Bruce Cowan
Encyclopedia
David Bruce Cowan, AM
(15 January 1926 7 April 2011) was an Australian politician and Minister of the Crown in the cabinets of Tom Lewis
and Sir Eric Willis
. He was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
for 14 years from 6 November 1965 until his resignation on 29 August 1980 and then for 13 years in the Australian House of Representatives
for Lyne
for the Country Party of Australia and its successors, the National Country and then National Parties.
, the son of a farmer, David Cowan, and Bessie Kent. He was educated at Oxley Island Public School and Taree High School
and thereafter worked as a farmer, a real estate agent, and stock and station agent.
He became a prominent member of the community, becoming the country real estate agents representative on the New South Wales Council of Auctioneers, the President of Oxley Island Primary Producers Union Branch, Secretary of Oxley Island Drainage Union and as a Member of the Taree Rotary Club for 37 years. He married Laura Bidner on 5 June 1954 and had two daughters, one of whom, Rosemary, married the future Leader of the New South Wales Liberal Party and Premier of New South Wales, Barry O'Farrell
. After Laura died in a car accident in 1987 he re-married, to Jan Churchill, who became a wonderful helper to him in his work as an MP.
from 1957 to 1965, later rising to become Deputy Mayor from 1959 to 1965.
In 1965, he contested the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
seat of Oxley at a November by-election caused by the death of the sitting member, Les Jordan
. He went on to win the seat on preferences with 59.75% of the vote. He went on to retain his seat a further 5 times, each time with a significant majority, until his resignation. For most of his time in Parliament he remained on the backbenches until Premier Askin retired and Tom Lewis became Premier, who appointed him as Minister for Agriculture and Minister for Water Resources on 17 December 1975. He held these portfolios until, Lewis' successor, Sir Eric Willis
, lost the election on 14 May 1976.
In opposition he was made the Shadow Minister for Conservation and Shadow Minister for Water Resources from 28 May 1976 to 2 November 1978, when under the new leader, John Mason
, he was apponted the Shadow Minister for Local Government and Shadow Minister for Roads. Held this portfolio until he resigned and later also resigned his seat on 29 August 1980.
In 1980, Cowan won the National Country Party preselection for the Australian House of Representatives
seat of Lyne
when Philip Lucock
retired from politics. Cowan faced the Labor
candidate and Local Councillor Leslie Brown and the Liberal Party's
Milton Morris
who was the Member for Maitland
in the NSW Legislative Assembly. Although Brown won more primary votes, preferences from Morris were more than enough to ensure that Cowan was elected. Cowan held the seat comfortably until retiring at the 1993 election.
On 26 January 1998, Cowan was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for service to Parliament and the community. On 1 January 2001, he was also awarded the Centenary Medal
for service to society through parliament.
Cowan died on 7 April 2011, a week after O'Farrell was elected Premier of New South Wales.
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
(15 January 1926 7 April 2011) was an Australian politician and Minister of the Crown in the cabinets of Tom Lewis
Tom Lewis (Australian politician)
Thomas Lancelot Lewis AO is a former New South Wales politician, Premier of New South Wales and Minister of the Crown in the cabinets of Sir Robert Askin and Sir Eric Willis. He was made the Premier of New South Wales following Askin's retirement from politics and held it until he was replaced by...
and Sir Eric Willis
Eric Willis
Sir Eric Archibald Willis KBE, CMG was an Australian politician, Cabinet Minister and the 34th Premier of New South Wales, serving from 23 January 1976 to 14 May 1976. Born in Murwillumbah in 1922, Willis was educated at Murwillumbah High School and the University of Sydney, where he obtained a...
. He was a 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...
for 14 years from 6 November 1965 until his resignation on 29 August 1980 and then for 13 years in the Australian House of Representatives
Australian 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 Lyne
Division of Lyne
The Division of Lyne is an Australian electoral division located in the State of New South Wales. It lies on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales and includes the Local Government Areas of Gloucester, Greater Taree, Port Macquarie-Hastings and southern Kempsey...
for the Country Party of Australia and its successors, the National Country and then National Parties.
Early life
Bruce Cowan was born in January 1926 in Taree, New South WalesTaree, New South Wales
Taree is a city on the Mid North Coast, New South Wales, Australia. Taree and nearby Cundletown were settled in 1831 by William Wynter. Since then Taree has grown to a population of around 20,000 people and is the centre of a significant agricultural district. It is 16 km from the sea coast,...
, the son of a farmer, David Cowan, and Bessie Kent. He was educated at Oxley Island Public School and Taree High School
Taree High School
Taree High School, also known as THS, is a secondary, public, co-educational, comprehensive day school, located in Taree, a city on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales, Australia....
and thereafter worked as a farmer, a real estate agent, and stock and station agent.
