Samuel Jones (Australian politician)
Encyclopedia
Sam Jones was an Australian politician. He was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
from 1965 until 1984 and a member of the ALP
.
. He was the son of a steelworker and a brother of Charlie Jones
. He was educated to intermediate level at Newcastle Boys' High School
and trained as a fitter and turner. He was an office-holder in the Amalgamated Engineering Union.
in 1945 and served as vice president and secretary of Tighes Hill branch, vice president of Newcastle and Waratah State Electorate Councils and secretary of Newcastle Federal Electorate Council.
Jones was elected to Newcastle City Council
in 1959 and served as an Alderman until 1965. He was a member of the Shortland County Council (1961) and the Hunter District Water Board.
Jones defeated Frank Purdue
the incumbent member for the seat of Waratah at the 1965
state election by 87 votes (0.79%). He retained the seat at the next 6 elections.
During debate in the Legislative Assembly in August 1979, the member for South Coast
, Mr John Hatton
accused Jones of being involved in the cover-up of a horse doping
scandal. Jones vigorously denied the allegations and sued the Sydney Morning Herald for defamation over its reporting of the allegations. His action failed in the Supreme Court of New South Wales
and Jones was left with a significant debt.
Jones lost ALP pre-selection for the seat prior to the general election of 1984
. He ran as an independent candidate against John Price
, the endorsed Labor candidate. He finished third in the election with 24% of the vote and was subsequently expelled from the ALP.
He was declared bankrupt in 1985.
Of his brother, Charlie Jones said:"He most certainly did have a very colourful career, but I think he would like to be remembered as the Labor man he was ... Sam was an aggressive man who fought hard for the underdog."
On the 30th September 1960 Jones married Patricia Jones. They had a three children. Jones was survivied by Patricia and their daughter, Sandra, and one of their sons, John.
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 1965 until 1984 and a member of the ALP
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...
.
Early life
Samuel Barry Jones was born in NewcastleNewcastle, New South Wales
The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...
. He was the son of a steelworker and a brother of Charlie Jones
Charles Jones (Australian politician)
Charles Keith Jones AO was an Australian politician and government minister.He was Minister for Transport and Minister for Civil Aviation in the Second Whitlam Ministry and Minister for Transport in the Third Whitlam Ministry.Commonly known as "Charlie",...
. He was educated to intermediate level at Newcastle Boys' High School
Newcastle High School (Australia)
Newcastle High School is a state run high school located in Newcastle West—a suburb of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia–with an enrolment of approximately 1,000 students....
and trained as a fitter and turner. He was an office-holder in the Amalgamated Engineering Union.
Political career
Sam Jones joined the Australian Labor PartyAustralian 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 1945 and served as vice president and secretary of Tighes Hill branch, vice president of Newcastle and Waratah State Electorate Councils and secretary of Newcastle Federal Electorate Council.
Jones was elected to Newcastle City Council
Newcastle City Council
Newcastle City Council is the local government authority for Newcastle upon Tyne, a city in Tyne and Wear, England. The council consists of 78 councillors, three for each of the city's 26 wards...
in 1959 and served as an Alderman until 1965. He was a member of the Shortland County Council (1961) and the Hunter District Water Board.
Jones defeated Frank Purdue
Frank Purdue
Frank Outen Jensen Purdue was an Australian politician. He was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1956 until 1962 and again between 1964 and 1965. He was prominent in local Government and was Lord Mayor of Newcastle, NSW for 9 years between 1951 and 1965...
the incumbent member for the seat of Waratah 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...
state election by 87 votes (0.79%). He retained the seat at the next 6 elections.
During debate in the Legislative Assembly in August 1979, the member for South Coast
Electoral district of South Coast
South Coast is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is represented by Shelley Hancock of the Liberal Party of Australia.-Members for South Coast:-Election results:...
, Mr John Hatton
John Hatton
John Edward Hatton AO is former Australian politician, and an National Trust of Australia nominated Australian Living Treasure. He was the independent member of the New South Wales State parliament "lower house" for to the seat of South Coast from 1973 to 1995...
accused Jones of being involved in the cover-up of a horse doping
Equine drug testing
Racehorse drug testing began in the early 1900s. It is the longest established, broadest in scope, and possibly the most sensitive drug testing program in existence. Racehorse drug testing is performed within an extremely stringent regulatory context...
scandal. Jones vigorously denied the allegations and sued the Sydney Morning Herald for defamation over its reporting of the allegations. His action failed in the Supreme Court of New South Wales
Supreme Court of New South Wales
The Supreme Court of New South Wales is the highest state court of the Australian State of New South Wales...
and Jones was left with a significant debt.
Jones lost ALP pre-selection for the seat prior to the general election of 1984
New South Wales state election, 1984
Elections were held in the state of New South Wales, Australia, on Saturday 24 March 1984. The Labor government led by Neville Wran won a fourth term in office, although with a reduced margin and a 7% swing against it....
. He ran as an independent candidate against John Price
John Price (New South Wales politician)
John Charles Price is an Australian politician, elected as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly.Price was born in Mayfield, New South Wales. He was previously a marine engineer, a public servant and an engineering/marketing consultant...
, the endorsed Labor candidate. He finished third in the election with 24% of the vote and was subsequently expelled from the ALP.
He was declared bankrupt in 1985.
Of his brother, Charlie Jones said:"He most certainly did have a very colourful career, but I think he would like to be remembered as the Labor man he was ... Sam was an aggressive man who fought hard for the underdog."
Personal Life
Sam Jones died in the Mater Hospital, Waratah to which he had been admitted after a stroke; he had previously been treated for a brain tumour. A memorial ceremony was held at St Mark's Anglican Church, Islington.On the 30th September 1960 Jones married Patricia Jones. They had a three children. Jones was survivied by Patricia and their daughter, Sandra, and one of their sons, John.