Sam Calder
Encyclopedia
Stephen Edward "Sam" Calder AM
, OBE
(10 August 1916 – 30 September 2008) was a decorated World War II
flying ace, member of the Australian House of Representatives
, and founder of the Northern Territory
Country Liberal Party
, one of the more successful political parties in Australia’s history.
Calder was born in Melbourne
, Victoria
and educated at Melbourne Grammar
before joining the Royal Australian Air Force
in 1932. Trained as a pilot
, Calder flew Typhoon
planes throughout World War II, completing 120 missions over Europe
and receiving the Distinguished Flying Cross
for his troubles.
Following the end of hostilities in 1945, Calder returned to Australia and worked as the chief pilot for Northern Territory
-based airline Connellan Airways
. The airline prospered as it provided a vast network of medical, passenger and mail services throughout the Northern Territory (NT), although it would eventually collapse following a decision by then NT Chief Minister
Paul Everingham
, a political opponent of Calder, to give competing airline Ansett Airlines
the rights to the Darwin
-Alice Springs
route. Not content with this, Calder also took on the challenge of managing cattle station
s the size of some European countries, as he attempted to wrest a profit from the barren soil of the Australian outback.
Calder's high profile in the NT led federal Country Party
leader John McEwen
to ask Sam to stand as a Country Party candidate at the forthcoming federal election
. The Division of Northern Territory
had long been in Labor Party
hands but Calder was able to wrest the seat away, at first by only 400-odd votes in 1966, but extending that into thousands over the next decade and a half.
Calder played an active role in parliament, pushing for development in the NT, and could claim some of the credit for the construction of the Adelaide
-Alice Springs train line and several new roads, and the NT being granted self-government
, Senate representation
, and the right to vote in national referendums
. Following the granting of self-government in 1978, Calder founded the Country Liberal Party
, which held government in the NT for over a quarter of a century.
Calder also had many ambitious plans which failed to see the light of day, including statehood for the NT and a nuclear power
station in the NT, as well as a being a vocal opponent of Aboriginal land rights
, believing that the then governing Labor Party had sold Australia to the Aboriginals.
Following his retirement from politics in 1980, Calder continued to fight the furthering of Aboriginal rights, arguing that they made Aboriginals lazy.
Calder died in Darwin late in the evening of 30 September 2008, aged 92.
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"...
, OBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(10 August 1916 – 30 September 2008) was a decorated 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...
flying ace, member of 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....
, and founder of the Northern Territory
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
Country Liberal Party
Country Liberal Party
The Northern Territory Country Liberal Party is a Northern Territory political party affiliated with both the National and Liberal parties...
, one of the more successful political parties in Australia’s history.
Calder was born in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
and educated at Melbourne Grammar
Melbourne Grammar School
Melbourne Grammar School is an independent, Anglican, day and boarding school predominantly for boys, located in South Yarra and Caulfield, suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia....
before joining the Royal Australian Air Force
Royal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
in 1932. Trained as a pilot
Aviator
An aviator is a person who flies an aircraft. The first recorded use of the term was in 1887, as a variation of 'aviation', from the Latin avis , coined in 1863 by G. de la Landelle in Aviation Ou Navigation Aérienne...
, Calder flew Typhoon
Hawker Typhoon
The Hawker Typhoon was a British single-seat fighter-bomber, produced by Hawker Aircraft. While the Typhoon was designed to be a medium-high altitude interceptor, and a direct replacement for the Hawker Hurricane, several design problems were encountered, and the Typhoon never completely satisfied...
planes throughout World War II, completing 120 missions over Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and receiving the Distinguished Flying Cross
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
for his troubles.
Following the end of hostilities in 1945, Calder returned to Australia and worked as the chief pilot for Northern Territory
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
-based airline Connellan Airways
Connellan Airways
Connellan Airways was an Australian air services company that was founded by Edward Connellan and operated in northern Australia.-The beginnings:...
. The airline prospered as it provided a vast network of medical, passenger and mail services throughout the Northern Territory (NT), although it would eventually collapse following a decision by then NT Chief Minister
Chief Minister of the Northern Territory
The Chief Minister of the Northern Territory is appointed by the Administrator, who in normal circumstances will appoint the head of whatever party holds the majority of seats in the legislature of the territory...
