Donald Norman Cameron
Encyclopedia
Donald Norman Cameron known as Norman Cameron, Australia
n politician, was born in Launceston, Tasmania
, the son of Donald Cameron
who served in the Tasmanian Legislative Council from 1868 to 1886. He was sent to Scotland
for his education and graduated from St Andrews University. Returning to Tasmania he became a large landowner and sheepbreeder. In 1897 he was elected to the Tasmanian House of Assembly
, where he served until 1899.
At the 1901 federal election, Cameron was elected for the Free Trade Party
as one of Tasmania's five members of the Australian House of Representatives
, since Tasmania had not been divided into electoral divisions. At the 1903 election he contested the seat of Denison
, but was defeated by the Protectionist
candidate, Sir Philip Fysh
. He returned to the House when he won a by-election
in the seat of Wilmot
in 1904, but he was again defeated at the 1906 election. He is remembered today for his part in the choice of national capital. The house was evenly divided, he effectively having the casting vote. After two weeks' prevarication he settled on Canberra
.
He then returned to Tasmanian politics, serving in the House of Assembly from 1912 to 1913 and again from 1925 to 1928. He died at Chudleigh of pneumonia following a fall. He was survived by his wife, a daughter and two of his three sons. One son, Donald Keith Cameron
, served in the Tasmanian House of Assembly from 1934–37. His brother Cyril Cameron
was a Protectionist Party
Senator
contemporaneously with his service as MHR
, 1901–1903 then from 1906–1913.
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, was born in Launceston, Tasmania
Launceston, Tasmania
Launceston is a city in the north of the state of Tasmania, Australia at the junction of the North Esk and South Esk rivers where they become the Tamar River. Launceston is the second largest city in Tasmania after the state capital Hobart...
, the son of Donald Cameron
Donald Cameron (Tasmanian politician)
Donald Cameron born in Fordoun, Scotland was a Tasmanian politician who held the Tasmanian Legislative Council seat of North Esk from 18 July 1868 to 13 July 1886....
who served in the Tasmanian Legislative Council from 1868 to 1886. He was sent to 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...
for his education and graduated from St Andrews University. Returning to Tasmania he became a large landowner and sheepbreeder. In 1897 he was elected to the Tasmanian House of Assembly
Tasmanian House of Assembly
The House of Assembly, or Lower House, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of Tasmania in Australia. The other is the Legislative Council or Upper House...
, where he served until 1899.
At the 1901 federal election, Cameron was elected for the Free Trade Party
Free Trade Party
The Free Trade Party which was officially known as the Australian Free Trade and Liberal Association, also referred to as the Revenue Tariff Party in some states and renamed the Anti-Socialist Party in 1906, was an Australian political party, formally organised between 1889 and 1909...
as one of Tasmania's five members of 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....
, since Tasmania had not been divided into electoral divisions. At the 1903 election he contested the seat of Denison
Division of Denison
The Division of Denison is anAustralian Electoral Division in Tasmania.The division was created in 1903 and is named for Sir William Denison, who was Lt-Governor of Van Diemens Land 1847-55...
, but was defeated by the Protectionist
Protectionist Party
The Protectionist Party was an Australian political party, formally organised from 1889 until 1909, with policies centred on protectionism. It argued that Australia needed protective tariffs to allow Australian industry to grow and provide employment. It had its greatest strength in Victoria and in...
candidate, Sir Philip Fysh
Philip Fysh
Sir Philip Oakley Fysh, KCMG was an Australian politician, Premier of Tasmania and a member of the first federal ministry....
. He returned to the House when he won a by-election
Wilmot by-election, 1904
A by-election was held for the Australian House of Representatives seat of Wilmot in Tasmania on 26 February 1904. This was triggered by the death of former Premier of Tasmania and federal Free Trade Party MP Sir Edward Braddon on 2 February 1904....
in the seat of Wilmot
Division of Wilmot
The Division of Wilmot was an Australian Electoral Division in the state of Tasmania. It was located in central Tasmania, and was named after Sir John Eardley-Wilmot, the sixth Lieutenant-Governor of Tasmania...
in 1904, but he was again defeated at the 1906 election. He is remembered today for his part in the choice of national capital. The house was evenly divided, he effectively having the casting vote. After two weeks' prevarication he settled on Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
.
He then returned to Tasmanian politics, serving in the House of Assembly from 1912 to 1913 and again from 1925 to 1928. He died at Chudleigh of pneumonia following a fall. He was survived by his wife, a daughter and two of his three sons. One son, Donald Keith Cameron
Donald Keith Cameron
Donald Keith Cameron was an Australian politician. He was born in Chudleigh, Tasmania, the son of Norman Cameron, another Tasmanian politician. In 1934 he was elected to the Tasmanian House of Assembly as a Nationalist member for Wilmot, holding his seat until his defeat in 1937. He died in 1967...
, served in the Tasmanian House of Assembly from 1934–37. His brother Cyril Cameron
Cyril Cameron
Cyril St Clair Cameron was an Australian soldier and politician.Born in Launceston, Tasmania, he was educated at Launceston Grammar School and then attended Edinburgh University, becoming a pastoralist and professional soldier...
was a Protectionist Party
Protectionist Party
The Protectionist Party was an Australian political party, formally organised from 1889 until 1909, with policies centred on protectionism. It argued that Australia needed protective tariffs to allow Australian industry to grow and provide employment. It had its greatest strength in Victoria and in...
Senator
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,...
contemporaneously with his service as MHR
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....
, 1901–1903 then from 1906–1913.