Allan MacDonald
Encyclopedia
Allan Nicoll MacDonald (25 August 1892 – 18 January 1978) was an Australia
n politician and government minister.
MacDonald was born at Lochee
, Forfarshire, Scotland
and educated at Arbroath
High School. He migrated to Western Australia in 1911 and worked at Collie
before moving to Perth
in 1914, where he was employed as an accountant. In August 1914, he joined the Australian Imperial Force
and served at the Gallipoli Campaign until he was evacuated due to illness. He spent the rest of the World War I
in Egypt
and England
. In October 1919, he married Christiana Hildreth and they returned to Perth in 1920.
from 1925 and by 1930 was its general secretary in Western Australia. He was elected to the Senate
at the 1934 election
, representing the United Australia Party
, although he took his seat early in March 1935, filling a casual vacancy. He was minister without portfolio assisting the Minister for Commerce
from November 1937 to November 1938 and then assisting the Treasurer
until April 1939. Due to his support for Billy Hughes
for the leadership after the death of Joseph Lyons
, he was left out of Robert Menzies
' first two ministries, but was appointed Minister for External Territories
in June 1941 in Menzies third ministry
. He lost this position in October 1941, when the government was defeated. He lost his seat at the September 1946 election
, with his term finishing in June 1947. He failed to get Liberal Party
endorsement for the December 1949 election
.
MacDonald died at the Repatriation General Hospital, Nedlands
, survived by his wife, two daughters and three sons.
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 and government minister.
MacDonald was born at Lochee
Lochee
Lochee is an area in the west of Dundee, Scotland. Until the 19th century, it was a separate town, but was eventually surrounded by the expanding Dundee...
, Forfarshire, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and educated at Arbroath
Arbroath
Arbroath or Aberbrothock is a former royal burgh and the largest town in the council area of Angus in Scotland, and has a population of 22,785...
High School. He migrated to Western Australia in 1911 and worked at Collie
Collie, Western Australia
-External links:*...
before moving to Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
in 1914, where he was employed as an accountant. In August 1914, he joined the Australian Imperial Force
First Australian Imperial Force
The First Australian Imperial Force was the main expeditionary force of the Australian Army during World War I. It was formed from 15 August 1914, following Britain's declaration of war on Germany. Generally known at the time as the AIF, it is today referred to as the 1st AIF to distinguish from...
and served at the Gallipoli Campaign until he was evacuated due to illness. He spent the rest of the World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
in Egypt
Sinai and Palestine Campaign
The Sinai and Palestine Campaigns took place in the Middle Eastern Theatre of World War I. A series of battles were fought between British Empire, German Empire and Ottoman Empire forces from 26 January 1915 to 31 October 1918, when the Armistice of Mudros was signed between the Ottoman Empire and...
and England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. In October 1919, he married Christiana Hildreth and they returned to Perth in 1920.
Political career
MacDonald was involved in raising funds for the Nationalist PartyNationalist 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...
from 1925 and by 1930 was its general secretary in Western Australia. He was elected to the Senate
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,...
at the 1934 election
Australian federal election, 1934
Federal elections were held in Australia on 15 September 1934. All 74 seats in the House of Representatives, and 18 of the 36 seats in the Senate were up for election. The incumbent United Australia Party led by Prime Minister of Australia Joseph Lyons with coalition partner the Country Party led...
, representing the United Australia Party
United Australia Party
The United Australia Party was an Australian political party that was founded in 1931 and dissolved in 1945. It was the political successor to the Nationalist Party of Australia and predecessor to the Liberal Party of Australia...
, although he took his seat early in March 1935, filling a casual vacancy. He was minister without portfolio assisting the Minister for Commerce
Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (Australia)
The current Australian Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry is Senator the Hon Joe Ludwig.-Portfolio responsibilities:The minister administers his portfolio through the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, and its component bodies:...
from November 1937 to November 1938 and then assisting the Treasurer
Treasurer of Australia
The Treasurer of Australia is the minister in the Government of Australia responsible for government expenditure and revenue raising. He is the head of the Department of the Treasury. The Treasurer plays a key role in the economic policy of the government...
until April 1939. Due to his support for Billy Hughes
Billy Hughes
William Morris "Billy" Hughes, CH, KC, MHR , Australian politician, was the seventh Prime Minister of Australia from 1915 to 1923....
for the leadership after the death of Joseph Lyons
Joseph Lyons
Joseph Aloysius Lyons, CH was an Australian politician. He was Labor Premier of Tasmania from 1923 to 1928 and a Minister in the James Scullin government from 1929 until his resignation from the Labor Party in March 1931...
, he was left out of Robert Menzies
Robert Menzies
Sir Robert Gordon Menzies, , Australian politician, was the 12th and longest-serving Prime Minister of Australia....
' first two ministries, but was appointed Minister for External Territories
Minister for Home Affairs (Australia)
The Australian Minister for Home Affairs has been Brendan O'Connor since 6 June 2009. The Home Affairs portfolio brings together agencies such as the Australian Customs Service , the Australian Federal Police and the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, which were previously the...
in June 1941 in Menzies third ministry
Third Menzies Ministry
The Third Menzies Ministry was the twenty-eighth Australian Commonwealth ministry, and ran from 28 October 1940 to 28 August 1941.United Australia Party–Australian Country Party Coalition...
. He lost this position in October 1941, when the government was defeated. He lost his seat at the September 1946 election
Australian federal election, 1946
Federal elections were held in Australia on 28 September 1946. All 74 seats in the House of Representatives, and 19 of the 36 seats in the Senate were up for election...
, with his term finishing in June 1947. He failed to get 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...
endorsement for the December 1949 election
Australian federal election, 1949
Federal elections were held in Australia on 10 December 1949. All 121 seats in the House of Representatives, and 42 of the 60 seats in the Senate were up for election, where the single transferable vote was introduced...
.
MacDonald died at the Repatriation General Hospital, Nedlands
Nedlands, Western Australia
The City of Nedlands is a Local Government Area in the inner western suburbs of the Western Australian capital city of Perth, located about west of Perth's central business district...
, survived by his wife, two daughters and three sons.
See also
- Allan MacDonald (poet)Allan MacDonald (poet)Father Allan MacDonald was a Roman Catholic priest, poet, folklore collector, and activist from the Scottish Gàidhealtachd.-Biography:...