Percy Clarey
Encyclopedia
Percy James Clarey was an Australia
n trade union leader and politician.
, the fifth child of general agent Francis William Clarey and Jessie Littlejohn Clarey, née Lawson. The family soon moved to Melbourne, and Percy attended South Yarra State School and the Working Men's College. In his youth, Clarey was crippled by rheumatoid arthritis
, and walked with crutches for the rest of his life. Employed as a clerk, he was Victorian president of the Federated Clerks' Union of Australia by the time he was 24 and federal president at 27. He also served as federal president of both the Amalgamated Food Preservers' Union of Australia and the Federated Storemen and Packers' Union of Australia.
Clarey married schoolteacher Catherine Mary Isabel Chambers at Box Hill, Victoria
on 31 March 1917. They had two sons before their divorce in 1936. Catherine was also prominent in the labour movement, and was the Labor
candidate for the Victorian Legislative Assembly
seat of Caulfield
in 1935, although she withdrew shortly before the poll.
Meanwhile Clarey continued to rise in the union movement, being president of the Victorian branch of the Australian Labor Party
in 1934 and president of the Melbourne Trades Hall Council in 1935. During World War II
, he was on the board of the Department of Munitions and the Manpower Priorities Board, as well as being a delegate to the 1944 International Labour Conference.
, a position he held until 1949. He was minister of labour and public health during 1943 and minister of labour and employment from 1945-47 under the premiership of John Cain
. He was criticised for holding the positions of labour minister and President of the Australian Council of Trade Unions
simultaneously. He married divorcee Florence Midiam Cater, née Knowles, on 21 August 1948.
As ACTU president, Clarey formed a partnership with his eventual successor, secretary Albert Monk, and resisted the various attempts by the Communist Party of Australia
to gain control of the trade unions. He conceded that the Communist Party had a right to exist, but was strenuously opposed to communism in the ALP.
, winning the seat of Bendigo
by only 152 votes. He was defeated for the deputy leadership in 1951 by Arthur Calwell
, and was mentioned as a possible successor to the troubled H.V. Evatt as parliamentary leader. Although associated with the right wing of the ALP, Clarey always kept to the party line. He had consistently cordial dealings with Robert Menzies
.
Sometimes accused of being a "bosses' man" and a "strike breaker" by union opponents, Clarey was nevertheless a supporter of the Indonesia
ns against Dutch
colonialism
. Additionally, although he supported the White Australia Policy
, he held the term to be offensive and advocated its removal from the ALP platform.
In 1954 Clarey was sent to New York
as Australia
's delegate to the United Nations General Assembly
, and visited China
in 1957. On 17 May 1960 Clarey died at Oakleigh, Victoria
, and was survived by the sons of his first marriage. He was given a state funeral
before being cremated with Methodist forms. His brother, Arthur Clarey
, was the member for Melbourne
in the Victorian Legislative Assembly
from 1955-72.
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 trade union leader and politician.
Early life
Clarey was born at Bairnsdale, VictoriaBairnsdale, Victoria
Bairnsdale is a small city in Gippsland, Victoria, Australia. With a population at the 2006 census of 11,282, it is a major regional centre of eastern Victoria along with Traralgon and Sale....
, the fifth child of general agent Francis William Clarey and Jessie Littlejohn Clarey, née Lawson. The family soon moved to Melbourne, and Percy attended South Yarra State School and the Working Men's College. In his youth, Clarey was crippled by rheumatoid arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, systemic inflammatory disorder that may affect many tissues and organs, but principally attacks synovial joints. The process produces an inflammatory response of the synovium secondary to hyperplasia of synovial cells, excess synovial fluid, and the development...
, and walked with crutches for the rest of his life. Employed as a clerk, he was Victorian president of the Federated Clerks' Union of Australia by the time he was 24 and federal president at 27. He also served as federal president of both the Amalgamated Food Preservers' Union of Australia and the Federated Storemen and Packers' Union of Australia.
Clarey married schoolteacher Catherine Mary Isabel Chambers at Box Hill, Victoria
Box Hill, Victoria
Box Hill is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 14 km east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Whitehorse. At the 2006 Census, Box Hill had a population of 8,616....
on 31 March 1917. They had two sons before their divorce in 1936. Catherine was also prominent in the labour movement, and was the 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...
candidate for the Victorian Legislative Assembly
Victorian Legislative Assembly
The Victorian Legislative Assembly is the lower house of the Parliament of Victoria in Australia. Together with the Victorian Legislative Council, the upper house, it sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Melbourne.-History:...
seat of Caulfield
Electoral district of Caulfield
-See also:* Parliaments of the Australian states and territories* List of members of the Victorian Legislative Assembly-External links:*...
in 1935, although she withdrew shortly before the poll.
Meanwhile Clarey continued to rise in the union movement, being president of the Victorian branch of 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 1934 and president of the Melbourne Trades Hall Council in 1935. 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 was on the board of the Department of Munitions and the Manpower Priorities Board, as well as being a delegate to the 1944 International Labour Conference.
