David Reid (Australian politician)
Encyclopedia
David Donald Reid was an Australian politician. He briefly served as a member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly
in 1971–1972 representing the seat of Blackwood
, then in 1974 was appointed to the Australian Senate
to serve out a vacancy which ended the same year.
in the South West region of Western Australia
to Donald Reid, a primary producer, and Marion (née Davies). He was educated at Bridgetown Primary School and Denmark Agricultural College, before getting a Diploma in Agriculture as an external student at Muresk College (now part of Curtin University
). After completing his schooling, he farmed at Bridgetown and did national service with the Army. On 19 October 1957 at St Mary's Church in West Perth
, he married Jacynth Horley, with whom he was to have one son and two daughters. In 1970, he became state president of the WA Fruitgrowers' Association and deputy WA representative on the Apple and Pear Board.
Reid contested the seat of Blackwood
in the Western Australian Legislative Assembly
for the Country Party
, of which he had been a member since 1965, at the 1971 election
, and won with a 7% swing to his party against the Liberals
, who had held the seat from 1950 until 1968. He resigned on 26 October 1972 to contest the House of Representatives
seat of Forrest
at the December 1972 election
, causing a by-election in the seat which was won by the Liberals' Sandy Lewis
.
On 16 January 1974, he was appointed to the Australian Senate
as a Country Party Senator for Western Australia
, filling the casual vacancy caused by the death of Senator Edgar Prowse
. From 7 March until 11 April, he was a member of the Joint Committee on Prices. He contested the 1974 election
three months later as a National Alliance
candidate (the Alliance had been formed between the Western Australian Country Party and the WA branch of the Democratic Labor Party
), but he was defeated. Reid served as state president of the party, renamed the National Country Party soon after the election, during 1974 and 1975. He left the party in 1978.
In the 1980s, he became heavily involved with promotion of the Bridgetown region, with a four-year stint as president of the Bridgetown-Greenbushes Tourist Bureau. He became involved with the South West Development Authority, one of several regional authorities set up by the Burke government
. From 1984 until 1990, he served as deputy chairman of the Advisory Committee and convenor of the Economic Development subcommittee of the Authority. In 1987, he was elected to the Shire of Bridgetown-Greenbushes as a councillor, and from 1990 as Shire President. He was also president of the Bridgetown Rotary Club, director for 5 years of the Blackwood Marathon Relay, and a member of the Bridgetown Hospital Board and Bridgetown Golf Club.
Western Australian Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of parliament in the Australian state of Western Australia. It sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Perth....
in 1971–1972 representing the seat of Blackwood
Electoral district of Blackwood
Blackwood was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Western Australia from 1950 to 1974.The district was located in the south-west of the state and first contested at the 1950 state election. The seat was abolished ahead of the 1974 state election.-Members for...
, then in 1974 was appointed to the Australian 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,...
to serve out a vacancy which ended the same year.
Biography
Reid was born in BridgetownBridgetown, Western Australia
-Notable people:*Emily Barker, singer-songwriter*Jon Doust, author and comedian*Robyn McSweeney, politician*Tom O'Dwyer, cricketer*David Reid, politician*Deborah Robertson, novelist and poet-External links:* * * * * * * *...
in the South West region of Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
to Donald Reid, a primary producer, and Marion (née Davies). He was educated at Bridgetown Primary School and Denmark Agricultural College, before getting a Diploma in Agriculture as an external student at Muresk College (now part of Curtin University
Curtin University of Technology
Curtin University is an Australian university based in Perth, Western Australia, with additional campuses in regional Western Australia and at Miri , Sydney and Singapore...
). After completing his schooling, he farmed at Bridgetown and did national service with the Army. On 19 October 1957 at St Mary's Church in West Perth
West Perth, Western Australia
West Perth is an inner suburb of Perth, the capital city of Western Australia. It is part of the inner mixed zone, and has predominantly office blocks which have displaced residential buildings. There is a high proportion of miners and consultants, and particularly medical specialists, compared to...
, he married Jacynth Horley, with whom he was to have one son and two daughters. In 1970, he became state president of the WA Fruitgrowers' Association and deputy WA representative on the Apple and Pear Board.
