Bill Carlton
Encyclopedia
William Joseph Carlton was an Australian politician and a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
between 1935 and his death. He was a member of the Australian Labor Party (NSW)
and Australian Labor Party
.
and was the son of a waterside worker. He was educated to elementary level and was employed by the New South Wales Government Railways
as a boilermaker's assistant. He became an organizer for the Australian Railways Union
. During World War One, Carlton served as a private in a machine-gun company of the First Australian Imperial Force
. Carlton was elected as an alderman of Glebe Municipal Council
between 1929 and 1935.
member for the safe Labor seat of Glebe
at the 1935
state election. He replaced the incumbent Lang Labor member Tom Keegan
who had retired. The following year Lang's party and its Members of Parliament, including Carlton, were readmitted into the Australian Labor Party
. At the next election in 1938
, Carlton faced a strong challenge from Horace Foley, the candidate for Robert Heffron
's breakaway Industrial Labor Party
, which Carlton won by less than 2% of the vote. Glebe was abolished by a redistribution at the 1941
and Carlton won Labor endorsement for the marginal seat of Concord
. In Labor's landslide victory at that election, Carlton defeated the sitting incumbent United Australia Party
member Stan Lloyd. Carlton retained the seat for Labor until his death in January 1949 . He was the Labor Party whip between 1941 and 1947 but did not hold any other party, parliamentary of ministerial office.
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...
between 1935 and his death. He was a member of the Australian Labor Party (NSW)
Australian Labor Party (NSW)
The Australian Labor Party , commonly known as Lang Labor, was the name given to a major breakaway of the Australian Labor Party in New South Wales that operated from 1931 to 1936....
and 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...
.
Early life
Carlton was born in Newcastle, New South WalesNewcastle, New South Wales
The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...
and was the son of a waterside worker. He was educated to elementary level and was employed by the New South Wales Government Railways
New South Wales Government Railways
The New South Wales Government Railways was the government department that operated the New South Wales Government's railways until the establishment of the Public Transport Commission in 1972. Although later known officially as the Department of Railways, New South Wales, it was still generally...
as a boilermaker's assistant. He became an organizer for the Australian Railways Union
Australian Rail Tram and Bus Industry Union
The Australian Rail Tram & Bus Industry Union , formerly known as the Public Transport Union or PTU, was formed on 1 March 1993, through the amalgamation of the Australian Railways Union, the Australian Federated Union of Locomotive Enginemen, the Australian Tramway & Motor Omnibus Employees'...
. During World War One, Carlton served as a private in a machine-gun company of the First 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...
. Carlton was elected as an alderman of Glebe Municipal Council
City of Sydney
The City of Sydney is the Local Government Area covering the Sydney central business district and surrounding inner city suburbs of the greater metropolitan area of Sydney, Australia...
between 1929 and 1935.
State Parliament
Carlton was elected to parliament as the Lang LaborAustralian Labor Party (NSW)
The Australian Labor Party , commonly known as Lang Labor, was the name given to a major breakaway of the Australian Labor Party in New South Wales that operated from 1931 to 1936....
member for the safe Labor seat of Glebe
Electoral district of Glebe
Glebe was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales, originally created in 1859, partly replacing Sydney Hamlets, and named after and including the Sydney suburb of Glebe. It elected one member from 1859 to 1885 and two members from 1885 to 1894....
at the 1935
New South Wales state election, 1935
The 1935 New South Wales state election was held on 11 May 1935. This election was for all of the 90 seats in the 31st New South Wales Legislative Assembly and was conducted in single member constituencies with compulsory preferential voting....
state election. He replaced the incumbent Lang Labor member Tom Keegan
Tom Keegan (Australian politician)
Thomas Michael "Tom" Keegan was an Australian politician.Born in Ararat to miner John Walter Keegan and Mary Flood, he attended primary schools before becoming a miner at Wyalong. Active in the miners' union and the Australian Labor Party, he moved to Sydney around 1901...
who had retired. The following year Lang's party and its Members of Parliament, including Carlton, were readmitted into 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...
. At the next election in 1938
New South Wales state election, 1938
The 1938 New South Wales state election was held on 26 March 1938. This election was for all of the 90 seats in the 32nd New South Wales Legislative Assembly and was conducted in single member constituencies with compulsory preferential voting....
, Carlton faced a strong challenge from Horace Foley, the candidate for Robert Heffron
Robert Heffron
Robert James "Bob" Heffron was one of the longest-serving New South Wales state parliamentarians. He was the Australian Labor Party Premier of New South Wales from 28 October 1959, to 30 April 1964.-Early years:...
's breakaway Industrial Labor Party
Industrial Labor Party
The Industrial Labor Party or Heffron Labor Party was a political party active in New South Wales, Australia, between 1938 and 1939. It was a splinter group of the Australian Labor Party and was formed by Bob Heffron after he and Carlo Lazzarini attempted to depose the party leader Jack Lang...
, which Carlton won by less than 2% of the vote. Glebe was abolished by a redistribution at the 1941
New South Wales state election, 1941
The 1941 New South Wales state election was held on 10 May 1941. This election was for all of the 90 seats in the 33nd New South Wales Legislative Assembly and was conducted in single member constituencies with compulsory preferential voting....
and Carlton won Labor endorsement for the marginal seat of Concord
Electoral district of Concord
Concord was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly of the Australian state of New South Wales, created in 1930, and named after and including the Sydney suburb of Concord. It was abolished in 1968.-Members for Concord:-References:...
. In Labor's landslide victory at that election, Carlton defeated the sitting incumbent 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...
member Stan Lloyd. Carlton retained the seat for Labor until his death in January 1949 . He was the Labor Party whip between 1941 and 1947 but did not hold any other party, parliamentary of ministerial office.