Edric Bastyan
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant-General Sir Edric Montague Bastyan, KCMG
, KCVO
, KBE
, CB
(5 April 1903 – 6 October 1980) was Governor of South Australia from 4 April 1961 until 1 June 1968 then Governor of Tasmania from 2 December 1968 until 30 November 1973. He was the last British
person to be governor of either state.
during the Berlin airlift (1946-48) and Commander of British Forces in Hong Kong
from 1957 to 1960. He retired from the army in 1960 and was appointed Governor of South Australia on 4 April 1961.
On two occasions during his period as governor in South Australia, the elections did not result in a clear majority. In both 1962 and 1968, rather than make a precipitate decision to select the premier from the party with the largest minority (and more than 50% of the votes), he bided time and waited for parliament
to meet. In both cases, the quick decision would have turned out to be wrong, and the South Australian House of Assembly
selected the premier from the other party. In 1962, this allowed the Liberal
Playford
government to continue rather than the Labor Party
led by Frank Walsh
. In 1968, the Labor government of Don Dunstan
lost to the Liberals led by Steele Hall
. Without this leadership from the governor, there would likely have been a need for another election much sooner.
Bastyan's term in office in Tasmania was relatively uneventful, though he did have to deal, after the 1969 State election
, with a deadlocked House of Assembly
where both the ALP
and Liberal Party
had the same number of seats. The matter was resolved by a single representative of the Centre Party entering into a coalition with the Liberals. Bastyan returned to Adelaide in his retirement.
Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order - 1963
Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire - 1957 (CBE - 6 January 1944, OBE - 9 September 1942)
Companion of the Order of the Bath - 31 August 1944
Mention in Despatches - 1 April 1941
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
, KCVO
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
, KBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, CB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
(5 April 1903 – 6 October 1980) was Governor of South Australia from 4 April 1961 until 1 June 1968 then Governor of Tasmania from 2 December 1968 until 30 November 1973. He was the last British
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
person to be governor of either state.
Military career
During his military career, senior posts held by him included head of logisticsLogistics
Logistics is the management of the flow of goods between the point of origin and the point of destination in order to meet the requirements of customers or corporations. Logistics involves the integration of information, transportation, inventory, warehousing, material handling, and packaging, and...
during the Berlin airlift (1946-48) and Commander of British Forces in Hong Kong
Commander British Forces in Hong Kong
The Commander British Forces in Hong Kong was a senior British Army officer who acted as Military Advisor to the Governor of Hong Kong.-Structure:...
from 1957 to 1960. He retired from the army in 1960 and was appointed Governor of South Australia on 4 April 1961.
On two occasions during his period as governor in South Australia, the elections did not result in a clear majority. In both 1962 and 1968, rather than make a precipitate decision to select the premier from the party with the largest minority (and more than 50% of the votes), he bided time and waited for parliament
Parliament of South Australia
The Parliament of South Australia is the bicameral legislature of the Australian state of South Australia. It consists of the Legislative Council and the House of Assembly. It follows a Westminster system of parliamentary government....
to meet. In both cases, the quick decision would have turned out to be wrong, and the South Australian House of Assembly
South Australian House of Assembly
The House of Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of South Australia. The other is the Legislative Council. It sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Adelaide.- Overview :...
selected the premier from the other party. In 1962, this allowed the Liberal
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...
Playford
Thomas Playford IV
Sir Thomas Playford, GCMG was a South Australian politician. He served continuously as Premier of South Australia from 5 November 1938 to 10 March 1965, the longest term of any elected government leader in the history of Australia. His tenure as premier was marked by a period of population and...
government to continue rather than the 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...
led by Frank Walsh
Frank Walsh
Francis Henry "Frank" Walsh was the 34th Premier of South Australia, serving from 10 March 1965 to 1 June 1967.-Early life:One of eight children, Walsh was born into an Irish Catholic family in O'Halloran Hill, South Australia...
. In 1968, the Labor government of Don Dunstan
Don Dunstan
Donald Allan "Don" Dunstan, AC, QC was a South Australian politician. He entered politics as the Member for Norwood in 1953, became state Labor leader in 1967, and was Premier of South Australia between June 1967 and April 1968, and again between June 1970 and February 1979.The son of a business...
lost to the Liberals led by Steele Hall
Steele Hall
Raymond Steele Hall was the 36th Premier of South Australia 1968-70, a senator for South Australia 1974-77, and federal member for the Division of Boothby 1981-96.-Biography:...
. Without this leadership from the governor, there would likely have been a need for another election much sooner.
Bastyan's term in office in Tasmania was relatively uneventful, though he did have to deal, after the 1969 State election
Tasmanian state election, 1969
A general election for the Tasmanian House of Assembly was held on 10 May 1969. The incumbent Labor Party, which had been in power continuously since 1934, was led by Eric Reece, who had been premier of Tasmania since 1958. The opposition Liberal Party was led by Angus Bethune.The election resulted...
, with a deadlocked 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 both the ALP
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...
and Liberal Party
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...
had the same number of seats. The matter was resolved by a single representative of the Centre Party entering into a coalition with the Liberals. Bastyan returned to Adelaide in his retirement.
Honours and awards
Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George - 1962Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order - 1963
Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire - 1957 (CBE - 6 January 1944, OBE - 9 September 1942)
Companion of the Order of the Bath - 31 August 1944
Mention in Despatches - 1 April 1941
External links
- King's College London Archives
- list of commanders in Hong Kong
- British and Indian armies on the China coast 1785-1985; Harfield, A. G.; A. and J. Partnership, 1990. ISBN 0-9516065-0-6
- British Army Officers 1939-1945