Albert Dunstan
Encyclopedia
Sir Albert Arthur Dunstan, KCMG
(26 July 1882 –14 April 1950) was an Australia
n politician. A member of the Country Party (now National Party of Australia
), Dunstan was the 33rd Premier of Victoria. His term as Premier was the second-longest in the state's history, behind Sir Henry Bolte
. Dunstan, who was Premier from 2 April 1935 to 14 September 1943 and again from 18 September 1943 to 2 October 1945, was the first Premier of Victoria to hold that office as a position in its own right, and not just an additional duty taken up by the Treasurer, Attorney General, or Chief Secretary.
Dunstan was born on 26 July 1882 at Donald East, Victoria, the son of a Cornish
gold rush immigrant.
Dunstan was the first Deputy Premier of Victoria
serving from March 1932 until May 1932 under Premier Edmond Hogan
.
Dunstan became premier when he unexpectedly withdrew support for Stanley Argyle.
Argyle fought the March 1935 election with an improving economy, a record of sound, if unimaginative, management, and with the Labor opposition still divided and demoralised. He was rewarded with a second comfortable majority, with the UAP winning 25 seats and the Country Party 20, while Labor won only 17. But at this point he was unexpectedly betrayed by his allies. The Country Party leader Albert Dunstan was a close friend of the gambling boss John Wren
, who was also very close to the Labor leader Tom Tunnecliffe (in the view of most historians, in fact, Tunnecliffe was under Wren's control). Wren, aided by the Victorian Labor Party President, Arthur Calwell
, persuaded Dunstan to break off the coalition with Argyle and form a minority Country Party government, which Labor would support in return for some policy concessions. Dunstan agreed to this deal, and in April 1935 he moved a successful no confidence vote in the government from which he had just resigned.
The UAP (and later its successor the Liberal Party
) never forgave the Country Party for this treachery. Henry Bolte
, later Victoria's longest-serving Premier, was 27 in 1935, and Dunstan's betrayal of Argyle lay behind his lifelong and intense dislike of the Country Party, whom he called "political prostitutes."
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....
(26 July 1882 –14 April 1950) was an 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...
n politician. A member of the Country Party (now National Party of Australia
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...
), Dunstan was the 33rd Premier of Victoria. His term as Premier was the second-longest in the state's history, behind Sir Henry Bolte
Henry Bolte
Sir Henry Edward Bolte GCMG was an Australian politician. He was the 38th and longest serving Premier of Victoria.- Early years :...
. Dunstan, who was Premier from 2 April 1935 to 14 September 1943 and again from 18 September 1943 to 2 October 1945, was the first Premier of Victoria to hold that office as a position in its own right, and not just an additional duty taken up by the Treasurer, Attorney General, or Chief Secretary.
Dunstan was born on 26 July 1882 at Donald East, Victoria, the son of a Cornish
Cornish Australian
Cornish Australians are citizens of Australia whose ancestry originates in Cornwall, United Kingdom, one of the six Celtic Nations. They form part of the worldwide Cornish diaspora which also includes large numbers of people in the US, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, Mexico and many Latin...
gold rush immigrant.
Dunstan was the first Deputy Premier of Victoria
Deputy Premier of Victoria
The Deputy Premier of Victoria is the second-most senior officer in the Government of Victoria. The Deputy Premiership has been a ministerial portfolio since , and the Deputy Premier is appointed by the Governor on the advice of the Premier....
serving from March 1932 until May 1932 under Premier Edmond Hogan
Edmond Hogan
Edmond John "Ned" Hogan , Australian politician, 30th Premier of Victoria, was born in Wallace, Victoria, where his Irish-born parents were small farmers...
.
Dunstan became premier when he unexpectedly withdrew support for Stanley Argyle.
Argyle fought the March 1935 election with an improving economy, a record of sound, if unimaginative, management, and with the Labor opposition still divided and demoralised. He was rewarded with a second comfortable majority, with the UAP winning 25 seats and the Country Party 20, while Labor won only 17. But at this point he was unexpectedly betrayed by his allies. The Country Party leader Albert Dunstan was a close friend of the gambling boss John Wren
John Wren
John Wren was an Australian businessman. He has become a legendary figure thanks mainly to a fictionalised account of his life in Frank Hardy's novel Power Without Glory, which was also made into a television series...
, who was also very close to the Labor leader Tom Tunnecliffe (in the view of most historians, in fact, Tunnecliffe was under Wren's control). Wren, aided by the Victorian Labor Party President, 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...
, persuaded Dunstan to break off the coalition with Argyle and form a minority Country Party government, which Labor would support in return for some policy concessions. Dunstan agreed to this deal, and in April 1935 he moved a successful no confidence vote in the government from which he had just resigned.
The UAP (and later its successor the Liberal Party
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...
) never forgave the Country Party for this treachery. Henry Bolte
Henry Bolte
Sir Henry Edward Bolte GCMG was an Australian politician. He was the 38th and longest serving Premier of Victoria.- Early years :...
, later Victoria's longest-serving Premier, was 27 in 1935, and Dunstan's betrayal of Argyle lay behind his lifelong and intense dislike of the Country Party, whom he called "political prostitutes."