He became a prominent member of the community, becoming the country real estate agents representative on the New South Wales Council of Auctioneers, the President of Oxley Island Primary Producers Union Branch, Secretary of Oxley Island Drainage Union and as a Member of the Taree Rotary Club for 37 years. He married Laura Bidner on 5 June 1954 and had two daughters, one of whom, Rosemary, married the future Leader of the New South Wales Liberal Party and Premier of New South Wales, Barry O'Farrell
Barry O'Farrell
Barry Robert O'Farrell MP, is an Australian politician and is the 43rd Premier of New South Wales, Minister for Western Sydney, Leader of the New South Wales Liberal Party and a Member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly representing Ku-ring-gai for the Liberal Party since 1999.Born in...
. After Laura died in a car accident in 1987 he re-married, to Jan Churchill, who became a wonderful helper to him in his work as an MP.
Political career
Cowan's interest in politics began when he joined the Country Party of Australia, becoming a member of the central executive in 1952, 1953 and 1958. He ran for the local government elections and became an Alderman on Taree Municipal CouncilCity of Greater Taree
The City of Greater Taree is a Local Government Area on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales, Australia, centered on Taree. It is on the Manning River, the Pacific Highway and the North Coast railway line.- History :...
from 1957 to 1965, later rising to become Deputy Mayor from 1959 to 1965.
In 1965, he contested 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...
seat of Oxley at a November by-election caused by the death of the sitting member, Les Jordan
Les Jordan
Leslie Charles Jordan was an Australian politician and a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1944 until his death in 1965 . He was initially elected as a member of the Country Party but changed allegiance to the Liberal Party of Australia in 1959.Jordan was born in Sydney...
. He went on to win the seat on preferences with 59.75% of the vote. He went on to retain his seat a further 5 times, each time with a significant majority, until his resignation. For most of his time in Parliament he remained on the backbenches until Premier Askin retired and Tom Lewis became Premier, who appointed him as Minister for Agriculture and Minister for Water Resources on 17 December 1975. He held these portfolios until, Lewis' successor, Sir Eric Willis
Eric Willis
Sir Eric Archibald Willis KBE, CMG was an Australian politician, Cabinet Minister and the 34th Premier of New South Wales, serving from 23 January 1976 to 14 May 1976. Born in Murwillumbah in 1922, Willis was educated at Murwillumbah High School and the University of Sydney, where he obtained a...
, lost the election on 14 May 1976.
In opposition he was made the Shadow Minister for Conservation and Shadow Minister for Water Resources from 28 May 1976 to 2 November 1978, when under the new leader, John Mason
John Mason (Australian politician)
John Marsden Mason is a former Australian politician, a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for 16 years.-Early life:Mason was born in Rose Bay in Sydney in 1928, the son of Kay Mason and Stella Marsden...
, he was apponted the Shadow Minister for Local Government and Shadow Minister for Roads. Held this portfolio until he resigned and later also resigned his seat on 29 August 1980.
In 1980, Cowan won the National Country Party preselection for the Australian House of Representatives
Australian 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....
seat of Lyne
Division of Lyne
The Division of Lyne is an Australian electoral division located in the State of New South Wales. It lies on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales and includes the Local Government Areas of Gloucester, Greater Taree, Port Macquarie-Hastings and southern Kempsey...
when Philip Lucock
Philip Lucock
Philip Ernest Lucock, CBE was an English born Presbyterian minister and politician. Although he was born in England, he spent most of his life in Australia.-Early life:...
retired from politics. Cowan faced the Labor
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...
candidate and Local Councillor Leslie Brown and the Liberal Party's
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...
Milton Morris
Milton Morris
Milton Arthur Morris AO is an Australian politician who represented the Electoral district of Maitland between 3 March 1956 and 29 August 1980 for the Liberal Party of Australia.-Early life:...
who was the Member for Maitland
Electoral district of Maitland
Maitland is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is represented by Robyn Parker of the Liberal Party of Australia....
in the NSW Legislative Assembly. Although Brown won more primary votes, preferences from Morris were more than enough to ensure that Cowan was elected. Cowan held the seat comfortably until retiring at the 1993 election.
On 26 January 1998, Cowan was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for service to Parliament and the community. On 1 January 2001, he was also awarded the Centenary Medal
Centenary Medal
The Centenary Medal is an award created by the Australian Government in 2001. It was established to commemorate the Centenary of Federation of Australia and to honour people who have made a contribution to Australian society or government...
for service to society through parliament.
Cowan died on 7 April 2011, a week after O'Farrell was elected Premier of New South Wales.