Tom Lewis (Australian politician)
Encyclopedia
Thomas Lancelot Lewis AO
(born. 23 January 1922) is a former New South Wales
politician, Premier of New South Wales and Minister of the Crown in the cabinets of Sir Robert Askin
and Sir Eric Willis
. He was made the Premier of New South Wales following Askin's retirement from politics and held it until he was replaced by Willis in a party vote. Lewis was first elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
for the Electoral district of Wollondilly
for the Liberal Party of Australia
from 1957 until 1978 when he resigned his seat prior to the election.
and educated at St Peter's College, Adelaide
from 1931 to 1940. Subsequently he managed the property of his uncle, Essington Lewis
, Managing Director of BHP
and Director General for Munitions during World War II
. He was a member of the Australian Imperial Force
from 1940 to 1946 and served in Sydney, Celebes
, Java
and Borneo
as a lieutenant. He was on the staff of the Embassy of Australia, Washington, D.C. from 1946 to 1951.
representing the Liberal Party of Australia
in 1957. When the Askin
Government came to power in 1965, Lewis was given relatively junior portfolios of Lands and Mines. As lands minister he was responsible for setting up the National Parks and Wildlife Service
in 1967. In 1972, Tourism was added to his ministerial responsibilities when Sir Eric Willis moved to Education.
in Canberra. Most notably over the Medibank Health care scheme, to which New South Wales was the last state to sign.
The defining moment of the Lewis government was the decision taken by Lewis to break with convention when Whitlam appointed his Attorney-General, Senator Lionel Murphy
from New South Wales, to the High Court of Australia
. Lewis refused to appoint a replacement Senator of the same party; instead appointing the 72-year-old Mayor of Albury, Cleaver Bunton
. it triggered immediate outrage, not only from the Labor Party but also the executive of the Liberal party.
By the end of 1975, Lewis' image was badly damaged and he soon lost the confidence of his party and was deposed by Sir Eric Willis
in January 1976. He served as Willis's Minister for Local Government until May 1976, when the Liberal Government was narrowly defeated by the Australian Labor Party
. In opposition Lewis did not hold any position within the Shadow Caninet and later resigned from Parliament on 7 September 1978, the vacancy becoming one of the justifications for calling the election for 7 October 1978. At the election, his seat fell to the Labor candidate, Bill Knott. On his departure from parliament, he was permitted by Queen Elizabeth II, on the Governor's recommendation, to continue to use the title "The Honourable".
He was made an Officer of the Order of Australia on 26 January 2000 "For service to the Parliament of New South Wales, to the environment as the founder of the National Parks and Wildlife Service of New South Wales, and to the community". On 1 January 2001 he was awarded the Centenary Medal
.
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"...
(born. 23 January 1922) is a former 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...
politician, Premier of New South Wales and Minister of the Crown in the cabinets of Sir Robert Askin
Robert Askin
Sir Robert William Askin GCMG, was an Australian politician and the 32nd Premier of New South Wales from 1965 to 1975, the first representing the Liberal Party of Australia. He was born in 1907 as Robin William Askin, but always disliked his first name and changed it by deed poll in 1971...
and Sir Eric Willis
Eric Willis
Sir Eric Archibald Willis KBE, CMG was an Australian politician, Cabinet Minister and the 34th Premier of New South Wales, serving from 23 January 1976 to 14 May 1976. Born in Murwillumbah in 1922, Willis was educated at Murwillumbah High School and the University of Sydney, where he obtained a...
. He was made the Premier of New South Wales following Askin's retirement from politics and held it until he was replaced by Willis in a party vote. Lewis was first elected to 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...
for the Electoral district of Wollondilly
Electoral district of Wollondilly
Wollondilly is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is currently held by Jai Rowell of the Liberal Party of Australia....
for the Liberal Party of Australia
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...
from 1957 until 1978 when he resigned his seat prior to the election.
Early life
He was born in AdelaideAdelaide
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...
and educated at St Peter's College, Adelaide
St Peter's College, Adelaide
St Peter's College, , is an independent boy's school in the South Australian capital of Adelaide...
from 1931 to 1940. Subsequently he managed the property of his uncle, Essington Lewis
Essington Lewis
Essington Lewis, CH was an Australian industrialist.He was born in Burra, South Australia, on 13 January 1881. After joining Broken Hill Proprietary Company - now BHP Billiton - in 1904, he rose through the company ranks to become Managing Director in 1926 and Chairman in 1950, a position he held...
, Managing Director of BHP
BHP Billiton
BHP Billiton is a global mining, oil and gas company headquartered in Melbourne, Australia and with a major management office in London, United Kingdom...
and Director General for Munitions 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 a member of the Australian Imperial Force
Second Australian Imperial Force
The Second Australian Imperial Force was the name given to the volunteer personnel of the Australian Army in World War II. Under the Defence Act , neither the part-time Militia nor the full-time Permanent Military Force could serve outside Australia or its territories unless they volunteered to...
from 1940 to 1946 and served in Sydney, Celebes
Sulawesi
Sulawesi is one of the four larger Sunda Islands of Indonesia and is situated between Borneo and the Maluku Islands. In Indonesia, only Sumatra, Borneo, and Papua are larger in territory, and only Java and Sumatra have larger Indonesian populations.- Etymology :The Portuguese were the first to...