Reid contested the seat of Blackwood
Electoral district of Blackwood
Blackwood was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Western Australia from 1950 to 1974.The district was located in the south-west of the state and first contested at the 1950 state election. The seat was abolished ahead of the 1974 state election.-Members for...
in the Western Australian Legislative Assembly
Western Australian Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of parliament in the Australian state of Western Australia. It sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Perth....
for the Country Party
National Party of Western Australia
The National Party of Western Australia is a political party in Western Australia. It is affiliated with the National Party of Australia but maintains a separate structure and identity....
, of which he had been a member since 1965, at the 1971 election
Western Australian state election, 1971
Elections were held in the state of Western Australia on 20 February 1971 to elect all 51 members to the Legislative Assembly and 15 members to the 30-seat Legislative Council...
, and won with a 7% swing to his party against the Liberals
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...
, who had held the seat from 1950 until 1968. He resigned on 26 October 1972 to contest the 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 Forrest
Division of Forrest
The Division of Forrest is an Australian Electoral Division in Western Australia. The division was created in 1922 and is named for Sir John Forrest, the first Premier of Western Australia and a federal Cabinet minister. It is located in the south-western corner of the state, including the towns of...
at the December 1972 election
Australian federal election, 1972
Federal elections were held in Australia on 2 December 1972. All 125 seats in the House of Representatives were up for election. The Liberal Party of Australia had been in power since 1949, under Prime Minister of Australia William McMahon since March 1971 with coalition partner the Country Party...
, causing a by-election in the seat which was won by the Liberals' Sandy Lewis
Sandy Lewis
Alexander Ashley Lewis , better known as Sandy Lewis, was an Australian politician who represented the Western Australian Legislative Assembly seat of Blackwood from 1972 until 1974, and one of the two Legislative Council seats for Lower Central Province from 1974 until 1989...
.
On 16 January 1974, he was appointed to the Australian 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,...
as a Country Party Senator for Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
, filling the casual vacancy caused by the death of Senator Edgar Prowse
Edgar Prowse
Edgar Wylie Prowse was an Australian politician. Born in Kokeby, Western Australia, he was educated at state schools and then the University of Western Australia, becoming an agricultural scientist. He was a farmer at Doodlakine and Albany. The nephew of Country Party MP John Prowse, he was...
. From 7 March until 11 April, he was a member of the Joint Committee on Prices. He contested the 1974 election
Australian federal election, 1974
Federal elections were held in Australia on 18 May 1974. All 127 seats in the House of Representatives, and all 60 seats in the Senate were up for election, due to a double dissolution...
three months later as a National Alliance
National Alliance (Australia)
The National Alliance was an Australian political party of the early 1970s. The party was formed in Western Australia as a result of a merger between the WA Country Party and WA Democratic Labor Party . The National Alliance contested the WA state elections in March 1974, winning more than 8.5% of...
candidate (the Alliance had been formed between the Western Australian Country Party and the WA branch of the Democratic Labor Party
Democratic Labor Party (historical)
The Democratic Labor Party was an Australian political party that existed from 1955 until 1978.-History:The DLP was formed as a result of a split in the Australian Labor Party that began in 1954. The split was between the party's national leadership, under the then party leader Dr H.V...
), but he was defeated. Reid served as state president of the party, renamed the National Country Party soon after the election, during 1974 and 1975. He left the party in 1978.
In the 1980s, he became heavily involved with promotion of the Bridgetown region, with a four-year stint as president of the Bridgetown-Greenbushes Tourist Bureau. He became involved with the South West Development Authority, one of several regional authorities set up by the Burke government
Burke Ministry (Western Australia)
The Burke Ministry was the 29th Ministry of the Government of Western Australia, led by Labor Premier Brian Burke and deputy Mal Bryce. It commenced on 25 February 1983, six days after the O'Connor ministry, led by Premier Ray O'Connor of the Liberal Party, was defeated at the 1983 election...
. From 1984 until 1990, he served as deputy chairman of the Advisory Committee and convenor of the Economic Development subcommittee of the Authority. In 1987, he was elected to the Shire of Bridgetown-Greenbushes as a councillor, and from 1990 as Shire President. He was also president of the Bridgetown Rotary Club, director for 5 years of the Blackwood Marathon Relay, and a member of the Bridgetown Hospital Board and Bridgetown Golf Club.