Ray Maher
Encyclopedia
The Hon. Raphael Septimus Maher (1 April 1911 – 22 September 1966) was an Australian politician. He was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
from 1953 until 1966 and a member of the Australian Labor Party
(ALP). Maher was the Speaker of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
between 1959 and 1966.
. He was the son of a union organizer and was educated at De La Salle College, Ashfield and the University of Sydney
. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 1944 but gave up plans to study law to become a concrete contractor. He joined the Labor Party in 1927 and was a member of the Australian Workers Union.
state election, Maher, the Lang Labor
candidate was defeated by the sitting Country Party
member Matthew Kilpatrick in the seat of Wagga Wagga
. At the following election in 1938
, Maher had moved to Sydney and was defeated in the seat of Drummoyne
by the United Australia Party
incumbent member, John Lee
. After a 12 year gap he was the endorsed Labor candidate for North Sydney
at the 1950
election but was defeated by the incumbent Independent Labor member James Geraghty
. Geraghty had been elected as a Labor member in 1941 but had been expelled from the party in 1949 for breaking caucus solidarity during an indirect election of the Legislative Council
. Maher was finally elected to the New South Wales Parliament as the member for North Sydney
at the 1953
election, when he defeated Geraghty. Maher retained the seat until it was abolished at the 1962
election. He subsequently successfully contested the new seat of Wyong
which he retained until he retired from parliament at the 1965
election.
as the Speaker of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
after the 1959
election and retained the position until he was forced to resign from the position in January 1965, four months before the end of the parliamentary term. The parliamentary web site states that Maher: "managed to maintain the independence of the office...(He) developed a reputation for consistent rulings and for actively protecting and improving the rights and privileges of the Members of Parliament." In early 1965 he was accused by a female staff member of sexual harassment by exposing his genitalia. Maher claimed that he had forgotten to adjust his flies after visiting the toilet. However, he resigned from the position of speaker and did not contest the election held 4 months later. He was eventually acquitted of criminal charges but the scandal contributed to Labor's loss at the 1965 election after 24 years of continuous government. He died 18 months later at the age of 55.
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...
from 1953 until 1966 and 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). Maher was the Speaker of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
Speaker of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
The Speaker of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly is the presiding officer of the Legislative Assembly, New South Wales's lower chamber of Parliament. The current Speaker is Shelley Hancock, who was elected on 3 May 2011...
between 1959 and 1966.
Early life
Maher was born in Grenfell, New South WalesGrenfell, New South Wales
Grenfell is a country town in the Central West of New South Wales, Australia, in Weddin Shire. It is 370 kilometres west of Sydney and five hours' drive from the city. It is close to Forbes, Cowra and Young. At the 2006 census, Grenfell had a population of 1,994.-History:Prior to European...
. He was the son of a union organizer and was educated at De La Salle College, Ashfield and 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...
. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 1944 but gave up plans to study law to become a concrete contractor. He joined the Labor Party in 1927 and was a member of the Australian Workers Union.
State Parliament
Maher failed in his first three attempts to be elected to the parliament. At the 1935New South Wales state election, 1935
The 1935 New South Wales state election was held on 11 May 1935. This election was for all of the 90 seats in the 31st New South Wales Legislative Assembly and was conducted in single member constituencies with compulsory preferential voting....
state election, Maher, the Lang Labor
Australian Labor Party (NSW)
The Australian Labor Party , commonly known as Lang Labor, was the name given to a major breakaway of the Australian Labor Party in New South Wales that operated from 1931 to 1936....
candidate was defeated by the sitting 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 Matthew Kilpatrick in the seat of Wagga Wagga
Electoral district of Wagga Wagga
Wagga Wagga is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is represented by Daryl Maguire of the Liberal Party of Australia....
. At the following election in 1938
New South Wales state election, 1938
The 1938 New South Wales state election was held on 26 March 1938. This election was for all of the 90 seats in the 32nd New South Wales Legislative Assembly and was conducted in single member constituencies with compulsory preferential voting....
