James Lang (politician)
Encyclopedia
James Christian Lang was an Australia
n politician. The son of Jack Lang
, Premier of New South Wales 1925–27 and 1930–32, he succeeded his father as the member for Auburn in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
, serving from 1946 to 1950.
Born in Homebush
, Lang was educated at North Auburn Public School and Burwood
Intermediate High School before entering his father's real estate
business, Lang and Daes, in 1925. In 1930 he became the manager, remaining so until 1958, when he became the manager of his own real estate company until 1962. On 22 February 1933 he married Mary Dowling, with whom he had three children. He also served as secretary of the Auburn Starr-Bowkett Co-operative Building Societies.
In 1946, Jack Lang resigned from state parliament to run for the federal seat of Reid
, prompting a by-election for the state seat of Auburn. By this time both the federal and state branches of the Australian Labor Party
had repudiated the former Premier, who endorsed his son to run under the Lang Labor
banner. Lang was successful, achieving 52.32% of the primary vote and easily defeating the official Labor candidate (helped by the absence of a Liberal
candidate). He thus joined Lilian Fowler
as one of two Lang Labor MPs.
Lang was forced to preferences at the 1947 state election
, when independent Alexander Kerr won 22.2%; despite the fact that the majority of these preferences flowed to official Labor, Lang's primary vote lead was enough to retain the seat. In 1950, however, there was a redistribution, and the sitting Labor MP for the rural abolished seat of Ashburnham
, Edgar Dring
, contested the new seat. By this time, Lang Labor was dying out (Jack Lang had lost his federal seat the previous year), and Lang was effectively an independent Labor candidate. The Liberal Party contested the seat, with the result that Dring easily defeated Lang. Lang contested Auburn again in 1953 and 1956, but never came close to winning.
During the 1960s he was a gardener at St Joseph's Hospital at Auburn. He died on 14 December 2002 at Auburn
.
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. The son of Jack Lang
Jack Lang (Australian politician)
John Thomas Lang , usually referred to as J.T. Lang during his career, and familiarly known as "Jack" and nicknamed "The Big Fella" was an Australian politician who was Premier of New South Wales for two terms...
, Premier of New South Wales 1925–27 and 1930–32, he succeeded his father as the member for Auburn in 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...
, serving from 1946 to 1950.
Born in Homebush
Homebush, New South Wales
Homebush is an inner western suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Homebush is located 15 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the Municipality of Strathfield. Homebush West and Homebush Bay are separate suburbs...
, Lang was educated at North Auburn Public School and Burwood
Burwood, New South Wales
Burwood is a suburb in the inner-west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Burwood is located 12 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre for the local government area of Burwood Council....
Intermediate High School before entering his father's real estate
Real estate
In general use, esp. North American, 'real estate' is taken to mean "Property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, minerals, or water; immovable property of this nature; an interest vested in this; an item of real property; buildings or...
business, Lang and Daes, in 1925. In 1930 he became the manager, remaining so until 1958, when he became the manager of his own real estate company until 1962. On 22 February 1933 he married Mary Dowling, with whom he had three children. He also served as secretary of the Auburn Starr-Bowkett Co-operative Building Societies.
In 1946, Jack Lang resigned from state parliament to run for the federal seat of Reid
Division of Reid
The Division of Reid is an Australian Electoral Division in the state of New South Wales. It is located in the western suburbs of Sydney, and includes the suburbs of Abbotsford, Auburn , Berala , Breakfast Point, Burwood , Cabarita, Canada Bay, Chiswick, Concord, Concord West, Croydon , Drummoyne,...
, prompting a by-election for the state seat of Auburn. By this time both the federal and state branches of 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...
had repudiated the former Premier, who endorsed his son to run under the Lang Labor
Lang Labor
Lang Labor was the name commonly used to describe three successive break-away sections of the Australian Labor Party, all led by the New South Wales Labor leader Jack Lang premier of NSW .-Initial opposition to Lang's leadership:...
banner. Lang was successful, achieving 52.32% of the primary vote and easily defeating the official Labor candidate (helped by the absence of a 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...
candidate). He thus joined Lilian Fowler
Lilian Fowler
Elizabeth Lilian Maud Fowler was an Australian politician, and Australia's first female mayor.-Early life:...
as one of two Lang Labor MPs.
Lang was forced to preferences at the 1947 state election
New South Wales state election, 1947
The 1947 New South Wales state election was held on 3 May 1947. It was conducted in single member constituencies with compulsory preferential voting and was held on boundaries created at a 1940 redistribution...
, when independent Alexander Kerr won 22.2%; despite the fact that the majority of these preferences flowed to official Labor, Lang's primary vote lead was enough to retain the seat. In 1950, however, there was a redistribution, and the sitting Labor MP for the rural abolished seat of Ashburnham
Electoral district of Ashburnham
Ashburnham was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales, originally created in 1894 in the Parkes area and named after Ashburnham County. In 1920, with the introduction of proportional representation, it was absorbed into Murrumbidgee, along with...
, Edgar Dring
Edgar Dring
Edgar Percy Dring was an Australian politician. He was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1941 until his death in 1955. He was a member of the Australian Labor Party ....
, contested the new seat. By this time, Lang Labor was dying out (Jack Lang had lost his federal seat the previous year), and Lang was effectively an independent Labor candidate. The Liberal Party contested the seat, with the result that Dring easily defeated Lang. Lang contested Auburn again in 1953 and 1956, but never came close to winning.
During the 1960s he was a gardener at St Joseph's Hospital at Auburn. He died on 14 December 2002 at Auburn
Auburn, New South Wales
Auburn is a suburb in western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales Australia. Auburn is located 19 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre of the local government area of Auburn Council.-History:...
.