Eric Reece
Encyclopedia
Eric Elliott Reece, AC (6 July 190923 October 1999) was Premier of Tasmania on two occasions: from 26 August 1958 to 26 May 1969, and from 3 May 1972 to 31 March 1975.
on 6 July 1909. He attempted to enter the House of Representatives
for the Division of Darwin
at the federal elections of 1940
and 1943
, but failed both times. In 1943, his successful opponent was Dame Enid Lyons
. Reece was elected to the Tasmanian House of Assembly on 23 November 1946 representing the state seat of Darwin (later renamed Braddon
). He spent a record 28 years as a minister on the front bench, and never served on the back bench during his parliamentary term. He became Premier in 1958, after the retirement of previous Labor leader Robert Cosgrove
.
Reece lost the premiership of Tasmania in 1969, when the ALP was narrowly defeated by the Liberal Party led by Angus Bethune ending 45 years of Labor government in Tasmania. The Liberals had gained a one-seat majority in the House of Assembly by forming a coalition with their former leader, Kevin Lyons
, who had founded his own Centre Party
. Nevertheless the Liberals' majority in the House of Assembly ended when Lyons quit the coalition, forcing Bethune back to the polls in 1972. Reece and the Labor Party regained control in a landslide win, with Reece gaining the record for highest-ever vote in Braddon of 35.4%.
Reece was well-known for his staunch support of Tasmania's Hydro Electric Commission
and its power development schemes on the Gordon River
, which earned him the nickname 'Electric Eric'.
In 1972, he controversially approved the flooding of Lake Pedder
in Tasmania's south west
, which proceeded despite a determined protest movement and a blank cheque offer from Prime Minister Gough Whitlam
to preserve the Lake Pedder area. Reece refused Whitlam's offer, stating that he would "not have the Federal Government interfering with the sovereign rights of Tasmania".
Reece was quoted as saying:
Reece was Federal President of the Labor Party on two occasions during the 1970s. He retired from active politics on 31 March 1975 after the ALP introduced a mandatory retirement age of 65. He was however involved in the December 1982 rally in Queenstown
in support of the Organisation for Tasmanian Development, and marched with fellow ex-Premier Robin Gray
(a great and self-confessed admirer of his) in support of the Gordon-below-Franklin dam
He died on 23 October 1999 at the age of 90.
issue.
Koshin, Jillian (2009) 'Electric Eric. The Life and Times of Eric Reece an Australian State Premier' Bokprint and Maribyrnong Press ISBN 978-0-9806157-3-9 (Paperback), 978-0-980157-4-6 (Hardback)
Biography
Eric Reece was born in the small town of MathinnaMathinna, Tasmania
Mathinna is a small Australian town located in the north-east of Tasmania, 63 km east of Launceston. It was named after a young Aboriginal girl befriended by the Lieutenant Governor of Van Diemen's Land, Sir John Franklin and his wife, Lady Jane Franklin....
on 6 July 1909. He attempted to enter 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....
for the Division of Darwin
Division of Darwin
The Division of Darwin was an Australian Electoral Division in Tasmania. The division was created in 1903 and abolished in 1955, when it was replaced by the Division of Braddon. It was named after Charles Darwin, who visited Australia in 1836. It was located in north-western Tasmania, including the...
at the federal elections of 1940
Australian federal election, 1940
Federal elections were held in Australia on 21 September 1940. All 74 seats in the House of Representatives, and 19 of the 36 seats in the Senate were up for election...
and 1943
Australian federal election, 1943
Federal elections were held in Australia on 21 August 1943. All 74 seats in the House of Representatives, and 19 of the 36 seats in the Senate were up for election. The incumbent Australian Labor Party led by Prime Minister of Australia John Curtin easily defeated the opposition Country Party led...
, but failed both times. In 1943, his successful opponent was Dame Enid Lyons
Enid Lyons
Dame Enid Muriel Lyons, AD, GBE was an Australian politician and the first woman to be elected to the Australian House of Representatives as well as the first woman appointed to the federal Cabinet...
. Reece was elected to the Tasmanian House of Assembly on 23 November 1946 representing the state seat of Darwin (later renamed Braddon
Division of Braddon (state)
The Electoral Division of Braddon, Tasmania is one of the 5 electorates in the Tasmanian House of Assembly. The constituency takes its name from the former Premier of Tasmania, Sir Edward Braddon. Prior to 1955, the electorate was known as Darwin. The boundaries and name of the electorate are...
). He spent a record 28 years as a minister on the front bench, and never served on the back bench during his parliamentary term. He became Premier in 1958, after the retirement of previous Labor leader Robert Cosgrove
Robert Cosgrove
Sir Robert Cosgrove KCMG was an Australian politician, trade unionist, and twice Premier of Tasmania from 18 December 1939 to 18 December 1947 and 25 February 1948 to 26 August 1958....
.
