Ian Pratt (politician)
Encyclopedia
Ian George Pratt was an Australian politician, and a member of the Western Australian Legislative Council
from 1974 until 1986 representing the seat of Lower West Province
for the Liberal Party
.
, Western Australia
, to Herbert Pratt, a farmer, and Maude (née Benbow). He was educated in East Miling
and Pithara
primary schools, and at Northam Senior High School
before gaining his Teacher's Certificate in 1956 at Claremont Teachers College
. He then worked as a teacher in primary schools at Cannington
(1957–1958), Rivervale
(1959–1962) and Armadale
(1963–1974). On 10 May 1958 at St Peter's Church in Victoria Park
, he married Shirley Harvey, with whom he was to have two sons and two daughters.
From 1969 to 1975 he served on the Shire of Armadale-Kelmscott
as a councillor, and was elected deputy president of the Shire in 1974. He was the foundation president of the Canning Districts branch of the Western Australian State School Teachers' Union and was president of the Dale District Council of the WA Parents & Citizens Association. He had also joined the Liberal Party
and was president of the Armadale branch, secretary of the Canning Division Council and a member of the State Council.
At the 1974 state election
, he stood for and won the second Lower West Province
seat under the Liberal banner, and was to hold it for 12 years. He served two stints as Deputy Chairman of Committees and was briefly the Shadow Minister for Health under the Hassell shadow cabinet from 12 March 1984 until July 1984.
Following his exit from politics in 1986, he went into small business and real estate. He was also associated with the Armadale Tennis Club, the South Suburban Tennis Association, the Dale Little Athletics Centre and the ARKS Hockey Club, all of which he served as president.
Western Australian Legislative Council
The Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of parliament in the Australian state of Western Australia. Its central purpose is to act as a house of review for legislation passed through the lower house, the Legislative Assembly. It sits in Parliament House in the state...
from 1974 until 1986 representing the seat of Lower West Province
Lower West Province
The Lower West Province was a two-member electoral province of the Western Australian Legislative Council, located in the Peel and South West region of the state. It was one of several rural seats created following the enactment of the Constitution Acts Amendment Act 1963, and became effective on...
for the 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...
.
Biography
Pratt was born in NorthamNortham, Western Australia
Northam is a town in Western Australia, situated at the confluence of the Avon and Mortlock Rivers, about north-east of Perth in the Avon Valley. At the 2006 census, Northam had a population of 6,009. Northam is the largest town in the Avon region...
, 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...
, to Herbert Pratt, a farmer, and Maude (née Benbow). He was educated in East Miling
Miling, Western Australia
Miling is a small town in the Shire of Moora, north of Perth, Western Australia. At the 2006 census, Miling had a population of 205.-Notes and references:* Seymour, A. L. The development of Miling. Miling [W.A.] : A.L. Seymour...
and Pithara
Pithara, Western Australia
Pithara is a small town in the wheatbelt region of Western Australia. It is located about 240 km north of Perth, in the Shire of Dalwallinu. At the 2006 census, Pithara had a population of 341....
primary schools, and at Northam Senior High School
Northam Senior High School
Northam Senior High School is a comprehensive public high school located in Northam, a regional centre east of Perth, Western Australia.The school was established in 1921 and by 2009 had an enrolment of 533 students between Year 8 and Year 12, 64 of whom were Aboriginal.It is the oldest Senior...
before gaining his Teacher's Certificate in 1956 at Claremont Teachers College
Claremont Teachers College
Claremont Teachers College was Western Australia’s first post-secondary teaching institution. It opened in 1902 and closed in 1981, when it became a College of Advanced Education and later a campus of Edith Cowan University. The building is on land between Goldsworthy, Princess and Bay Roads in the...
. He then worked as a teacher in primary schools at Cannington
Cannington, Western Australia
Cannington is a southern suburb of Perth, Western Australia. Its Local Government Area is the City of Canning.-History:Cannington's name derives from the Canning River, which forms part of the southwestern boundary of the suburb...
(1957–1958), Rivervale
Rivervale, Western Australia
Rivervale, near the Swan River in Australia, is a suburb of Perth, Western Australia and 5 km from Perth's central business district.Rivervale was known as Barndon Hill until 1884....
(1959–1962) and Armadale
Armadale, Western Australia
Armadale is a suburb within the City of Armadale, located on the south-eastern edge of Perth's metropolitan area. The major junction of the South Western and Albany Highways, which connect Perth with the South West and Great Southern regions of Western Australia respectively, is located within the...
(1963–1974). On 10 May 1958 at St Peter's Church in Victoria Park
Victoria Park, Western Australia
The Town of Victoria Park is a Local Government Area of Western Australia. It covers an area of 17.62 km² in metropolitan Perth, the capital of Western Australia. The Town of Victoria Park maintains 154.55 km of roads, a little over 1 km² of parks and gardens and has a...
, he married Shirley Harvey, with whom he was to have two sons and two daughters.
From 1969 to 1975 he served on the Shire of Armadale-Kelmscott
City of Armadale
The City of Armadale is a Local Government Area in the south-eastern suburbs of the Western Australian capital city of Perth, located about southeast of Perth's central business district...
as a councillor, and was elected deputy president of the Shire in 1974. He was the foundation president of the Canning Districts branch of the Western Australian State School Teachers' Union and was president of the Dale District Council of the WA Parents & Citizens Association. He had also joined the 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...
and was president of the Armadale branch, secretary of the Canning Division Council and a member of the State Council.
At the 1974 state election
Western Australian state election, 1974
Elections were held in the state of Western Australia on 30 March 1974 to elect all 51 members to the Legislative Assembly and 15 members to the 30-seat Legislative Council...
, he stood for and won the second Lower West Province
Lower West Province
The Lower West Province was a two-member electoral province of the Western Australian Legislative Council, located in the Peel and South West region of the state. It was one of several rural seats created following the enactment of the Constitution Acts Amendment Act 1963, and became effective on...
seat under the Liberal banner, and was to hold it for 12 years. He served two stints as Deputy Chairman of Committees and was briefly the Shadow Minister for Health under the Hassell shadow cabinet from 12 March 1984 until July 1984.
Following his exit from politics in 1986, he went into small business and real estate. He was also associated with the Armadale Tennis Club, the South Suburban Tennis Association, the Dale Little Athletics Centre and the ARKS Hockey Club, all of which he served as president.