Joe Lawson (politician)
Encyclopedia
Joseph Alexander Lawson was an Australia
n politician, elected as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
.
Lawson was born in Kanyapella, Victoria, the fourth child of James Bell Lawson and Mary Beattie, and educated at Deniliquin public school, following a brief period being educated by his grandmother (Johanne Beattie) in Echuca, Victoria
. He left school one or two years later (aged about 9), to work on the family farm, but he was an avid reader, with a great love of the Australian poets, Dickens, Burns and many other writers. In his later years, he could still recite a great many poems from memory, not least The Man from Snowy River. In his early twenties, he bought a mixed farming property, Oakwood, about 6 miles south of Deniliquin. He volunteered for the First AIF
in 1915, but despite his fitness he was not accepted, because he had flat feet and two fingers on his left hand joined by a piece of skin. He married Mary Linus Gain on 12 June 1917 and they had three daughters (Mary (known as 'Tib') (dec.), Valda, and Margaret) and two sons (James (dec.) and George (dec.)).
A noted athlete, he played football (Australian Rules Football
) and ran as a sprinter in the Victorian Championships and the Stawell Gift
. Having been a horse breeder and breaker, he also exhibited prize-winning Clydesdales at the Royal Melbourne Show
, as well as having a great interest in horse racing. He became a stock and station agent
in Deniliquin in the early 1920s, and was active in the local debating society, the Australian Wheatgrowers Federation, the Pastures Protection Board, the Victorian Producers Co-operative Society, and was a director of the Deniliquin Hospital Board. He was elected as an alderman of Deniliquin Council
from 1925 until 1932 and was mayor from 1931 until 1932.
The big issues in the 1930s were the plight of farmers in the Great Depression, particularly soldier-settlers
, and the need for development of farming land, in particular through irrigation. Lawson championed the extension of irrigation, and was honored by having the Lawson Syphon (where the Mulwala Canal
passes underneath the Edward River
) named for him. He also fought to allow farmers in the Murray region to grow rice, which has since become a major crop in the area. He was a very active supporter of schools in his electorate, and a great believer in the importance of education.
Lawson won the seat of Murray
for the Farmers and Settlers Party
on 12 June 1932, which later merged into the Country Party
(later to be renamed the National Country Party, then the National Party of Australia
). His maiden speech, in September, 1932, was on the Farmer's Relief Bill, and the Sydney Morning Herald wrote "One of the most interesting speeches was made by Mr. Lawson, a Riverina
farmer. The House listened with intense interest to this man from the land as he related from personal knowledge and with much feeling, the plight of the farmers."
In 1967, he lost the Country Party pre-selection in questionable circumstances, but ran as an Independent, winning the seat at the 1968 and 1971 elections with absolute majorities.
Joe Lawson was always a strong supporter of the farmers in his electorate. In one incident in the 1950s, he personally investigated farmer's concerns about citrus fruit being declared 'dry' at the Sydney Markets. He discovered a racket where some Government fruit inspectors would declare a shipment of oranges to be dry (without juice), which led to them being sold at a greatly reduced price to associates of the inspectors in the retail trade, who could sell them at regular retail prices. The inspectors received a percentage of the profits. Joe Lawson revealed this racket in the Parliament, producing supposedly 'dry' fruit he had bought, and detailing the circumstances of the racket, thus forcing the Government to take rapid action and re-organize the markets.
Joe Lawson held the seat of Murray continuously until his death in 1973. He was succeeded in the seat by his daughter, Mary Meillon
. He had had a minor heart attack and was admitted to hospital three days later, but died of a second massive heart attack as he was being taken into the ward. He had just finished giving some instructions to his parliamentary amanuensis. He died in the Sydney
suburb of North Sydney, New South Wales
. His wife, Mary, had died suddenly in 1970. Joe Lawson was survived by his five children and thirteen grandchildren.