Reece lost the premiership of Tasmania in 1969, when the ALP was narrowly defeated by the Liberal Party led by Angus Bethune ending 45 years of Labor government in Tasmania. The Liberals had gained a one-seat majority in the House of Assembly by forming a coalition with their former leader, Kevin Lyons
Kevin Lyons
Kevin Orchard Lyons was an Australian politician and member of the Tasmanian House of Assembly representing the seat of Darwin...
, who had founded his own Centre Party
Centre Party (Tasmania)
The Centre Party was a minor Australian political party formed by Kevin Lyons in 1969, which held the balance of power in the Tasmanian House of Assembly following the 1969 state election in Tasmania...
. Nevertheless the Liberals' majority in the House of Assembly ended when Lyons quit the coalition, forcing Bethune back to the polls in 1972. Reece and the Labor Party regained control in a landslide win, with Reece gaining the record for highest-ever vote in Braddon of 35.4%.
Reece was well-known for his staunch support of Tasmania's Hydro Electric Commission
Hydro Tasmania
Hydro Tasmania, known for most of its history as The HEC, is the government owned enterprise which is the predominant electricity generator in the state of Tasmania, Australia...
and its power development schemes on the Gordon River
Gordon River
The Gordon River is one of the major rivers of Tasmania, Australia. It rises in the centre of the island at Lake Richmond and flows westward for about 193km where it empties into Macquarie Harbour on the West Coast of Tasmania. Major tributaries include the Serpentine River and the Franklin...
, which earned him the nickname 'Electric Eric'.
In 1972, he controversially approved the flooding of Lake Pedder
Lake Pedder
Lake Pedder was once a natural lake, located in the southwest of Tasmania, Australia but the name is now used in an official sense to refer to the much larger artificial impoundment and diversion lake formed when the original lake was expanded by damming in 1972 by the Hydro Electric Commission of...
in Tasmania's south west
South West Tasmania
South West Tasmania is a region in Tasmania that has evolved over the fifty years between its consideration as a potential resource for development to its consideration as World Heritage wilderness...
, which proceeded despite a determined protest movement and a blank cheque offer from Prime Minister Gough Whitlam
Gough Whitlam
Edward Gough Whitlam, AC, QC , known as Gough Whitlam , served as the 21st Prime Minister of Australia. Whitlam led the Australian Labor Party to power at the 1972 election and retained government at the 1974 election, before being dismissed by Governor-General Sir John Kerr at the climax of the...
to preserve the Lake Pedder area. Reece refused Whitlam's offer, stating that he would "not have the Federal Government interfering with the sovereign rights of Tasmania".
Reece was quoted as saying:
"There was a National Park out there, but I can't remember exactly where it was . . . at least, it wasn't of substantial significance in the scheme of things. The thing that was significant was that we had to double the output of power in this state in ten years in order [to] supply the demands of industry and the community. And this was the scheme that looked as though it could do a greater part of [the] job for us."
Reece was Federal President of the Labor Party on two occasions during the 1970s. He retired from active politics on 31 March 1975 after the ALP introduced a mandatory retirement age of 65. He was however involved in the December 1982 rally in Queenstown
Queenstown, Tasmania
Queenstown is a town in the West Coast region of the island of Tasmania. It is located in a valley on western slopes of Mount Owen on the West Coast Range.It had a population of 5,119 people . At the 2006 census, Queenstown had a population of 2,117....
in support of the Organisation for Tasmanian Development, and marched with fellow ex-Premier Robin Gray
Robin Gray (Australian politician)
Robin Trevor Gray is a former Australian politician who was Premier of Tasmania from 1982 to 1989. A Liberal, he was elected Liberal state leader in 1981 and in 1982 defeated the Labor government of Harry Holgate on a policy of "state development," particularly the building of the Franklin Dam, a...
(a great and self-confessed admirer of his) in support of the Gordon-below-Franklin dam
Franklin Dam
The Franklin Dam or Gordon-below-Franklin Dam project was a proposed dam on the Gordon River in Tasmania, Australia, that was never constructed. The movement that eventually led to the project's cancellation became one of most significant environmental campaigns in Australian history.The dam was...
He died on 23 October 1999 at the age of 90.
Further reading
Green, Roger (1981) Battle for the Franklin Sydney: Australian Conservation Foundation and Fontana Books ISBN 0006367151 - specifically pp 26-38 for an extended interview as to his views of the Lake PedderLake Pedder
Lake Pedder was once a natural lake, located in the southwest of Tasmania, Australia but the name is now used in an official sense to refer to the much larger artificial impoundment and diversion lake formed when the original lake was expanded by damming in 1972 by the Hydro Electric Commission of...
issue.
Koshin, Jillian (2009) 'Electric Eric. The Life and Times of Eric Reece an Australian State Premier' Bokprint and Maribyrnong Press ISBN 978-0-9806157-3-9 (Paperback), 978-0-980157-4-6 (Hardback)