Walter Massy-Greene
Encyclopedia
Sir Walter Massy-Greene KCMG (6 November 187416 November 1952) was an Australian politician.
, London England as Walter Massy Greene, son of John Greene, a brewer and hotel proprietor.
Greene was educated at Lynton House College, Oxfordshire
. He emigrated to Australia in 1891. He worked as a farmer, gold prospector and bank officer before becoming a dairy farmer in the Lismore
area. Greene was elected to local government prior to standing for Federal Parliament.
for the seat of Richmond
in 1910 election
. He was initially elected as a member of the Commonwealth Liberal Party
. Around this time he started to refer to himself informally as "Walter Massy-Greene". However in 1917, following the Australian Conscription Crisis
, the Commonwealth Liberal Party and the National Labor Party
formed a coalition and Massy-Greene became a member of the resultant Nationalist Party
. He continued to represent Richmond until 1922 when he was defeated by a Country Party
candidate. He was appointed as a Nationalist Party Senator for New South Wales in 1923 and served to the 1925 election
, when he was elected to the Senate from July 1926. He remained in the Senate until his retirement in 1938.
In the fourth Hughes Ministry
Massy-Greene was an Honorary Minister in charge of matters relating to price-fixing (27 March 191817 January 1919). He was then promoted to be Minister for Trade and Customs
(17 January 191921 December 1921). On 10 March 1921 he became the first Minister for Health
, a position he held until 5 February 1923. He then became Minister for Defence
until 5 February 1923.
He was relegated to the back bench during the Bruce Ministry
. In the First Lyons Ministry
he became the minister assisting the Leader of the Government in the Senate (6 January 193223 June 1932) and Assistant Treasurer (6 January 193225 September 1933).
He was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George
in June 1933, in recognition of his service as Assistant Treasurer. He subsequently formally changed his surname to Massy-Greene, to reflect the usage he had been adopting for the previous two decades.
Sir Walter Massy-Greene died in 1952 in the Freemasons' Hospital, East Melbourne
.
Early life
Massy-Greene was born in CamberwellCamberwell
Camberwell is a district of south London, England, and forms part of the London Borough of Southwark. It is a built-up inner city district located southeast of Charing Cross. To the west it has a boundary with the London Borough of Lambeth.-Toponymy:...
, London England as Walter Massy Greene, son of John Greene, a brewer and hotel proprietor.
Greene was educated at Lynton House College, Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
. He emigrated to Australia in 1891. He worked as a farmer, gold prospector and bank officer before becoming a dairy farmer in the Lismore
Lismore, New South Wales
Lismore is a subtropical town in northeastern New South Wales, Australia. Lismore is the main population centre in the City of Lismore local government area. Lismore is a regional centre in the Northern Rivers region of the State.-History:...
area. Greene was elected to local government prior to standing for Federal Parliament.
Political biography
Greene was elected to the 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....
for the seat of Richmond
Division of Richmond
The Division of Richmond is an Australian Electoral Division in the state of New South Wales. It is located in the far north-east of the state, along the Pacific coast...
in 1910 election
Australian federal election, 1910
Federal elections were held in Australia on 13 April 1910. All 75 seats in the House of Representatives, and 18 of the 36 seats in the Senate were up for election...
. He was initially elected as a member of 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....
. Around this time he started to refer to himself informally as "Walter Massy-Greene". However in 1917, following the Australian Conscription Crisis
Billy Hughes
William Morris "Billy" Hughes, CH, KC, MHR , Australian politician, was the seventh Prime Minister of Australia from 1915 to 1923....
, the Commonwealth Liberal Party and the National Labor Party
National Labor Party
The National Labor Party was the name used by the Australian Prime Minister Billy Hughes for himself and his followers after he was expelled from the Australian Labor Party in November 1916 over his pro-conscription stance in relation to World War I...
formed a coalition and Massy-Greene became a member of the resultant Nationalist Party
Nationalist Party of Australia
The Nationalist Party of Australia was an Australian political party. It was formed on 17 February 1917 from a merger between the conservative Commonwealth Liberal Party and the National Labor Party, the name given to the pro-conscription defectors from the Australian Labor Party led by Prime...
. He continued to represent Richmond until 1922 when he was defeated by a 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...
candidate. He was appointed as a Nationalist Party Senator for New South Wales in 1923 and served to the 1925 election
Australian federal election, 1925
Federal elections were held in Australia on 14 November 1925. All 75 seats in the House of Representatives, and 22 of the 36 seats in the Senate were up for election...
, when he was elected to the Senate from July 1926. He remained in the Senate until his retirement in 1938.
In the fourth Hughes Ministry
Fourth Hughes Ministry
The Fourth Hughes Ministry was the fifteenth Australian Commonwealth ministry, and ran from 5 May 1917 to 3 February 1920.Nationalist Party of Australia*Rt Hon Billy Hughes, MP: Prime Minister, Attorney-General*Rt Hon Joseph Cook, MP: Minister for the Navy...
Massy-Greene was an Honorary Minister in charge of matters relating to price-fixing (27 March 191817 January 1919). He was then promoted to be Minister for Trade and Customs
Minister for Trade (Australia)
The Australian Minister for Trade has been Dr. Craig Emerson since 14 September 2010.-Portfolio:Currently the Minister for Trade administers the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade jointly with the Minister for Foreign Affairs, although prior to 1987 there was a separate Department of Trade...
(17 January 191921 December 1921). On 10 March 1921 he became the first Minister for Health
Minister for Health and Ageing (Australia)
The Minister for Health and Ageing is a portfolio in the Government of Australia with the responsibility for national health policy. The current Minister for Health and Ageing is Nicola Roxon...
, a position he held until 5 February 1923. He then became Minister for Defence
Minister for Defence (Australia)
The Minister for Defence of Australia administers his portfolio through the Australian Defence Organisation, which comprises the Department of Defence and the Australian Defence Force. Stephen Smith is the current Minister.-Ministers for Defence:...
until 5 February 1923.
He was relegated to the back bench during the Bruce Ministry
First Bruce Ministry
The First Bruce Ministry was the seventeenth Australian Commonwealth ministry, and ran from 9 February 1923 to 14 November 1925.Nationalist Party of Australia–Australian Country Party Coalition...
. In the First Lyons Ministry
First Lyons Ministry
The First Lyons Ministry was the twenty-first Australian Commonwealth ministry, and ran from 6 January 1932 to 12 October 1934.United Australia Party*Rt Hon Joseph Lyons, MP: Prime Minister, Treasurer...
he became the minister assisting the Leader of the Government in the Senate (6 January 193223 June 1932) and Assistant Treasurer (6 January 193225 September 1933).
He was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
in June 1933, in recognition of his service as Assistant Treasurer. He subsequently formally changed his surname to Massy-Greene, to reflect the usage he had been adopting for the previous two decades.
Sir Walter Massy-Greene died in 1952 in the Freemasons' Hospital, East Melbourne
East Melbourne, Victoria
East Melbourne is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, adjacent to Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Melbourne. At the 2006 Census, East Melbourne had a population of 4,330....
.