Richard Edwards (Australian politician)
Encyclopedia
Richard Edwards was an Australia
n politician. Born in Montgomeryshire
, Wales
, he migrated to Australia in 1862, becoming first a goldminer in Victoria and then a shopkeeper in Brisbane
. He invested in both sugar and newspapers. In the first federal election in 1901, Edwards was elected to the Australian House of Representatives
as the member for Oxley
; although there was no protectionist organisation in Queensland
, he described himself as such and sat with the Protectionist Party
in Parliament. In 1906, he defected to the Anti-Socialist Party; after the fusion of 1909, he was a Liberal
member. He retired in 1913, becoming a businessman, publisher and philanthropist
. He died in 1915.
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. Born in Montgomeryshire
Montgomeryshire
Montgomeryshire, also known as Maldwyn is one of thirteen historic counties and a former administrative county of Wales. Montgomeryshire is still used as a vice-county for wildlife recording...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, he migrated to Australia in 1862, becoming first a goldminer in Victoria and then a shopkeeper in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
. He invested in both sugar and newspapers. In the first federal election in 1901, Edwards was elected to 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....
as the member for Oxley
Division of Oxley (1901-34)
The Division of Oxley was an Australian Electoral Division in the state of Queensland. It was located in the inner southern suburbs of Brisbane, and originally included the suburbs of South Brisbane, Woolloongabba and Coorparoo...
; although there was no protectionist organisation in Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, he described himself as such and sat with the Protectionist Party
Protectionist Party
The Protectionist Party was an Australian political party, formally organised from 1889 until 1909, with policies centred on protectionism. It argued that Australia needed protective tariffs to allow Australian industry to grow and provide employment. It had its greatest strength in Victoria and in...
in Parliament. In 1906, he defected to the Anti-Socialist Party; after the fusion of 1909, he was a Liberal
Commonwealth Liberal Party
The Commonwealth Liberal Party was a political movement active in Australia from 1909 to 1916, shortly after federation....
member. He retired in 1913, becoming a businessman, publisher and philanthropist
Philanthropist
A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...
. He died in 1915.