Joe Lawson was the longest continuously serving member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
, and one of the longest continuously serving parliamentarians in the world (41 years). He won the seat of Murray at 14 consecutive elections. When he entered parliament at the age of 38, he was the youngest MLA. At his death he was the oldest, the "Father of the House" at 80 years of age.
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, elected as 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...
.
Lawson was born in Kanyapella, Victoria, the fourth child of James Bell Lawson and Mary Beattie, and educated at Deniliquin public school, following a brief period being educated by his grandmother (Johanne Beattie) in Echuca, Victoria
Echuca, Victoria
Echuca is a town located on the banks of the Murray River and Campaspe river in Victoria, Australia. The Border town Moama is on the northern side of the Murray river in New South Wales. It is the administrative centre and largest settlement in the Shire of Campaspe...
. He left school one or two years later (aged about 9), to work on the family farm, but he was an avid reader, with a great love of the Australian poets, Dickens, Burns and many other writers. In his later years, he could still recite a great many poems from memory, not least The Man from Snowy River. In his early twenties, he bought a mixed farming property, Oakwood, about 6 miles south of Deniliquin. He volunteered for the First AIF
Australian Imperial Force
The Australian Imperial Force was the name given to all-volunteer Australian Army forces dispatched to fight overseas during World War I and World War II.* First Australian Imperial Force * Second Australian Imperial Force...
in 1915, but despite his fitness he was not accepted, because he had flat feet and two fingers on his left hand joined by a piece of skin. He married Mary Linus Gain on 12 June 1917 and they had three daughters (Mary (known as 'Tib') (dec.), Valda, and Margaret) and two sons (James (dec.) and George (dec.)).
A noted athlete, he played football (Australian Rules Football
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
) and ran as a sprinter in the Victorian Championships and the Stawell Gift
Stawell Gift
The Stawell Gift is Australia's oldest and richest short distance running race. It is run over every Easter weekend by the Stawell Athletic Club, with the main race finals on the holiday Monday, at Central Park, Stawell in the Grampian Mountains district of western Victoria.The race is run on grass...
. Having been a horse breeder and breaker, he also exhibited prize-winning Clydesdales at the Royal Melbourne Show
Royal Melbourne Show
The Royal Melbourne Show is an agricultural show held at the Royal Melbourne Showgrounds every September. The Royal Show began in 1848. The focus of the show is the display of rural industry, including livestock and produce. There are associated competitions and awards...
, as well as having a great interest in horse racing. He became a stock and station agent
Station agent
In many countries, the station agent is the person in charge of a railway station Variants of station agents can also work at other transit terminals such as airports, ferry terminals, etc....
in Deniliquin in the early 1920s, and was active in the local debating society, the Australian Wheatgrowers Federation, the Pastures Protection Board, the Victorian Producers Co-operative Society, and was a director of the Deniliquin Hospital Board. He was elected as an alderman of Deniliquin Council
Deniliquin Council
Deniliquin Shire is a local government area in the Riverina region of New South Wales, Australia, close to the border with Victoria. It is the only rural local government area in New South Wales left consisting only of a rural town, and is surrounded by two rural local government areas .- Council...
from 1925 until 1932 and was mayor from 1931 until 1932.
The big issues in the 1930s were the plight of farmers in the Great Depression, particularly soldier-settlers
Soldier settlement (Australia)
Soldier settlement refers to the occupation and settlement of land throughout parts of Australia by returning discharged soldiers under schemes administered by the State Governments after World Wars I and II.- World War I :...
, and the need for development of farming land, in particular through irrigation. Lawson championed the extension of irrigation, and was honored by having the Lawson Syphon (where the Mulwala Canal
Mulwala Canal
The Mulwala Canal is an irrigation canal in the southern Riverina region of New South Wales, Australia. It is the largest irrigation canal in the Southern Hemisphere. The canal, starting at Lake Mulwala, diverts water from the Murray River across the southern Riverina plain to the Edward River at...
passes underneath the Edward River
Edward River
The Edward River is a river in the south west Riverina region of New South Wales, Australia. The river is an anabranch of the Murray River, the longest river in Australia....
