Robert Harper (Australian politician)
Encyclopedia
Robert Harper was an Australia
n politician. Born in Glasgow
, Scotland
, he was educated at Glasgow Academy and migrated to Australia in 1856, becoming a tea and coffee merchant and a pastoralist. In 1879, he was elected to the Victorian Legislative Assembly
as the member for West Bourke; he was defeated in 1880, but in 1882 returned to the Assembly as the member for East Bourke. He was defeated again in 1889, but was returned as member for East Bourke 1891-97. In the first federal election in 1901, he was elected to the Australian House of Representatives
as the Protectionist
member for Mernda
. He joined the Commonwealth Liberal Party
when it was formed out of the fusion of the Protectionists and the Anti-Socialists. Harper's seat of Mernda was abolished in 1913, and he retired. He died in 1919.
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. Born in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, he was educated at Glasgow Academy and migrated to Australia in 1856, becoming a tea and coffee merchant and a pastoralist. In 1879, he was elected to 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:...
as the member for West Bourke; he was defeated in 1880, but in 1882 returned to the Assembly as the member for East Bourke. He was defeated again in 1889, but was returned as member for East Bourke 1891-97. In the first federal election in 1901, he was elected to the Australian 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....
as the Protectionist
Protectionist Party
The Protectionist Party was an Australian political party, formally organised from 1889 until 1909, with policies centred on protectionism. It argued that Australia needed protective tariffs to allow Australian industry to grow and provide employment. It had its greatest strength in Victoria and in...
member for Mernda
Division of Mernda
The Division of Mernda was an Australian Electoral Division in the state of Victoria. It was named after the town of Mernda, now a suburb in the City of Whittlesea in the northern suburbs of Melbourne. It originally included the towns of Lilydale and Mitcham, now suburbs, and the towns of Seymour...
. He joined the Commonwealth Liberal Party
Commonwealth Liberal Party
The Commonwealth Liberal Party was a political movement active in Australia from 1909 to 1916, shortly after federation....
when it was formed out of the fusion of the Protectionists and the Anti-Socialists. Harper's seat of Mernda was abolished in 1913, and he retired. He died in 1919.