John Mason (Australian politician)
Encyclopedia
John Marsden Mason is a former Australia
n politician, a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
for 16 years.
in Sydney
in 1928, the son of Kay Mason and Stella Marsden. After his secondary education at Sydney Boys High School
, Mason gained a place to study Theology at the University of Sydney
while resident at St Andrew's College. Later, Mason studied at the Methodist Leigh College
from 1949 to 1951 and later at the Melbourne College of Divinity
in 1951.
Upon graduating from his theological studies, Mason became a Methodist Minister and was first posted to Lismore
in 1952, then the Northern Territory
from 1953 to 1955, Goulburn
from 1951 to 1958, Tighes Hill
from 1958 to 1962 and the finally to Dubbo
from 1962 to 1965. On 27 March 1953, he married Lorna Boxsell and together had a daughter and four sons. One of his sons, Dave Mason, was the lead singer of Australian band The Reels
.
and was elected as the member for Dubbo
, a large rural seat in central New South Wales which had been vacant owing to the death of the sitting member Les Ford
in 1964, in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
at the 1 May 1965 election
with 62%. Mason served on the backbench throughout the Askin Government, later being appointed to the Zoological Board of New South Wales (1973-1975). However, when Askin retired, his successor as Premier, Tom Lewis
, appointed him as Minister for Lands and Minister for Forests on 30 June 1975. Mason served until Lewis was deposed by Sir Eric Willis
on 23 January 1976. He was leader of the opposition (succeeding Peter Coleman
) from 1978 till 1981.
On 1 January 2001 he was awarded the Centenary Medal
.
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, 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...
for 16 years.
Early life
Mason was born in Rose BayRose Bay, New South Wales
Rose Bay is a harbourside, eastern suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Rose Bay is located 7 kilometres east of the Sydney central business district, in the local government areas of Waverley Municipal Council and Woollahra Council .Rose Bay has views of both the Sydney...
in 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...
in 1928, the son of Kay Mason and Stella Marsden. After his secondary education at Sydney Boys High School
Sydney Boys High School
Sydney Boys High School is an academically selective public secondary school for boys, located in the City of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, with 1,180 students, from years 7 to 12...
, Mason gained a place to study Theology at the University of Sydney
University of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
while resident at St Andrew's College. Later, Mason studied at the Methodist Leigh College
Leigh College
Leigh College was from 1915 until 1974 a Methodist Theological College located at 416-420 Liverpool Road, Strathfield South, New South Wales. The site includes three significant historic properties: Brundah, a Victorian style house, Leigh College Hall, a neo-Georgian Revival style building and the E...
from 1949 to 1951 and later at the Melbourne College of Divinity
Melbourne College of Divinity
The Melbourne College of Divinity is a theological education organisation located in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.The MCD is an ecumenical consortium of a number of theological colleges from a number of denominations...
in 1951.
Upon graduating from his theological studies, Mason became a Methodist Minister and was first posted to Lismore
Lismore, New South Wales
Lismore is a subtropical town in northeastern New South Wales, Australia. Lismore is the main population centre in the City of Lismore local government area. Lismore is a regional centre in the Northern Rivers region of the State.-History:...
in 1952, then the Northern Territory
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
from 1953 to 1955, Goulburn
Goulburn, New South Wales
Goulburn is a provincial city in the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia in Goulburn Mulwaree Council Local Government Area. It is located south-west of Sydney on the Hume Highway and above sea-level. On Census night 2006, Goulburn had a population of 20,127 people...
from 1951 to 1958, Tighes Hill
Tighes Hill, New South Wales
Tighes Hill is a north-western suburb of Newcastle, New South Wales and was named after A.A.P. Tighe, an early resident, who in 1843 bought the estate. It is primarily an industrial area with residential parts expanding toward Mayfield. A video tribute has been filmed of this grand old suburb,...
from 1958 to 1962 and the finally to Dubbo
Dubbo, New South Wales
Dubbo is a city in the Orana Region of New South Wales, Australia. It is the largest population centre in the Orana region, with an estimated population of 38,037 and serves an estimated catchment of 130,000....
from 1962 to 1965. On 27 March 1953, he married Lorna Boxsell and together had a daughter and four sons. One of his sons, Dave Mason, was the lead singer of Australian band The Reels
The Reels
The Reels is an Australian rock/indie pop group which formed in Dubbo, New South Wales in 1976 and initially disbanded in 1991, they eventually reformed in 2007. Their 1981 song, "Quasimodo's Dream", was voted one of the Top 10 Australian songs of all time by a 100-member panel from Australasian...
.
Political career
Mason joined the Liberal Party of AustraliaLiberal 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 elected as the member for Dubbo
Electoral district of Dubbo
Dubbo is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is represented by Troy Grant of the National Party of Australia....
, a large rural seat in central New South Wales which had been vacant owing to the death of the sitting member Les Ford
Les Ford
Leslie Hunter Ford was an Australian politician. He was a Liberal Party of Australia member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1959 to 1964, representing the electorate of Dubbo....
in 1964, 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...
at the 1 May 1965 election
New South Wales state election, 1965
The 1965 New South Wales state election was held on 1 May 1965. It was conducted in single member constituencies with compulsory preferential voting and was held on boundaries created at a 1961 redistribution...
with 62%. Mason served on the backbench throughout the Askin Government, later being appointed to the Zoological Board of New South Wales (1973-1975). However, when Askin retired, his successor as Premier, Tom Lewis
Tom Lewis (Australian politician)
Thomas Lancelot Lewis AO is a former New South Wales politician, Premier of New South Wales and Minister of the Crown in the cabinets of Sir Robert Askin and Sir Eric Willis. He was made the Premier of New South Wales following Askin's retirement from politics and held it until he was replaced by...
, appointed him as Minister for Lands and Minister for Forests on 30 June 1975. Mason served until Lewis was deposed by Sir Eric Willis
Eric Willis
Sir Eric Archibald Willis KBE, CMG was an Australian politician, Cabinet Minister and the 34th Premier of New South Wales, serving from 23 January 1976 to 14 May 1976. Born in Murwillumbah in 1922, Willis was educated at Murwillumbah High School and the University of Sydney, where he obtained a...
on 23 January 1976. He was leader of the opposition (succeeding Peter Coleman
Peter Coleman
William Peter Coleman is an Australian writer/journalist, former politician and Minister of the Crown in the cabinets of Tom Lewis and Sir Eric Willis. Following Willis' resignation as leader he was made Leader of the New South Wales Opposition...
) from 1978 till 1981.
On 1 January 2001 he was awarded the Centenary Medal
Centenary Medal
The Centenary Medal is an award created by the Australian Government in 2001. It was established to commemorate the Centenary of Federation of Australia and to honour people who have made a contribution to Australian society or government...
.