Jack Little (Australian politician)
Encyclopedia
John Albert "Jack" Little (13 October 1914 – 25 November 1988) was an Australia
n politician. Born in Maryborough
, Victoria, he was educated at East Brunswick and Thornbury State Primary Schools, before becoming a Clicker in a Shoe factory in Collingwood, and later an official with the Victorian Boot Employees' Union, of which he was Federal President 1944-1945. In 1952 was awarded a Commonwealth Bank Scholarship for 6 months, to study Unionism and working conditions in UK Europe and US. In 1954 he was elected to the Victorian Legislative Council
for Melbourne North
, representing the Australian Labor Party
. On losing his seat in 1958 he purchased a Newsagency in Reservoir, Victoria which he ran until his election to the Senate in 1968.
He left the Labor Party in 1955, the only non-Catholic member of the Australian Labor Party (Anti-Communist)
in the Victorian Parliament. Little led the ALP (Anti-Communist) in the Legislative Council from 1955 until 1958, for the last two of those years as leader of the Democratic Labor Party
. Little re-contested his Province at the expiry of his term in 1958, but like all other DLP candidates at that election he was defeated. Little successfully contested DLP preselection for the Senate in 1958, in which he defeated the original leader of the ALP (Anti-Communist) Leslie Coleman
. It has been argued that Little was preferred as a DLP candidate because he was not a Catholic. The DLP was popularly regarded as a Catholic party, and a non-Catholic candidate had certain electoral attractions. Little contested the Australian Senate
several times for the DLP. He was narrowly defeated by ALP candidate Charles Sandford
in 1958, but he was successful in the 1967 Senate only election
. Little shared the same name as a popular Australian-American television wrestling commentator, also Jack Little, and it has been suggested promotion of Little's full name by the DLP, particularly in television advertising, was a factor that added to Little's vote.
He was defeated in 1974 together with all other DLP Senators when the party's vote collapsed. Little died in 1988.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n politician. Born in Maryborough
Maryborough, Victoria
-Education:Maryborough has three schools:*Highview Christian Community College*Maryborough Education Centre Years Prep–12*St Augustine's Primary School Grades Prep–6-Music:...
, Victoria, he was educated at East Brunswick and Thornbury State Primary Schools, before becoming a Clicker in a Shoe factory in Collingwood, and later an official with the Victorian Boot Employees' Union, of which he was Federal President 1944-1945. In 1952 was awarded a Commonwealth Bank Scholarship for 6 months, to study Unionism and working conditions in UK Europe and US. In 1954 he was elected to the Victorian Legislative Council
Victorian Legislative Council
The Victorian Legislative Council, is the upper of the two houses of the Parliament of Victoria, Australia; the lower house being the Legislative Assembly. Both houses sit in Parliament House in Spring Street, Melbourne. The Legislative Council serves as a house of review, in a similar fashion to...
for Melbourne North
Melbourne North Province
Melbourne North Province was an electorate of the Victorian Legislative Council until 2006. It was abolished from the 2006 state election in the wake of the Bracks Labor government's reform of the Legislative Council.-Members for Melbourne North Province:...
, representing the Australian Labor Party
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...
. On losing his seat in 1958 he purchased a Newsagency in Reservoir, Victoria which he ran until his election to the Senate in 1968.
He left the Labor Party in 1955, the only non-Catholic member of the Australian Labor Party (Anti-Communist)
Australian Labor Party (Anti-Communist)
The Australian Labor Party was the name initially used by the right-wing group which split away from the Australian Labor Party in 1955, and which later became the Democratic Labor Party in 1957....
in the Victorian Parliament. Little led the ALP (Anti-Communist) in the Legislative Council from 1955 until 1958, for the last two of those years as leader of the Democratic Labor Party
Democratic Labor Party (historical)
The Democratic Labor Party was an Australian political party that existed from 1955 until 1978.-History:The DLP was formed as a result of a split in the Australian Labor Party that began in 1954. The split was between the party's national leadership, under the then party leader Dr H.V...
. Little re-contested his Province at the expiry of his term in 1958, but like all other DLP candidates at that election he was defeated. Little successfully contested DLP preselection for the Senate in 1958, in which he defeated the original leader of the ALP (Anti-Communist) Leslie Coleman
Leslie Coleman
Patrick Leslie Coleman , Australian politician, was a Member of the Victorian Legislative Council for Melbourne West Province representing the Australian Labor Party from October 1943 until March 1955 and very briefly the Australian Labor Party from March-June 1955...
. It has been argued that Little was preferred as a DLP candidate because he was not a Catholic. The DLP was popularly regarded as a Catholic party, and a non-Catholic candidate had certain electoral attractions. Little contested the Australian Senate
Australian Senate
The Senate is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of Australia, the lower house being the House of Representatives. Senators are popularly elected under a system of proportional representation. Senators are elected for a term that is usually six years; after a double dissolution, however,...
several times for the DLP. He was narrowly defeated by ALP candidate Charles Sandford
Charles Sandford
Charles Walter Sandford was an Australian politician.Born in the state of Victoria, he received a primary education before becoming a railway worker. He served in the military from 1914 to 1918, and returned as an official with the Australian Railways Union...
in 1958, but he was successful in the 1967 Senate only election
Australian Senate election, 1967
Half-senate elections were held in Australia on 25 November 1967.Independent: Reg Turnbull -See also:*Candidates of the Australian Senate election, 1967*Members of the Australian Senate, 1968–1971-References:...
. Little shared the same name as a popular Australian-American television wrestling commentator, also Jack Little, and it has been suggested promotion of Little's full name by the DLP, particularly in television advertising, was a factor that added to Little's vote.
He was defeated in 1974 together with all other DLP Senators when the party's vote collapsed. Little died in 1988.