Parker Moloney
Encyclopedia
Parker John Moloney was an Australian politician, teacher and public servant. He was born at Port Fairy, Victoria
to Maurice Moloney and Mary, née Bowe. He became a teacher at John O'Hara's South Melbourne College in 1902 and then at University High School
. Around this time he began to be interested in Labor
politics and attended the Catholic Young Men's Association. In 1906 he became principal of Beechworth
College.
In 1910 Moloney won the Victoria
n seat of Indi
for Labor. He lost it in 1913, but regained it in 1914, in which year, on 15 April, he was married to Margaret Mary Mills. However, it was his opposition to conscription
which lost him the seat for good in 1917. He relocated to New South Wales
and in 1919 became the first Labor representative for Hume
. Despite representing a New South Wales seat, he continued to live in Melbourne, but built up a strong support base in Hume. He was one of only five people who have represented more than one state or territory in the House of Representatives.
Moloney was Minister for Markets and Transport
from 1929 to 1931 as part of the Scullin
government. He negotiated Australia's first trade treaty with Canada, and was rewarded with a parliamentary ovation. Despite many continuing exploits, including preparing for the Imperial Economic Conference of 1932, to be held at Ottawa
, Canada, Moloney lost his seat in the conservative landslide of 1931.
There were no parliamentary pension
s, which left Moloney almost destitute. He sold his house and moved in with his aunt. With former colleague Richard Keane
, he managed to buy two old mining dumps near Bendigo
, which were sold to Collins House for ₤3000. He also became active in the share market. By 1939 he was president of the Australian Labor Party
in Victoria, but, despite two unsuccessful Senate
campaigns, he withdrew from politics in 1943, when Labor won office. He gradually moved away from the ALP and joined the Democratic Labor Party
. Chairman of the Victorian Dried Fruits Board from 1936–1957, he was only able to retire after being provided with a pension by Prime Minister Robert Menzies
. He was closely associated with Archbishop Daniel Mannix
, and was always interested in horse-racing.
Moloney died on 8 May 1961 and was given a state funeral. He was remembered by Archbishop Guildford Young as "outstanding among a great generation of Catholic men who had a special Catholic ethos".
Port Fairy, Victoria
Port Fairy is a coastal town in south-western Victoria, Australia. It lies on the Princes Highway in the Shire of Moyne, west of Warrnambool and 290 km west of Melbourne, at the point where the Moyne River enters the Southern Ocean.-History:...
to Maurice Moloney and Mary, née Bowe. He became a teacher at John O'Hara's South Melbourne College in 1902 and then at University High School
University High School, Melbourne
The University High School is a public, co-educational high school, located in the Melbourne suburb of Parkville.-History:...
. Around this time he began to be interested in Labor
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...
politics and attended the Catholic Young Men's Association. In 1906 he became principal of Beechworth
Beechworth, Victoria
Beechworth is a well-preserved historical town located in the north-east of Victoria, Australia, famous for its major growth during the gold rush days of the mid-1850s...
College.
In 1910 Moloney won the Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
n seat of Indi
Division of Indi
The Division of Indi is an Australian Electoral Division in Victoria. It is located in north-eastern Victoria. Its northern border is formed by the Murray River...
for Labor. He lost it in 1913, but regained it in 1914, in which year, on 15 April, he was married to Margaret Mary Mills. However, it was his opposition to conscription
Conscription
Conscription is the compulsory enlistment of people in some sort of national service, most often military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and continues in some countries to the present day under various names...
which lost him the seat for good in 1917. He relocated to New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
and in 1919 became the first Labor representative for Hume
Division of Hume
The Division of Hume is an Australian Electoral Division in the state of New South Wales. The Division is located in the central part of the state, just north of the Australian Capital Territory. The Division covers a predominantly rural area, with agriculture and coal mining the main industries...
. Despite representing a New South Wales seat, he continued to live in Melbourne, but built up a strong support base in Hume. He was one of only five people who have represented more than one state or territory in the House of Representatives.
Moloney was Minister for Markets and Transport
Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (Australia)
The current Australian Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry is Senator the Hon Joe Ludwig.-Portfolio responsibilities:The minister administers his portfolio through the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, and its component bodies:...
from 1929 to 1931 as part of the Scullin
James Scullin
James Henry Scullin , Australian Labor politician and the ninth Prime Minister of Australia. Two days after he was sworn in as Prime Minister, the Wall Street Crash of 1929 occurred, marking the beginning of the Great Depression and subsequent Great Depression in Australia.-Early life:Scullin was...
government. He negotiated Australia's first trade treaty with Canada, and was rewarded with a parliamentary ovation. Despite many continuing exploits, including preparing for the Imperial Economic Conference of 1932, to be held at Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, Canada, Moloney lost his seat in the conservative landslide of 1931.
There were no parliamentary pension
Pension
In general, a pension is an arrangement to provide people with an income when they are no longer earning a regular income from employment. Pensions should not be confused with severance pay; the former is paid in regular installments, while the latter is paid in one lump sum.The terms retirement...
s, which left Moloney almost destitute. He sold his house and moved in with his aunt. With former colleague Richard Keane
Richard Keane
Richard Valentine Keane was an Australian politician.Keane was born in Beechworth, Victoria and, after his police constable father was transferred to Melbourne, was educated at Christian Brothers College, St Kilda. When he was 16 he took a position as a clerk in the Victorian Railways...
, he managed to buy two old mining dumps near Bendigo
Bendigo, Victoria
Bendigo is a major regional city in the state of Victoria, Australia, located very close to the geographical centre of the state and approximately north west of the state capital Melbourne. It is the second largest inland city and fourth most populous city in the state. The estimated urban...
, which were sold to Collins House for ₤3000. He also became active in the share market. By 1939 he was president 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...
in Victoria, but, despite two unsuccessful 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,...
campaigns, he withdrew from politics in 1943, when Labor won office. He gradually moved away from the ALP and joined the Democratic Labor Party
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...
. Chairman of the Victorian Dried Fruits Board from 1936–1957, he was only able to retire after being provided with a pension by Prime Minister Robert Menzies
Robert Menzies
Sir Robert Gordon Menzies, , Australian politician, was the 12th and longest-serving Prime Minister of Australia....
. He was closely associated with Archbishop Daniel Mannix
Daniel Mannix
Daniel Mannix was an Irish-born Australian Catholic bishop. Mannix was the Archbishop of Melbourne for 46 years and one of the most influential public figures in 20th century Australia....
, and was always interested in horse-racing.
Moloney died on 8 May 1961 and was given a state funeral. He was remembered by Archbishop Guildford Young as "outstanding among a great generation of Catholic men who had a special Catholic ethos".