) named for him. He also fought to allow farmers in the Murray region to grow rice, which has since become a major crop in the area. He was a very active supporter of schools in his electorate, and a great believer in the importance of education.
Lawson won the seat of Murray
Electoral district of Murray (New South Wales)
Murray was an electoral district in the Australian state of New South Wales. It was a single-member electorate from 1859 to 1920, but from 1920 to 1927 it was merged with Albury, Corowa and Wagga Wagga to create a three-member electorate, voting by proportional representation. It was recreated as a...
for the Farmers and Settlers Party
National Party of Australia
The National Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Traditionally representing graziers, farmers and rural voters generally, it began as the The Country Party, but adopted the name The National Country Party in 1975, changed to The National Party of Australia in 1982. The party is...
on 12 June 1932, which later merged into the Country Party
National Party of Australia
The National Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Traditionally representing graziers, farmers and rural voters generally, it began as the The Country Party, but adopted the name The National Country Party in 1975, changed to The National Party of Australia in 1982. The party is...
(later to be renamed the National Country Party, then the National Party of Australia
National Party of Australia
The National Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Traditionally representing graziers, farmers and rural voters generally, it began as the The Country Party, but adopted the name The National Country Party in 1975, changed to The National Party of Australia in 1982. The party is...
). His maiden speech, in September, 1932, was on the Farmer's Relief Bill, and the Sydney Morning Herald wrote "One of the most interesting speeches was made by Mr. Lawson, a Riverina
Riverina
The Riverina is an agricultural region of south-western New South Wales , Australia. The Riverina is distinguished from other Australian regions by the combination of flat plains, warm to hot climate and an ample supply of water for irrigation. This combination has allowed the Riverina to develop...
farmer. The House listened with intense interest to this man from the land as he related from personal knowledge and with much feeling, the plight of the farmers."
In 1967, he lost the Country Party pre-selection in questionable circumstances, but ran as an Independent, winning the seat at the 1968 and 1971 elections with absolute majorities.
Joe Lawson was always a strong supporter of the farmers in his electorate. In one incident in the 1950s, he personally investigated farmer's concerns about citrus fruit being declared 'dry' at the Sydney Markets. He discovered a racket where some Government fruit inspectors would declare a shipment of oranges to be dry (without juice), which led to them being sold at a greatly reduced price to associates of the inspectors in the retail trade, who could sell them at regular retail prices. The inspectors received a percentage of the profits. Joe Lawson revealed this racket in the Parliament, producing supposedly 'dry' fruit he had bought, and detailing the circumstances of the racket, thus forcing the Government to take rapid action and re-organize the markets.
Joe Lawson held the seat of Murray continuously until his death in 1973. He was succeeded in the seat by his daughter, Mary Meillon
Mary Meillon
Mary Meillon, née Lawson was an Australian politician. She was the Liberal member for Murray in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1973 to 1980....
. He had had a minor heart attack and was admitted to hospital three days later, but died of a second massive heart attack as he was being taken into the ward. He had just finished giving some instructions to his parliamentary amanuensis. He died in the Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
suburb of North Sydney, New South Wales
North Sydney, New South Wales
North Sydney is a suburb and commercial district on the Lower North Shore of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. North Sydney is located 3 kilometres north of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre for the local government area of North Sydney...
. His wife, Mary, had died suddenly in 1970. Joe Lawson was survived by his five children and thirteen grandchildren.
Joe Lawson was the longest continuously serving 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...
, and one of the longest continuously serving parliamentarians in the world (41 years). He won the seat of Murray at 14 consecutive elections. When he entered parliament at the age of 38, he was the youngest MLA. At his death he was the oldest, the "Father of the House" at 80 years of age.