John Courtenay Chanter
Encyclopedia
For John Courtenay Chanter's father, John Moore Chanter, a member of the New South Wales and Australian parliaments see John Chanter
John Courtenay Chanter (17 February 1881 – 23 February 1962) was an Australian politician and a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
between 1943 and 1947. He was a member of the Australian Labor Party
(ALP).
and was the son of John Chanter
and Mary Anne Clark. His father was a farmer and politician who represented the seats of Murray
and Deniliquin
in the Legislative Assembly between 1885 and 1901 as a Protectionist
. He held ministerial office as the Secretary of Mines in the government of George Dibbs
. John Chanter, sr. was also the member for Riverina
in the Australian House of Representatives at various times between 1901 and 1922. He was a member of the Protectionist Party until 1909, the Australian Labor Party and, after the Labor Party split of 1916, the Nationalist Party
. John Chanter Jr. was educated at the State Primary School Moama
. He established a sawmilling business in Barham
and a wheat farm in Tongala
. In 1927 he moved permanently to New South Wales and became a prominent wheat farmer in Lake Cargelligo
. Chanter was involved in local organizations in Tongala and Lake Cargellico including the show societies, Wheatgrowers Union and Freemasons. He was elected to the position of councillor for Deakin Shire in Victoria between 1919 and 1926 and was the shire president in 1925-26. He was also elected to Lachlan Shire Council
in New South Wales between 1928 and 1945 and was the president in 1940-1.
. He also served with the Light Horse Regiment
of the First Australian Imperial Force
during the Gallipoli and Damascus campaigns of the First World War. He attained the rank of Major and was awarded the DSO
in 1919.
at the September 1943 by-election caused by the death of the incumbent Country Party
member Griffith Evans
. His victory represented a 10% swing to the governing Labor party in a traditionally conservative area. Chanter defended the seat at the 1944
state election but he was defeated by the Country Party's Robert Medcalf
in 1947
. He then retired from public life and resumed farming. He did not hold party, parliamentary or ministerial offices..
John Chanter
John Moore Chanter was an Australian politician, farmer and commission agent. He was variously a member of the Protectionist Party, Australian Labor Party and Nationalist Party of Australia....
John Courtenay Chanter (17 February 1881 – 23 February 1962) was an Australian politician and 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...
between 1943 and 1947. He was a member 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...
(ALP).
Early life
Chanter was born in Panoomilloo near Rochester, VictoriaRochester, Victoria
Rochester is a small town in country Victoria, Australia. It is located 180 km north of Melbourne with a mixture of rural and semi-rural communities on the northern Campaspe River, between Bendigo and the Murray River port of Echuca...
and was the son of John Chanter
John Chanter
John Moore Chanter was an Australian politician, farmer and commission agent. He was variously a member of the Protectionist Party, Australian Labor Party and Nationalist Party of Australia....
and Mary Anne Clark. His father was a farmer and politician who represented the seats 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...
and Deniliquin
Electoral district of Deniliquin
Deniliquin was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales, created with the abolition of single-member electorates in 1894, mainly from the abolished electoral district of Balranald, and named after and including Deniliquin...
in the Legislative Assembly between 1885 and 1901 as a Protectionist
Protectionist Party
The Protectionist Party was an Australian political party, formally organised from 1889 until 1909, with policies centred on protectionism. It argued that Australia needed protective tariffs to allow Australian industry to grow and provide employment. It had its greatest strength in Victoria and in...
. He held ministerial office as the Secretary of Mines in the government of George Dibbs
George Dibbs
Sir George Richard Dibbs KCMG was an Australian politician who was Premier of New South Wales on three occasions.-Early years:Dibbs was born in Sydney, son of Captain John Dibbs, who disappeared in the same year...
. John Chanter, sr. was also the member for Riverina
Division of Riverina
The Division of Riverina is an Australian Electoral Division in the state of New South Wales. It is located in south-west rural New South Wales, generally following the Murrumbidgee River valley. It includes the cities of Wagga Wagga and Griffith as well as the towns of Junee, West Wyalong, Tumut,...
in the Australian House of Representatives at various times between 1901 and 1922. He was a member of the Protectionist Party until 1909, the Australian Labor Party and, after the Labor Party split of 1916, the Nationalist Party
Nationalist Party of Australia
The Nationalist Party of Australia was an Australian political party. It was formed on 17 February 1917 from a merger between the conservative Commonwealth Liberal Party and the National Labor Party, the name given to the pro-conscription defectors from the Australian Labor Party led by Prime...