, Maher had moved to Sydney and was defeated in the seat of Drummoyne
Electoral district of Drummoyne
Drummoyne is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is represented by John Sidoti of the Liberal Party of Australia.-History:...
by the United Australia Party
United Australia Party
The United Australia Party was an Australian political party that was founded in 1931 and dissolved in 1945. It was the political successor to the Nationalist Party of Australia and predecessor to the Liberal Party of Australia...
incumbent member, John Lee
John Lee (Australian politician)
John Robert Lee was an Australian politician.Born at Hedley Hill, Lanchester, Durham, to coalminer James Lee and Jessie Watson, he was educated at public schools in Leadgate and Durham before attending Cliff College in Sheffield...
. After a 12 year gap he was the endorsed Labor candidate for North Sydney
Electoral district of North Sydney
North Sydney was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. Created in 1927, it replaced part of the multi-member electorate of North Shore, and was named after and included the Sydney suburb of North Sydney. It was abolished in 1962 and partly...
at the 1950
New South Wales state election, 1950
The 1950 New South Wales State state election was held on 17 June 1950. It was conducted in single member constituencies with compulsory preferential voting and was held on boundaries created at a 1949 redistribution...
election but was defeated by the incumbent Independent Labor member James Geraghty
James Geraghty
James Leo Geraghty was an Australian politician. He was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1941 until 1953. He was a member of the Australian Labor Party until 1950 and then sat as an Independent Labor member .-Early life:Geraghty was born in Parramatta, New South Wales...
. Geraghty had been elected as a Labor member in 1941 but had been expelled from the party in 1949 for breaking caucus solidarity during an indirect election of the Legislative Council
New South Wales Legislative Council
The New South Wales Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of the parliament of New South Wales in Australia. The other is the Legislative Assembly. Both sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney. The Assembly is referred to as the lower house and the Council as...
. Maher was finally elected to the New South Wales Parliament as the member for North Sydney
Electoral district of North Sydney
North Sydney was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. Created in 1927, it replaced part of the multi-member electorate of North Shore, and was named after and included the Sydney suburb of North Sydney. It was abolished in 1962 and partly...
at the 1953
New South Wales state election, 1953
The 1953 New South Wales state election was held on 14 February 1953. It was conducted in single member constituencies with compulsory preferential voting and was held on boundaries created at a 1952 redistribution...
election, when he defeated Geraghty. Maher retained the seat until it was abolished at the 1962
New South Wales state election, 1962
The 1962 New South Wales state election was held on 3 March 1962. It was conducted in single member constituencies with compulsory preferential voting and was held on boundaries created at a 1961 redistribution...
election. He subsequently successfully contested the new seat of Wyong
Electoral district of Wyong
Wyong is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. The district is a 44,017 km² urban and semi-rural electorate on the Central Coast. The main urban centres are the towns of Wyong, Toukley and Wyee...
which he retained until he retired from parliament at the 1965
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...
election.
Speaker
Maher succeeded Bill LambBill Lamb
The Hon. William Henry Lamb was an Australian politician. He was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1938 until 1962 and, variously, a member of the Australian Labor Party and the Lang Labor Party...
as the Speaker of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
Speaker of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
The Speaker of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly is the presiding officer of the Legislative Assembly, New South Wales's lower chamber of Parliament. The current Speaker is Shelley Hancock, who was elected on 3 May 2011...
after the 1959
New South Wales state election, 1959
The 1959 New South Wales state election was held on 21 March 1959. It was conducted in single member constituencies with compulsory preferential voting and was held on boundaries created at a 1957 redistribution...
election and retained the position until he was forced to resign from the position in January 1965, four months before the end of the parliamentary term. The parliamentary web site states that Maher: "managed to maintain the independence of the office...(He) developed a reputation for consistent rulings and for actively protecting and improving the rights and privileges of the Members of Parliament." In early 1965 he was accused by a female staff member of sexual harassment by exposing his genitalia. Maher claimed that he had forgotten to adjust his flies after visiting the toilet. However, he resigned from the position of speaker and did not contest the election held 4 months later. He was eventually acquitted of criminal charges but the scandal contributed to Labor's loss at the 1965 election after 24 years of continuous government. He died 18 months later at the age of 55.