Paul Everingham
Paul Everingham
Paul Anthony Edward Everingham AO was the first Chief Minister of the Northern Territory of Australia when it was granted self-government in 1978....
, a political opponent of Calder, to give competing airline Ansett Airlines
Ansett Australia
Ansett Australia, Ansett, Ansett Airlines of Australia, or ANSETT-ANA as it was commonly known in earlier years, was a major Australian airline group, based in Melbourne. The airlines flew domestically within Australia and to destinations in Asia during its operation in 1996...
the rights to the Darwin
Darwin, Northern Territory
Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 127,500, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities...
-Alice Springs
Alice Springs, Northern Territory
Alice Springs is the second largest town in the Northern Territory of Australia. Popularly known as "the Alice" or simply "Alice", Alice Springs is situated in the geographic centre of Australia near the southern border of the Northern Territory...
route. Not content with this, Calder also took on the challenge of managing cattle station
Cattle station
Cattle station is an Australian term for a large farm , whose main activity is the rearing of cattle. In Australia, the owner of a cattle station is called a grazier...
s the size of some European countries, as he attempted to wrest a profit from the barren soil of the Australian outback.
Calder's high profile in the NT led federal Country Party
National Party of Australia
The National Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Traditionally representing graziers, farmers and rural voters generally, it began as the The Country Party, but adopted the name The National Country Party in 1975, changed to The National Party of Australia in 1982. The party is...
leader John McEwen
John McEwen
Sir John "Black Jack" McEwen, GCMG, CH , was an Australian politician and the 18th Prime Minister of Australia...
to ask Sam to stand as a Country Party candidate at the forthcoming federal election
Australian federal election, 1966
Federal elections were held in Australia on 26 November 1966. All 124 seats in the House of Representatives were up for election. The incumbent Liberal Party of Australia led by Prime Minister of Australia Harold Holt with coalition partner the Country Party led by John McEwen defeated the...
. The Division of Northern Territory
Division of Northern Territory
The Division of Northern Territory was an Australian Electoral Division in the Northern Territory. Throughout its existence, it was the only Division in the Territory....
had long been in 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...
hands but Calder was able to wrest the seat away, at first by only 400-odd votes in 1966, but extending that into thousands over the next decade and a half.
Calder played an active role in parliament, pushing for development in the NT, and could claim some of the credit for the construction of the 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...
-Alice Springs train line and several new roads, and the NT being granted self-government
Government of the Northern Territory
The Northern Territory is governed according to the principles of the Westminster system, a form of parliamentary government based on the model of the United Kingdom...
, Senate representation
Australian Senate
The Senate is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of Australia, the lower house being the House of Representatives. Senators are popularly elected under a system of proportional representation. Senators are elected for a term that is usually six years; after a double dissolution, however,...
, and the right to vote in national referendums
Referendums in Australia
In Australia, referendums are binding polls usually used to alter the Constitution of the Commonwealth or a state or territory. Non-binding polls are usually referred to as plebiscites.-Federal referendums:...
. Following the granting of self-government in 1978, Calder founded the Country Liberal Party
Country Liberal Party
The Northern Territory Country Liberal Party is a Northern Territory political party affiliated with both the National and Liberal parties...
, which held government in the NT for over a quarter of a century.
Calder also had many ambitious plans which failed to see the light of day, including statehood for the NT and a nuclear power
Nuclear power
Nuclear power is the use of sustained nuclear fission to generate heat and electricity. Nuclear power plants provide about 6% of the world's energy and 13–14% of the world's electricity, with the U.S., France, and Japan together accounting for about 50% of nuclear generated electricity...
station in the NT, as well as a being a vocal opponent of Aboriginal land rights
Native title
Native title is the Australian version of the common law doctrine of aboriginal title.Native title is "the recognition by Australian law that some Indigenous people have rights and interests to their land that come from their traditional laws and customs"...
, believing that the then governing Labor Party had sold Australia to the Aboriginals.
Following his retirement from politics in 1980, Calder continued to fight the furthering of Aboriginal rights, arguing that they made Aboriginals lazy.
Calder died in Darwin late in the evening of 30 September 2008, aged 92.