State politics
In 1937, Clarey was elected to the Victorian Legislative CouncilVictorian Legislative Council
The Victorian Legislative Council, is the upper of the two houses of the Parliament of Victoria, Australia; the lower house being the Legislative Assembly. Both houses sit in Parliament House in Spring Street, Melbourne. The Legislative Council serves as a house of review, in a similar fashion to...
, a position he held until 1949. He was minister of labour and public health during 1943 and minister of labour and employment from 1945-47 under the premiership of John Cain
John Cain (senior)
John Cain was an Australian politician, who became the 34th premier of Victoria, and was the first Australian Labor Party leader to win a majority in the Victorian Legislative Assembly. He was the only premier of Victoria whose son also served as premier.-Early life:Cain was born, one of 18...
. He was criticised for holding the positions of labour minister and President of the Australian Council of Trade Unions
Australian Council of Trade Unions
The Australian Council of Trade Unions is the largest peak body representing workers in Australia. It is a national trade union centre of 46 affiliated unions.-History:The ACTU was formed in 1927 as the "Australian Council of Trade Unions"...
simultaneously. He married divorcee Florence Midiam Cater, née Knowles, on 21 August 1948.
As ACTU president, Clarey formed a partnership with his eventual successor, secretary Albert Monk, and resisted the various attempts by the Communist Party of Australia
Communist Party of Australia
The Communist Party of Australia was founded in 1920 and dissolved in 1991; it was succeeded by the Socialist Party of Australia, which then renamed itself, becoming the current Communist Party of Australia. The CPA achieved its greatest political strength in the 1940s and faced an attempted...
to gain control of the trade unions. He conceded that the Communist Party had a right to exist, but was strenuously opposed to communism in the ALP.
Federal politics
In 1949, Clarey transferred to the federal House of RepresentativesAustralian 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....
, winning the seat of Bendigo
Division of Bendigo
The Division of Bendigo is an Australian Electoral Division in Victoria. The division was created in 1900 and was one of the original 75 divisions contested at the first federal election. It is named for the city of Bendigo...
by only 152 votes. He was defeated for the deputy leadership in 1951 by Arthur Calwell
Arthur Calwell
Arthur Augustus Calwell Australian politician, was a member of the Australian House of Representatives for 32 years from 1940 to 1972, Immigration Minister in the government of Ben Chifley from 1945 to 1949 and Leader of the Australian Labor Party from 1960 to 1967.-Early life:Calwell was born in...
, and was mentioned as a possible successor to the troubled H.V. Evatt as parliamentary leader. Although associated with the right wing of the ALP, Clarey always kept to the party line. He had consistently cordial dealings with Robert Menzies
Robert Menzies
Sir Robert Gordon Menzies, , Australian politician, was the 12th and longest-serving Prime Minister of Australia....
.
Sometimes accused of being a "bosses' man" and a "strike breaker" by union opponents, Clarey was nevertheless a supporter of the Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
ns against Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
colonialism
Colonialism
Colonialism is the establishment, maintenance, acquisition and expansion of colonies in one territory by people from another territory. It is a process whereby the metropole claims sovereignty over the colony and the social structure, government, and economics of the colony are changed by...
. Additionally, although he supported the White Australia Policy
White Australia policy
The White Australia policy comprises various historical policies that intentionally restricted "non-white" immigration to Australia. From origins at Federation in 1901, the polices were progressively dismantled between 1949-1973....
, he held the term to be offensive and advocated its removal from the ALP platform.
In 1954 Clarey was sent to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
as Australia
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...
's delegate to the United Nations General Assembly
United Nations General Assembly
For two articles dealing with membership in the General Assembly, see:* General Assembly members* General Assembly observersThe United Nations General Assembly is one of the five principal organs of the United Nations and the only one in which all member nations have equal representation...
, and visited China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
in 1957. On 17 May 1960 Clarey died at Oakleigh, Victoria
Oakleigh, Victoria
Oakleigh is a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia and is located 14 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Monash. At the 2006 Census, Oakleigh had a population of 6,876....
, and was survived by the sons of his first marriage. He was given a state funeral
State funeral
A state funeral is a public funeral ceremony, observing the strict rules of protocol, held to honor heads of state or other important people of national significance. State funerals usually include much pomp and ceremony as well as religious overtones and distinctive elements of military tradition...
before being cremated with Methodist forms. His brother, Arthur Clarey
Arthur Clarey
Reynold Arthur Clarey was an Australian politician.Born in South Yarra to estate agent Francis William Clarey and Catherine Lawson , Arthur attended Flemington State School, Melbourne High School and Melbourne University, graduating with a Bachelor of Commerce...
, was the member for Melbourne
Electoral district of Melbourne
The Electoral district of Melbourne is an electorate of the Victorian Legislative Assembly. It is currently based around the localities of Carlton, North Carlton, Melbourne, East Melbourne, West Melbourne, North Melbourne, Parkville, Newmarket, Kensington and Flemington, and includes Melbourne...
in the Victorian Legislative Assembly
Victorian Legislative Assembly
The Victorian Legislative Assembly is the lower house of the Parliament of Victoria in Australia. Together with the Victorian Legislative Council, the upper house, it sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Melbourne.-History:...
from 1955-72.