Alfred McClelland
Encyclopedia
Alfred McClelland was an Australia
n politician. He was an Australian Labor Party
member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
from 1920 until 1927, representing Northern Tablelands
, and from 1930 to 1932, representing Dubbo
. His son and grandson both went on to hold senior roles in federal politics, creating a rare three-generation political dynasty.
McClelland was born at Black Creek, near Nundle
, and was educated at Nundle Public School. He worked as a shearer and bushworker after leaving school, and was active in local affairs, founding the Nundle League in 1902. He was appointed as an organiser with the Australian Workers' Union
in 1914, and was an executive councillor and the vice-president of the union's Western branch from 1916 until his election to parliament in 1920.
McClelland twice attempted to enter state politics before his 1920 victory, losing to Labor-turned-Nationalist MLA George McDonald
in Bingara
at a 1916 by-election and again in 1917. In 1920, on his third attempt, he was elected as the sole Labor member in the multi-member electorate of Northern Tablelands
. He was easily re-elected in 1922 and 1925, but faced a very difficult race in 1927. The multi-member system had been abolished, and McClelland had chosen to contest the newly recreated seat of Armidale
, which saw him challenged by prominent Country Party MLA David Drummond; Drummond won the seat in a landslide. He achieved a brief political comeback in 1930, winning newly recreated Dubbo
, but lost it to the Country Party's George Wilson in the Labor defeat of 1932. He again contested the seat in 1935, but was defeated, and did not run for public office again.
McClelland became a farmer at Northmead
after leaving politics. He died in Sydney
in 1969, and was cremated at Rookwood Cemetery
. His son, Doug McClelland, was a Senator from 1962 to 1987, and was a minister in the Whitlam
government. His grandson, Robert McClelland
, has been federal Attorney-General
since 2007.
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. He was an 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...
member of 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...
from 1920 until 1927, representing Northern Tablelands
Electoral district of Northern Tablelands
Northern Tablelands is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is currently represented by independent member Richard Torbay....
, and from 1930 to 1932, representing Dubbo
Electoral district of Dubbo
Dubbo is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is represented by Troy Grant of the National Party of Australia....
. His son and grandson both went on to hold senior roles in federal politics, creating a rare three-generation political dynasty.
McClelland was born at Black Creek, near Nundle
Nundle, New South Wales
Nundle is a village in the New England region of New South Wales, Australia. It was formerly the centre of Nundle Shire Local Government Area, but most of this area, including the village of Nundle, was absorbed into Tamworth Regional Council in 2004. The village is 400 km north of Sydney and...
, and was educated at Nundle Public School. He worked as a shearer and bushworker after leaving school, and was active in local affairs, founding the Nundle League in 1902. He was appointed as an organiser with the Australian Workers' Union
Australian Workers' Union
The Australian Workers' Union is one of Australia's largest and oldest trade unions. It traces its origins to unions founded in the pastoral and mining industries in the 1880s, and currently has approximately 135,000 members...
in 1914, and was an executive councillor and the vice-president of the union's Western branch from 1916 until his election to parliament in 1920.
McClelland twice attempted to enter state politics before his 1920 victory, losing to Labor-turned-Nationalist MLA George McDonald
George McDonald (Australian politician)
George Roy William McDonald was an Australian politician.-Legal career:McDonald was born in Sydney, the son of mining engineer George McDonald and his wife Margaret McNamara. He was educated in public schools in the Parramatta district and became a deposition clerk in the Justice Department at...
in Bingara
Electoral district of Bingara
Bingara was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales, created in 1894, partly from New England, and named after and including Bingara. It was abolished in 1920, with the introduction of proportional representation.-Members for Bingara:...
at a 1916 by-election and again in 1917. In 1920, on his third attempt, he was elected as the sole Labor member in the multi-member electorate of Northern Tablelands
Electoral district of Northern Tablelands
Northern Tablelands is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is currently represented by independent member Richard Torbay....
. He was easily re-elected in 1922 and 1925, but faced a very difficult race in 1927. The multi-member system had been abolished, and McClelland had chosen to contest the newly recreated seat of Armidale
Electoral district of Armidale
Armidale was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales, originally created in 1894, partly replacing New England, and named after and including Armidale. In 1920, with the introduction of proportional representation, it was absorbed into Northern...
, which saw him challenged by prominent Country Party MLA David Drummond; Drummond won the seat in a landslide. He achieved a brief political comeback in 1930, winning newly recreated Dubbo
Electoral district of Dubbo
Dubbo is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is represented by Troy Grant of the National Party of Australia....
, but lost it to the Country Party's George Wilson in the Labor defeat of 1932. He again contested the seat in 1935, but was defeated, and did not run for public office again.
McClelland became a farmer at Northmead
Northmead, New South Wales
Northmead is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Northmead is located 26 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government areas of the City of Parramatta and The Hills Shire...
after leaving politics. He died in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
in 1969, and was cremated at Rookwood Cemetery
Rookwood Cemetery
Rookwood Cemetery is the largest multicultural necropolis in the Southern Hemisphere, located in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
. His son, Doug McClelland, was a Senator from 1962 to 1987, and was a minister in the Whitlam
Gough 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...
government. His grandson, Robert McClelland
Robert McClelland (Australian politician)
Robert Bruce McClelland is the Attorney-General of Australia. He has been an Australian Labor Party member of theAustralian House of Representatives since March 1996, representing the Division of Barton, New South Wales...
, has been federal Attorney-General
Attorney-General of Australia
The Attorney-General of Australia is the first law officer of the Crown, chief law officer of the Commonwealth of Australia and a minister of the Crown. The Attorney-General is usually a member of the Federal Cabinet, but there is no constitutional requirement that this be the case since the...
since 2007.