John McLeay, senior
Encyclopedia
Sir John "Jack" McLeay, KCMG, MM
(19 November 189322 June 1982) was an Australia
n politician and the longest-serving Speaker of the Australian House of Representatives
.
, the son of well to do farmers. After initially schooling in Port Clinton, McLeay finished his education in Adelaide
, attending Unley High School
and Muirden College before commencing work for local businesses.
, serving as stretcher-bearer in the Field Ambulance Corps in France
and was awarded the Military Medal
for his bravery under fire. Returning to Adelaide after the war, McLeay joined his brother George's
importing business and involved himself in local issues.
as an independent. McLeay was one of 15 independents elected to the 39 member South Australian House of Assembly
and as such, held the balance of power in parliament. McLeay lost Unley at the 1941 election and later acknowledged that his three years in state parliament was a waste of time as it had become clear to him that he could not accomplish anything as an independent.
McLeay returned to public life when he was elected Lord Mayor of Adelaide in 1946, serving until 1950, during which time he gained Liberal and Country League
pre-selection for the safe federal electorate of Boothby
and subsequently entered the Australian House of Representatives
at the 1949
election.
McLeay was elected Speaker of the House in 1956 and served as Speaker for a record ten and a half years, before his retirement from politics on 31 October 1966. Following his retirement, McLeay served as Chairman of McLeay Brothers Ltd. and director of other companies, as well as member of the Tramways Trust Board, the State Bank of South Australia and the council of the University of Adelaide
. He also served as president of the Adelaide Legacy Club, the South Australian Retail Furniture Association, the South Australian Playground Association and the South Australian Tree Planters Association.
Created a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George in 1962 for political and community services, McLeay's brother George
and son John jnr
, both served in federal parliament, John jnr, inheriting the electorate of Boothby from McLeay.
Military Medal
The Military Medal was a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Army and other services, and formerly also to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for bravery in battle on land....
(19 November 189322 June 1982) was an Australia
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 and the longest-serving Speaker of the Australian House of Representatives
Speaker of the Australian House of Representatives
The Speaker of the House of Representatives is the presiding officer of the House of Representatives, the lower house of the Parliament of Australia. The presiding officer in the upper house is the President of the Senate....
.
Early life
McLeay was born in Port ClintonPort Clinton, South Australia
Port Clinton is a town on Yorke Peninsula, facing Gulf St Vincent in South Australia. It is located 130 km south of Port Pirie and 125 km from Adelaide.-Notable residents:...
, the son of well to do farmers. After initially schooling in Port Clinton, McLeay finished his education in Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
, attending Unley High School
Unley High School
Unley High School, located in Netherby, is one of the largest public high schools in South Australia. In recent years the number of students enrolled typically ranges from 1,100 to 1,300, but in the early 1960s the school had a peak enrolment of 2,000 students.The school currently has 30...
and Muirden College before commencing work for local businesses.
Military experience
He enlisted soon after the outbreak of World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, serving as stretcher-bearer in the Field Ambulance Corps in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and was awarded the Military Medal
Military Medal
The Military Medal was a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Army and other services, and formerly also to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for bravery in battle on land....
for his bravery under fire. Returning to Adelaide after the war, McLeay joined his brother George's
George McLeay
George McLeay was an Australian politician and senior minister in the Menzies Liberal government.McLeay was born in Port Clinton, South Australia and educated at Port Clinton Public School until 1906 when he was sent to Adelaide where he continued his education at Unley Public School...
importing business and involved himself in local issues.
Political life
Elected to the Adelaide suburban Unley Council in 1924, McLeay served as Mayor of Unley from 1935 to 1937, resigning to contest the state Electoral district of UnleyElectoral district of Unley
Unley is an electoral district of the House of Assembly in the Australian state of South Australia. Named after the suburb of the same name, it is a 12.2 km² urban electorate in Adelaide's inner southern suburbs, taking in the suburbs of Eastwood, Frewville, Fullarton, Glenunga, Highgate, Hyde...
as an independent. McLeay was one of 15 independents elected to the 39 member South Australian House of Assembly
South Australian House of Assembly
The House of Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of South Australia. The other is the Legislative Council. It sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Adelaide.- Overview :...
and as such, held the balance of power in parliament. McLeay lost Unley at the 1941 election and later acknowledged that his three years in state parliament was a waste of time as it had become clear to him that he could not accomplish anything as an independent.
McLeay returned to public life when he was elected Lord Mayor of Adelaide in 1946, serving until 1950, during which time he gained Liberal and Country League
Liberal and Country League
The Liberal and Country League was a major political party in South Australia throughout its forty year existence. Thirty-four years were spent in government, in part due to the electoral malapportionment known as the Playmander, introduced after coming to power.Created on 9 June 1932 as the...
pre-selection for the safe federal electorate of Boothby
Division of Boothby
The Division of Boothby is an Australian Electoral Division in South Australia. The division was created in 1903 and is named after William Boothby , the Returning Officer for the first election of Members of the House of Representatives in 1901....
and subsequently entered the Australian House of Representatives
Australian House of Representatives
The House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia; it is the lower house; the upper house is the Senate. Members of Parliament serve for terms of approximately three years....
at the 1949
Australian federal election, 1949
Federal elections were held in Australia on 10 December 1949. All 121 seats in the House of Representatives, and 42 of the 60 seats in the Senate were up for election, where the single transferable vote was introduced...
election.
McLeay was elected Speaker of the House in 1956 and served as Speaker for a record ten and a half years, before his retirement from politics on 31 October 1966. Following his retirement, McLeay served as Chairman of McLeay Brothers Ltd. and director of other companies, as well as member of the Tramways Trust Board, the State Bank of South Australia and the council of the University of Adelaide
University of Adelaide
The University of Adelaide is a public university located in Adelaide, South Australia. Established in 1874, it is the third oldest university in Australia...
. He also served as president of the Adelaide Legacy Club, the South Australian Retail Furniture Association, the South Australian Playground Association and the South Australian Tree Planters Association.
Created a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George in 1962 for political and community services, McLeay's brother George
George McLeay
George McLeay was an Australian politician and senior minister in the Menzies Liberal government.McLeay was born in Port Clinton, South Australia and educated at Port Clinton Public School until 1906 when he was sent to Adelaide where he continued his education at Unley Public School...
and son John jnr
John McLeay, junior
John Elden McLeay was an Australian politician and government minister.McLeay was born in Adelaide, the son of Sir John McLeay, a federal politician, as was his brother, George McLeay. McLeay was educated at Scotch College and volunteered for the second Australian Imperial Force in 1941 and...
, both served in federal parliament, John jnr, inheriting the electorate of Boothby from McLeay.