieve a higher office during his lengthy parliamentary career. (He did, however, serve as Acting Chairman of Committees for a short time in 1997).
Friends and colleagues recalled Clough as a tough fighter for his electorate. During his terms in office his achievements included Bathurst's Macquarie Homes retirement village. He was a strong opponent of privatisation of power stations, financial deregulation and cuts to local services.
After politics
Following his retirement from politics in 1999, Clough and his wife Doreen operated the Coolawin Gardens Motel in Nambucca Heads, New South WalesNambucca Heads, New South Wales
Nambucca Heads is a town on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales, Australia in Nambucca Shire. It is a holiday and retirement centre located on a ridge north of the estuary of the Nambucca River near the Pacific Highway, which now bypasses it. Its 2006 population was 6,137, including 445 ...
.
In 2002 Clough retired to Perth, Western Australia
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
where he died on 12 August 2008 following a long battle with bowel cancer.