Charles McGrath
Encyclopedia
David Charles McGrath was an Australia
n politician. Originally a member of the Australian Labor Party
, he joined Joseph Lyons
in the split that led to the formation of the United Australia Party
.
. He was a member of the South Ballarat football team during the 1890s. He married Elizabeth Johnstone Gullan in Ballarat
on 24 May 1898; the couple moved to Pitfield Plains in 1900 to expand the family business.
for Labor
, representing the seat of Grenville. He became known as a spokesman for the mining industry, and earned the nickname "Bull" for his promotion of Labor in country areas; with Frank Anstey
, he travelled extensively in the Gippsland area in November 1904.
, representing the seat of Ballaarat
. A vocal advocate for improved conditions for soldiers, McGrath enlisted in the armed forces in March 1916, travelling overseas as part of the Australian Imperial Force
. Until his 1918 dischargement as medically unfit, he was promoted to warrant officer.
McGrath was defeated at the 1919 election
by a single vote; however, the result was declared void and a by-election was held in July 1920, in which McGrath was elected. He continued to support soldiers' issues, notably repatriation
benefits, and criticised the method of bestowing Imperial honours.
McGrath held a number of positions (including Deputy Speaker
) in the Scullin
Government, but in the wake of the Great Depression
became drawn to Sir Otto Niemeyer
's solution to the nation's financial situation. As a result, in 1931 he was one of the Labor members who joined Joseph Lyons
in leaving the Labor Party and merging with the Nationalist
s to form the United Australia Party
. He continued as a UAP member until his death from ill health in 1934. He was buried in Ballarat, and was survived by his wife, two daughters and two 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. Originally a member of 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...
, he joined 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...
in the split that led to the formation of 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...
.
Early life
McGrath was born at Newtown, Victoria to David McGrath, an Irish-born miner, and Evelyn, née Horsefield, an Englishwoman. He attended Newtown State and Creswick Grammar schools before working at the family store at AllendaleAllendale, Victoria
Allendale is a town in Victoria, Australia, located north-east of Creswick, in the Shire of Hepburn. At the 2005 census, Allendale and the surrounding area had a population of 330....
. He was a member of the South Ballarat football team during the 1890s. He married Elizabeth Johnstone Gullan in Ballarat
Ballarat, Victoria
Ballarat is a city in the state of Victoria, Australia, approximately west-north-west of the state capital Melbourne situated on the lower plains of the Great Dividing Range and the Yarrowee River catchment. It is the largest inland centre and third most populous city in the state and the fifth...
on 24 May 1898; the couple moved to Pitfield Plains in 1900 to expand the family business.
State politics
In 1904, McGrath was elected to the Victorian Legislative AssemblyVictorian Legislative Assembly
The Victorian Legislative Assembly is the lower house of the Parliament of Victoria in Australia. Together with the Victorian Legislative Council, the upper house, it sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Melbourne.-History:...
for 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...
, representing the seat of Grenville. He became known as a spokesman for the mining industry, and earned the nickname "Bull" for his promotion of Labor in country areas; with Frank Anstey
Frank Anstey
Frank Anstey , Australian politician, served 38 years as a Labor member of the Victorian and Commonwealth parliaments....
, he travelled extensively in the Gippsland area in November 1904.
Federal politics
In May 1913, McGrath transferred to the federal House of RepresentativesAustralian 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....
, representing the seat of Ballaarat
Division of Ballarat
The Division of Ballarat is an Australian Electoral Division in Victoria. The division was one of the original 75 divisions contested at the first federal election. It is named for the provincial city of Ballarat....
. A vocal advocate for improved conditions for soldiers, McGrath enlisted in the armed forces in March 1916, travelling overseas as part of the Australian Imperial Force
Australian Imperial Force
The Australian Imperial Force was the name given to all-volunteer Australian Army forces dispatched to fight overseas during World War I and World War II.* First Australian Imperial Force * Second Australian Imperial Force...
. Until his 1918 dischargement as medically unfit, he was promoted to warrant officer.
McGrath was defeated at the 1919 election
Australian federal election, 1919
Federal elections were held in Australia on 13 December 1919. All 75 seats in the House of Representatives, and 19 of the 36 seats in the Senate were up for election. The incumbent Nationalist Party of Australia led by Prime Minister of Australia Billy Hughes defeated the opposition Australian...
by a single vote; however, the result was declared void and a by-election was held in July 1920, in which McGrath was elected. He continued to support soldiers' issues, notably repatriation
Repatriation
Repatriation is the process of returning a person back to one's place of origin or citizenship. This includes the process of returning refugees or soldiers to their place of origin following a war...
benefits, and criticised the method of bestowing Imperial honours.
McGrath held a number of positions (including Deputy Speaker
Speaker of the Australian House of Representatives
The Speaker of the House of Representatives is the presiding officer of the House of Representatives, the lower house of the Parliament of Australia. The presiding officer in the upper house is the President of the Senate....
) in the Scullin
James Scullin
James Henry Scullin , Australian Labor politician and the ninth Prime Minister of Australia. Two days after he was sworn in as Prime Minister, the Wall Street Crash of 1929 occurred, marking the beginning of the Great Depression and subsequent Great Depression in Australia.-Early life:Scullin was...
Government, but in the wake of the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
became drawn to Sir Otto Niemeyer
Otto Niemeyer
Sir Otto Ernst Niemeyer, GBE, KCB was financial controller at the Treasury and a director at the Bank of England. He was also treasurer of the National Association of Mental Health post World War II...
's solution to the nation's financial situation. As a result, in 1931 he was one of the Labor members who joined 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...
in leaving the Labor Party and merging with the Nationalist
Nationalist 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...
s to form 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...
. He continued as a UAP member until his death from ill health in 1934. He was buried in Ballarat, and was survived by his wife, two daughters and two sons.