, Java
Java
Java is an island of Indonesia. With a population of 135 million , it is the world's most populous island, and one of the most densely populated regions in the world. It is home to 60% of Indonesia's population. The Indonesian capital city, Jakarta, is in west Java...
and Borneo
Borneo
Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located north of Java Island, Indonesia, at the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia....
as a lieutenant. He was on the staff of the Embassy of Australia, Washington, D.C. from 1946 to 1951.
Early career
Lewis was elected as the member for WollondillyElectoral district of Wollondilly
Wollondilly is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is currently held by Jai Rowell of the Liberal Party of Australia....
representing the Liberal Party of Australia
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...
in 1957. When the Askin
Robert Askin
Sir Robert William Askin GCMG, was an Australian politician and the 32nd Premier of New South Wales from 1965 to 1975, the first representing the Liberal Party of Australia. He was born in 1907 as Robin William Askin, but always disliked his first name and changed it by deed poll in 1971...
Government came to power in 1965, Lewis was given relatively junior portfolios of Lands and Mines. As lands minister he was responsible for setting up the National Parks and Wildlife Service
National Parks and Wildlife Service
National Parks and Wildlife Service may refer to:* National Parks and Wildlife Service * National Parks and Wildlife Service * National Parks and Wildlife Service * Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service...
in 1967. In 1972, Tourism was added to his ministerial responsibilities when Sir Eric Willis moved to Education.
Premier
Late in 1974, Askin announced his resignation and Lewis was chosen as leader over Willis and Justice Minister John Maddison. He then became Premier, sworn in on the 3 January 1975. He was elected during an uneasy time for the Liberal government, being engaged in almost daily warfare with the Whitlam Labor GovernmentGough Whitlam
Edward Gough Whitlam, AC, QC , known as Gough Whitlam , served as the 21st Prime Minister of Australia. Whitlam led the Australian Labor Party to power at the 1972 election and retained government at the 1974 election, before being dismissed by Governor-General Sir John Kerr at the climax of the...
in Canberra. Most notably over the Medibank Health care scheme, to which New South Wales was the last state to sign.
The defining moment of the Lewis government was the decision taken by Lewis to break with convention when Whitlam appointed his Attorney-General, Senator Lionel Murphy
Lionel Murphy
Lionel Keith Murphy, QC was an Australian politician and jurist who served as Attorney-General in the government of Gough Whitlam and as a Justice of the High Court of Australia from 1975 until his death.- Personal life :...
from New South Wales, to the High Court of Australia
High Court of Australia
The High Court of Australia is the supreme court in the Australian court hierarchy and the final court of appeal in Australia. It has both original and appellate jurisdiction, has the power of judicial review over laws passed by the Parliament of Australia and the parliaments of the States, and...
. Lewis refused to appoint a replacement Senator of the same party; instead appointing the 72-year-old Mayor of Albury, Cleaver Bunton
Cleaver Bunton
Cleaver Ernest Bunton AO OBE was a long serving Mayor of Albury, New South Wales, Australia, who came to national prominence in 1975 when he was controversially appointed to the Senate.-Early life:...
. it triggered immediate outrage, not only from the Labor Party but also the executive of the Liberal party.
By the end of 1975, Lewis' image was badly damaged and he soon lost the confidence of his party and was deposed by Sir Eric Willis
Eric Willis
Sir Eric Archibald Willis KBE, CMG was an Australian politician, Cabinet Minister and the 34th Premier of New South Wales, serving from 23 January 1976 to 14 May 1976. Born in Murwillumbah in 1922, Willis was educated at Murwillumbah High School and the University of Sydney, where he obtained a...
in January 1976. He served as Willis's Minister for Local Government until May 1976, when the Liberal Government was narrowly defeated by 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 opposition Lewis did not hold any position within the Shadow Caninet and later resigned from Parliament on 7 September 1978, the vacancy becoming one of the justifications for calling the election for 7 October 1978. At the election, his seat fell to the Labor candidate, Bill Knott. On his departure from parliament, he was permitted by Queen Elizabeth II, on the Governor's recommendation, to continue to use the title "The Honourable".
He was made an Officer of the Order of Australia on 26 January 2000 "For service to the Parliament of New South Wales, to the environment as the founder of the National Parks and Wildlife Service of New South Wales, and to the community". On 1 January 2001 he was awarded the Centenary Medal
Centenary Medal
The Centenary Medal is an award created by the Australian Government in 2001. It was established to commemorate the Centenary of Federation of Australia and to honour people who have made a contribution to Australian society or government...
.