Ernest Wetherell
Encyclopedia
The Hon. Ernest "Ern" Wetherell (26 March 1893 – 31 March 1969) was an Australian politician and a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
from 1949 until 1965. He was a member of the Australian Labor Party (NSW)
and held numerous ministerial positions between 1953 and 1962.
and was the son of a miner. His father and an elder brother died in mining accidents by the time he was 14. He was educated to elementary level at catholic schools and initially worked in a gold battery at Ballarat. He arrived in Broken Hill in 1911 and worked as a miner until the Australian General Strike of 1917
. He later worked as a journalist and editor on left wing newspapers.
at the 1949 by-election caused by the death of the sitting Labor member Mat Davidson. He retained the seat at the next 5 elections and retired at the 1965
election
, Robert Heffron
and Jack Renshaw
. He was appointed as Minister for Transport in 1953 and between 1956 and 1960 was the Minister for Conservation. From 1960 until his retirement he was the Minister for Education. During his tenure the education reforms known as the Wyndham Scheme, which included an expansion of secondary education from 5 to 6 years and the replacement of the Leaving Certificate by the Higher School Certificate were planned.
New South Wales Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of New South Wales, an Australian state. The other chamber is the Legislative Council. Both the Assembly and Council sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney...
from 1949 until 1965. He was a member of the Australian Labor Party (NSW)
Australian Labor Party (NSW)
The Australian Labor Party , commonly known as Lang Labor, was the name given to a major breakaway of the Australian Labor Party in New South Wales that operated from 1931 to 1936....
and held numerous ministerial positions between 1953 and 1962.
Early life
Wetherell was born in the gold rush town of Mount Egerton, VictoriaMount Egerton, Victoria
Mount Egerton is a town in Victoria, Australia. The town is located in the Shire of Moorabool Local Government Area, north west of the state capital, Melbourne. At the 2006 census, Mount Egerton had a population of 215....
and was the son of a miner. His father and an elder brother died in mining accidents by the time he was 14. He was educated to elementary level at catholic schools and initially worked in a gold battery at Ballarat. He arrived in Broken Hill in 1911 and worked as a miner until the Australian General Strike of 1917
Australian General Strike of 1917
The General Strike of 1917 was a general strike which began in the Australian state of New South Wales and spread to other states over six weeks from 2 August to 8 September 1917.-Background:...
. He later worked as a journalist and editor on left wing newspapers.
State Parliament
After an unsuccessful attempt to win the seat of Sturt as an independent at the 1922 state election. Wetherell became active within the Labor Party and was elected to the parliament as the member for CobarElectoral district of Cobar
Cobar was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales from 1894 to 1920, when it was combined with Willyama and Sturt to create a three-member Sturt. Cobar was recreated in 1932 and abolished in 1968. It included Cobar.-Members for Cobar:...
at the 1949 by-election caused by the death of the sitting Labor member Mat Davidson. He retained the seat at the next 5 elections and retired at the 1965
New South Wales state election, 1965
The 1965 New South Wales state election was held on 1 May 1965. It was conducted in single member constituencies with compulsory preferential voting and was held on boundaries created at a 1961 redistribution...
election
Government
Wetherell was a member of the governments of Joseph CahillJoseph Cahill
John Joseph Cahill was Premier of New South Wales in Australia from 1952 to 1959. He is best remembered as the Premier who approved construction on the Sydney Opera House, and for his work increasing the authority of local government in the state.-Early years:Joe Cahill, as he was popularly known,...
, Robert Heffron
Robert Heffron
Robert James "Bob" Heffron was one of the longest-serving New South Wales state parliamentarians. He was the Australian Labor Party Premier of New South Wales from 28 October 1959, to 30 April 1964.-Early years:...
and Jack Renshaw
Jack Renshaw
John Brophy "Jack" Renshaw AC was an Australian politician. He was Labor Premier of New South Wales from 30 April 1964 to 13 May 1965.-Early life:...
. He was appointed as Minister for Transport in 1953 and between 1956 and 1960 was the Minister for Conservation. From 1960 until his retirement he was the Minister for Education. During his tenure the education reforms known as the Wyndham Scheme, which included an expansion of secondary education from 5 to 6 years and the replacement of the Leaving Certificate by the Higher School Certificate were planned.