Leslie Coleman
Encyclopedia
Patrick Leslie Coleman (born 21 January 1895, died 6 October 1974), Australian politician, was a Member of the Victorian Legislative Council
for Melbourne West Province
representing the Australian Labor Party
from October 1943 until March 1955 and very briefly the Australian Labor Party (Anti-Communist)
from March-June 1955. Coleman was, with William Barry
in the Victorian Legislative Assembly
, the first parliamentary Leader of the Australian Labor Party (Anti-Communist), and the party was briefly referred to in the media as the Coleman-Barry Labor Party.
Coleman was educated at Christian Brothers College in East Melbourne. He qualified as an accountant while working part time for the Victorian Department of Education, and later owned various hotels. Coleman was a Commissioner of the Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works
and a Melbourne City Councillor
from 1939-1960.
Coleman was Government Leader in the Legislative Council from 1952-1955. He was Assistant Treasurer and Minister of Materials in the second Cain government
from 1945-1947, and Minister for Transport in the third Cain government
from 1952-1955.
Coleman was defeated in seeking re-election for his Province in 1955. He unsuccessfully contested DLP
preselection
for the Australian Senate
in 1958, in which he was defeated by Jack Little
, Coleman's successor as ALP (Anti-Communist) and subsequently DLP Leader in the Legislative Council. It has been argued that Little was preferred as a DLP candidate because he was not a Catholic. The DLP was popularly regarded as a Catholic party, and a non-Catholic candidate had certain electoral attractions. Coleman did not again seek public office.
Victorian Legislative Council
The Victorian Legislative Council, is the upper of the two houses of the Parliament of Victoria, Australia; the lower house being the Legislative Assembly. Both houses sit in Parliament House in Spring Street, Melbourne. The Legislative Council serves as a house of review, in a similar fashion to...
for Melbourne West Province
Melbourne West Province
Melbourne West Province was an electorate of the Victorian Legislative Council until 2006. It was abolished from the 2006 state election in the wake of the Bracks Labor government's reform of the Legislative Council.-Members for Melbourne West Province:...
representing 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...
from October 1943 until March 1955 and very briefly the Australian Labor Party (Anti-Communist)
Australian Labor Party (Anti-Communist)
The Australian Labor Party was the name initially used by the right-wing group which split away from the Australian Labor Party in 1955, and which later became the Democratic Labor Party in 1957....
from March-June 1955. Coleman was, with William Barry
William Barry (Australian politician)
William Peter Barry was a Member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly for the Electoral district of Carlton from July 1932 until April 1955...
in the Victorian Legislative Assembly
Victorian Legislative Assembly
The Victorian Legislative Assembly is the lower house of the Parliament of Victoria in Australia. Together with the Victorian Legislative Council, the upper house, it sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Melbourne.-History:...
, the first parliamentary Leader of the Australian Labor Party (Anti-Communist), and the party was briefly referred to in the media as the Coleman-Barry Labor Party.
Coleman was educated at Christian Brothers College in East Melbourne. He qualified as an accountant while working part time for the Victorian Department of Education, and later owned various hotels. Coleman was a Commissioner of the Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works
Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works
The Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works was a public utility board in Melbourne, Australia set up to provide water supply, sewerage and sewage treatment functions for the city...
and a Melbourne City Councillor
City of Melbourne
The City of Melbourne is a Local Government Area in Victoria, Australia, located in the central city area of Melbourne. The city has an area of 36 square kilometres and has an estimated population of 93,105 people. The city's motto is "Vires acquirit eundo" which means "She gathers strength as she...
from 1939-1960.
Coleman was Government Leader in the Legislative Council from 1952-1955. He was Assistant Treasurer and Minister of Materials in the second Cain government
John Cain (senior)
John Cain was an Australian politician, who became the 34th premier of Victoria, and was the first Australian Labor Party leader to win a majority in the Victorian Legislative Assembly. He was the only premier of Victoria whose son also served as premier.-Early life:Cain was born, one of 18...
from 1945-1947, and Minister for Transport in the third Cain government
John Cain (senior)
John Cain was an Australian politician, who became the 34th premier of Victoria, and was the first Australian Labor Party leader to win a majority in the Victorian Legislative Assembly. He was the only premier of Victoria whose son also served as premier.-Early life:Cain was born, one of 18...
from 1952-1955.
Coleman was defeated in seeking re-election for his Province in 1955. He unsuccessfully contested DLP
Democratic Labor Party (historical)
The Democratic Labor Party was an Australian political party that existed from 1955 until 1978.-History:The DLP was formed as a result of a split in the Australian Labor Party that began in 1954. The split was between the party's national leadership, under the then party leader Dr H.V...
preselection
Preselection
Preselection is the process by which a candidate is selected, usually by a political party, to contest an election for political office. It is also referred to as candidate selection. It is a fundamental function of political parties...
for the Australian Senate
Australian Senate
The Senate is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of Australia, the lower house being the House of Representatives. Senators are popularly elected under a system of proportional representation. Senators are elected for a term that is usually six years; after a double dissolution, however,...
in 1958, in which he was defeated by Jack Little
Jack Little (Australian politician)
John Albert "Jack" Little was an Australian politician. Born in Maryborough, Victoria, he was educated at East Brunswick and Thornbury State Primary Schools, before becoming a Clicker in a Shoe factory in Collingwood, and later an official with the Victorian Boot Employees' Union, of which he was...
, Coleman's successor as ALP (Anti-Communist) and subsequently DLP Leader in the Legislative Council. It has been argued that Little was preferred as a DLP candidate because he was not a Catholic. The DLP was popularly regarded as a Catholic party, and a non-Catholic candidate had certain electoral attractions. Coleman did not again seek public office.