. John Chanter Jr. was educated at the State Primary School Moama
Moama, New South Wales
Moama is a town in the Riverina district of southern New South Wales, Australia, in the Murray Shire Local Government Area. The town is directly across the Murray River from the larger tourist town of Echuca in the neighbouring state of Victoria, to which it is connected by a bridge...
. He established a sawmilling business in Barham
Barham, New South Wales
Barham is a town in the western Riverina district of New South Wales, Australia. The town is located 823 kilometres south west of the state capital, Sydney and 303 kilometres north west of Melbourne. Situated on the banks of the Murray River across from Koondrook in the neighbouring state of...
and a wheat farm in Tongala
Tongala, Victoria
Tongala is a small town between Kyabram and Echuca in the Goulburn River valley in northern Victoria, Australia, part of the Shire of Campaspe. At the 2006 census, Tongala had a population of 1623.-History:...
. In 1927 he moved permanently to New South Wales and became a prominent wheat farmer in Lake Cargelligo
Lake Cargelligo, New South Wales
Lake Cargelligo is a town in the Central West region of New South Wales, Australia, on Lake Cargelligo. It is in Lachlan Shire. At the 2006 census, Lake Cargelligo had a population of 1,146 people. Its name is said to be a corruption of the Aboriginal word 'Kartjellakoo' meaning 'he had a...
. Chanter was involved in local organizations in Tongala and Lake Cargellico including the show societies, Wheatgrowers Union and Freemasons. He was elected to the position of councillor for Deakin Shire in Victoria between 1919 and 1926 and was the shire president in 1925-26. He was also elected to Lachlan Shire Council
Lachlan Shire
Lachlan Shire is a Local Government Area in the Central West of New South Wales on the Lachlan River and the Broken Hill railway line.The largest town and council seat is Condobolin. The Shire also includes the towns and villages of Tottenham, Lake Cargelligo, Tullibigeal, Albert, Burcher and...
in New South Wales between 1928 and 1945 and was the president in 1940-1.
Military service
In 1901, Chanter served with the First Australian Businessman's Contingent of the Australian Army during the Second Boer WarSecond Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
. He also served with the Light Horse Regiment
4th Light Horse Brigade
The 4th Light Horse Brigade was a mounted infantry brigade of the First Australian Imperial Force serving in the Middle Eastern theatre of World War I. The brigade was formed in March 1915 and shipped to Egypt without their horses and was broken up in Egypt in August 1915...
of the First Australian Imperial Force
First Australian Imperial Force
The First Australian Imperial Force was the main expeditionary force of the Australian Army during World War I. It was formed from 15 August 1914, following Britain's declaration of war on Germany. Generally known at the time as the AIF, it is today referred to as the 1st AIF to distinguish from...
during the Gallipoli and Damascus campaigns of the First World War. He attained the rank of Major and was awarded the DSO
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
in 1919.
State Parliament
Chanter was elected to parliament as the Labor member for LachlanElectoral district of Lachlan
Lachlan was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. During the first two Parliaments , there was an electorate in the same area called Lachlan and Lower Darling, named after the Lachlan and Darling Rivers. Lachlan was created in 1859 and...
at the September 1943 by-election caused by the death of the incumbent 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...
member Griffith Evans
Griffith Evans (politician)
Griffith Parry Evans was an Australian politician and a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1941 until his death. He was a member of the Country Party.-Early life:...
. His victory represented a 10% swing to the governing Labor party in a traditionally conservative area. Chanter defended the seat at the 1944
New South Wales state election, 1944
The 1944 New South Wales state election was held on 27 May 1944. It was conducted in single member constituencies with compulsory preferential voting and was held on boundaries created at a 1940 redistribution...
state election but he was defeated by the Country Party's Robert Medcalf
Robert Medcalf
Robert George Medcalf was an Australian politician, elected as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly.Medcalf was the member for Lachlan from 1947 to 1950 and the member for Dubbo from 1950 to 1953.-Notes:...
in 1947
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...
. He then retired from public life and resumed farming. He did not hold party, parliamentary or ministerial offices..