Fred Chaney, senior
Encyclopedia
Sir Frederick Charles Chaney KBE
AFC
(20 October 1914 - 17 December 2001), was an Australian politician and Minister for the Navy
.
Chaney was born in Fremantle, Western Australia
and educated in state and Catholic schools and gained a scholarship as a result of his sporting ability to attend Christian Brothers' College, Perth
. He taught in state schools from 1932 and married Mavis, a fellow teacher, in 1938. They had four sons (including Fred
, a deputy leader of the Liberal Party) and three daughters. In 1941, he enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force
as a pilot and flying instructor and served in Australia, New Guinea
and Borneo
and was awarded the Air Force Cross
.
Chaney was elected at the 1955 election
as the Liberal
member for the Australian House of Representatives
seat of Division of Perth
, Western Australia
. He was selected as Minister for the Navy
in Robert Menzies
' December 1963 ministry
, but not sworn in until 4 March 1964—due to the need to pass legislation to enlarge the ministry—after the 10 February 1964 Voyager disaster
and was responsible for dealing with its repercussions. He was not reappointed to Harold Holt
's second ministry
in December 1966 and he was defeated at the 1969 election
by Labor
candidate, Joe Berinson
.
Chaney was the Administrator of the Northern Territory
from 1970 to 1973 and was a strong advocate for Aboriginal
land rights. He was Lord Mayor of Perth from 1978 to 1982. He was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire
(CBE) in 1970 and Knight of the Order (KBE) in 1981.
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...
AFC
Air Force Cross (United Kingdom)
The Air Force Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom Armed Forces, and formerly also to officers of the other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying, though not in active operations against the enemy"...
(20 October 1914 - 17 December 2001), was an Australian politician and Minister for the Navy
Minister for Defence (Australia)
The Minister for Defence of Australia administers his portfolio through the Australian Defence Organisation, which comprises the Department of Defence and the Australian Defence Force. Stephen Smith is the current Minister.-Ministers for Defence:...
.
Chaney was born in Fremantle, Western Australia
Fremantle, Western Australia
Fremantle is a city in Western Australia, located at the mouth of the Swan River. Fremantle Harbour serves as the port of Perth, the state capital. Fremantle was the first area settled by the Swan River colonists in 1829...
and educated in state and Catholic schools and gained a scholarship as a result of his sporting ability to attend Christian Brothers' College, Perth
Christian Brothers' College, Perth
Christian Brothers College, informally known as CBC Perth or The Terrace was an Independent school for boys situated on St Georges Terrace in the centre of Perth, Western Australia. The school opened in January 1894, and was a founding member of the Public Schools Association...
. He taught in state schools from 1932 and married Mavis, a fellow teacher, in 1938. They had four sons (including Fred
Fred Chaney
Frederick Michael Chaney, AO is a former Western Australian politician who, until April 2007, held the position of deputy chairman of the Australian Native Title Tribunal and is Chair of Desert Knowledge Australia and on the Board of Directors of Reconciliation Australia.Chaney was born in Perth,...
, a deputy leader of the Liberal Party) and three daughters. In 1941, he enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force
Royal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
as a pilot and flying instructor and served in Australia, New Guinea
New Guinea campaign
The New Guinea campaign was one of the major military campaigns of World War II.Before the war, the island of New Guinea was split between:...
and Borneo
Borneo campaign (1945)
The Borneo Campaign of 1945 was the last major Allied campaign in the South West Pacific Area, during World War II. In a series of amphibious assaults between 1 May and 21 July, the Australian I Corps, under General Leslie Morshead, attacked Japanese forces occupying the island. Allied naval and...
and was awarded the Air Force Cross
Air Force Cross (United Kingdom)
The Air Force Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom Armed Forces, and formerly also to officers of the other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying, though not in active operations against the enemy"...
.
Chaney was elected at the 1955 election
Australian federal election, 1955
Federal elections were held in Australia on 10 December 1955. All 122 seats in the House of Representatives, and 30 of the 60 seats in the Senate were up for election. The incumbent Liberal Party of Australia led by Prime Minister of Australia Robert Menzies with coalition partner the Country Party...
as 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...
member for 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....
seat of Division of Perth
Division of Perth
The Division of Perth is an Australian Electoral Division in the state of Western Australia. It is named after Perth, the capital city of Western Australia, where the Division is located...
, 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...
. He was selected as Minister for the Navy
Minister for Defence (Australia)
The Minister for Defence of Australia administers his portfolio through the Australian Defence Organisation, which comprises the Department of Defence and the Australian Defence Force. Stephen Smith is the current Minister.-Ministers for Defence:...
in Robert Menzies
Robert Menzies
Sir Robert Gordon Menzies, , Australian politician, was the 12th and longest-serving Prime Minister of Australia....
' December 1963 ministry
Tenth Menzies Ministry
The Tenth Menzies Ministry was the forty-first Australian Commonwealth ministry, and ran from 18 December 1963 to 21 January 1966.Liberal Party of Australia–Australian Country Party Coalition-Cabinet:...
, but not sworn in until 4 March 1964—due to the need to pass legislation to enlarge the ministry—after the 10 February 1964 Voyager disaster
Melbourne-Voyager collision
The Melbourne-Voyager collision, also referred to as the "Melbourne-Voyager incident" or simply the "Voyager incident", was a collision between two warships of the Royal Australian Navy ; the aircraft carrier and the destroyer...
and was responsible for dealing with its repercussions. He was not reappointed to Harold Holt
Harold Holt
Harold Edward Holt, CH was an Australian politician and the 17th Prime Minister of Australia.His term as Prime Minister was brought to an early and dramatic end in December 1967 when he disappeared while swimming at Cheviot Beach near Portsea, Victoria, and was presumed drowned.Holt spent 32 years...
's second ministry
Second Holt Ministry
The Second Holt Ministry was the forty-third Australian Commonwealth ministry, and ran from 14 December 1966 to 19 December 1967.Liberal Party of Australia–Australian Country Party Coalition-Cabinet:*Rt Hon Harold Holt, CH MP: Prime Minister...
in December 1966 and he was defeated at the 1969 election
Australian federal election, 1969
Federal elections were held in Australia on 25 October 1969. All 125 seats in the House of Representatives were up for election. The incumbent Liberal Party of Australia led by Prime Minister of Australia John Gorton with coalition partner the Country Party led by John McEwen defeated the Australian...
by Labor
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...
candidate, Joe Berinson
Joe Berinson
Joseph Max "Joe" Berinson is a former Labor member of the Australian House of Representatives from the 1969 election until his defeat by Ross McLean at the 1975 election, representing the division of Perth, Western Australia...
.
Chaney was the Administrator of the Northern Territory
Administrator of the Northern Territory
The Administrator of the Northern Territory is an official appointed by the Governor-General of Australia to exercise powers analogous to that of a state governor...
from 1970 to 1973 and was a strong advocate for Aboriginal
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
land rights. He was Lord Mayor of Perth from 1978 to 1982. He was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire
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...
(CBE) in 1970 and Knight of the Order (KBE) in 1981.