George Oakes (Australian politician)
Encyclopedia
George Oakes was an Australian pastoralist and politician. He was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council
for two periods between 1848 and 1856 and again between 1879 and 1881. He was also a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
for two periods between 1856 and 1860 and again between 1872 and 1874.
in partnership with his brother Francis Oakes who also became a member of the Legislative Assembly. By 1856, Oakes had acquired more than 130,000 acres of pastoral land in the Wellington
district and was independently wealthy. He was also a director of numerous companies including the Australian Gas Light Company
.
Oakes was active in community organizations in the Parramatta area including the Anti-transportation League, the board of Parramatta Hospital and the Royal Agricultural Society of New South Wales
.
. He remained the member until he was defeated at the 1860 election. He then traveled extensively in Europe
On 13 May 1861, in an attempt to swamp the upper house to carry his land reform bills, the Premier, Charles Cowper
, nominated Oakes to a limited-time appointment in the Legislative Council . However, he could not be sworn in as the President of the New South Wales Legislative Council
, William Burton
walked out of the chamber in protest at the government's actions. When the Council again met in June, Oakes refused to take his seat due to objections to the conditions that Cowper had placed on his appointment.
While affirming his Protestantism, Oakes objected to the political use of sectarianism practiced by Henry Parkes
and the Protestant Political Association. Parkes, in turn, believed that he was a
'sneak' who was 'forever pretending to be the friend of some body of men, while secretly endeavouring to discredit them'. As a result of his anti-sectarian stand and opposition to Parkes, Oakes failed at several attempts to re-enter the Assembly but was eventually elected as the member for East Sydney
at a 1872 by-election caused by the appointment of Saul Samuel
to the Legislative Council. He did not contest the next election in 1874-5 but was given a life appointment to the Legislative Council in 1879. He died after being run over by a steam tram outside Parliament House after a late night sitting.
New South Wales Legislative Council
The New South Wales Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of the parliament of New South Wales in Australia. The other is the Legislative Assembly. Both sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney. The Assembly is referred to as the lower house and the Council as...
for two periods between 1848 and 1856 and again between 1879 and 1881. He was also a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
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...
for two periods between 1856 and 1860 and again between 1872 and 1874.
Early life
Oakes was the son of a former Wesleyan missionary who had become the Chief Constable of Parramatta. He was educated privately and showed an early interest in pastoral matters. In the 1840s he bought land in the Nineteen CountiesNineteen Counties
The Nineteen Counties were the limits of location in the colony of New South Wales defined by the Governor of New South Wales Sir Ralph Darling in 1826 in accordance with a government order from Lord Bathurst, the secretary of State. Counties had been used since the first year of settlement, with...
in partnership with his brother Francis Oakes who also became a member of the Legislative Assembly. By 1856, Oakes had acquired more than 130,000 acres of pastoral land in the Wellington
Wellington, New South Wales
Wellington is a town in inland New South Wales, Australia located at the junction of the Macquarie and Bell Rivers. The town is the administrative centre of the Wellington Shire Local Government Area. The town is 362 kilometres from Sydney on the Great Western Highway and Mitchell Highway...
district and was independently wealthy. He was also a director of numerous companies including the Australian Gas Light Company
Australian Gas Light Company
The Australian Gas Light Company was an Australian gas and electricity retailer. It was formed in Sydney in 1837, and supplied town gas for the first public lighting of a street lamp in Sydney in 1841 AGL was the second company to list on the Australian Stock Exchange. The company gradually...
.
Oakes was active in community organizations in the Parramatta area including the Anti-transportation League, the board of Parramatta Hospital and the Royal Agricultural Society of New South Wales
Royal Agricultural Society of New South Wales
The Royal Agricultural Society of New South Wales is an Agricultural society based in New South Wales, Australia. They run many of the agricultural shows around New South Wales including the Sydney Royal Easter Show....
.
State Parliament
In 1848, prior to the establishment of responsible self-government, Oakes was elected to the semi-elective Legislative Council. He represented the electorate of Parramatta until the granting of responsible self-government in 1856. Subsequently, at the first election under the new constitution he was elected to the Legislative Assembly as one of the two members for the same seatElectoral district of Parramatta
Parramatta is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is currently held by Geoff Lee of the Liberal Party of Australia....
. He remained the member until he was defeated at the 1860 election. He then traveled extensively in Europe
On 13 May 1861, in an attempt to swamp the upper house to carry his land reform bills, the Premier, Charles Cowper
Charles Cowper
Sir Charles Cowper, KCMG was an Australian politician and the Premier of New South Wales on five different occasions from 1856 to 1870....
, nominated Oakes to a limited-time appointment in the Legislative Council . However, he could not be sworn in as the President of the New South Wales Legislative Council
President of the New South Wales Legislative Council
The President of the New South Wales Legislative Council is the presiding officer of the upper house of the Parliament of New South Wales. The role of President has generally been a partisan office, filled by the governing party of the time. The incumbent President is no exception, currently held...
, William Burton
William Westbrooke Burton
Sir William Westbrooke Burton was a judge and president of the legislative council, New South Wales, .-Early life:...
walked out of the chamber in protest at the government's actions. When the Council again met in June, Oakes refused to take his seat due to objections to the conditions that Cowper had placed on his appointment.
While affirming his Protestantism, Oakes objected to the political use of sectarianism practiced by Henry Parkes
Henry Parkes
Sir Henry Parkes, GCMG was an Australian statesman, the "Father of Federation." As the earliest advocate of a Federal Council of the colonies of Australia, a precursor to the Federation of Australia, he was the most prominent of the Australian Founding Fathers.Parkes was described during his...
and the Protestant Political Association. Parkes, in turn, believed that he was a
'sneak' who was 'forever pretending to be the friend of some body of men, while secretly endeavouring to discredit them'. As a result of his anti-sectarian stand and opposition to Parkes, Oakes failed at several attempts to re-enter the Assembly but was eventually elected as the member for East Sydney
Electoral district of East Sydney
East Sydney was an electoral district for the Legislative Assembly in the Australian State of New South Wales created in 1859 from part of the electoral district of Sydney, covering the eastern part of the current Sydney central business district, Woolloomooloo, Potts Point, Elizabeth Bay and...
at a 1872 by-election caused by the appointment of Saul Samuel
Saul Samuel
Sir Saul Samuel CMG, KCMG, CB was an Australian colonial merchant, member of parliament, pastoralist, and prominent Jew...
to the Legislative Council. He did not contest the next election in 1874-5 but was given a life appointment to the Legislative Council in 1879. He died after being run over by a steam tram outside Parliament House after a late night sitting.