Thomas Hughes (Australian politician)
Encyclopedia
Thomas John Hughes sometimes known as Diver Hughes, was an Australian politician, and a member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly
representing the seat of East Perth
for two periods; from 1922 until 1927, and again from 1936 until 1943.
, Victoria
, to Felix Hughes, a labourer, and his wife Maria (née Boudan). In 1896, the family moved to Western Australia
, and he was educated at state schools. He obtained work in the Postmaster General's Office as a telegraph boy, before entering the Commonwealth public service as an audit inspector. In his spare time, he rowed for Western Australia in 1914 and 1920.
During this time he joined the Labor Party
, and was both president of the Metropolitan Council and a member of the state executive. He was selected to run for the party at a by-election on 18 November 1922 in East Perth
, following the resignation of J. J. Simons
, and won the seat. Shortly after his election on 20 December 1922, he married Lucy Olive Stone in Inglewood
. In 1926, he resigned from the Labor Party and sat from then as an Independent Labor member; however he failed to retain the seat at the 1927 election, losing to railwayman and unionist James Kenneally
.
After this, he practiced as an accountant and as secretary of the Mental Nurses' Union. He also gained his Bachelor of Laws
in 1932 and was admitted to the Bar in 1936.
Having unsuccessfully contested elections for his old seat in 1930, and for West Province in the Legislative Council
in 1934, he was successful in unseating Kenneally, by this stage a minister in the Collier government
. However, it emerged that he had been an undischarged bankrupt at the time of the poll, and was hence ineligible to run, and Kenneally successfully petitioned for the poll to be declared void. A by-election was called for 9 May 1936, and Hughes, who had resolved his status in the interim, won again against Kenneally.
He sat as a member until 1943, before resigning to contest Division of Perth
in the 1943 federal election
. He was unsuccessful in this, and at the 1945 Fremantle by-election
.
He died aged 88 at the Home of Peace in Subiaco
, and was buried in the Uniting Church section of Karrakatta Cemetery
.
Western Australian Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of parliament in the Australian state of Western Australia. It sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Perth....
representing the seat of East Perth
Electoral district of East Perth
East Perth was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Western Australia from 1890 to 1962.Based in inner urban Perth, the district was one of the original 30 seats contested at the 1890 state election. The district's member from 1894 to 1904 was Walter James,...
for two periods; from 1922 until 1927, and again from 1936 until 1943.
Biography
Hughes was born in South MelbourneSouth Melbourne, Victoria
South Melbourne is an inner city suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 2 km south from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area are the Cities of Port Phillip and Melbourne...
, 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....
, to Felix Hughes, a labourer, and his wife Maria (née Boudan). In 1896, the family moved to Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
, and he was educated at state schools. He obtained work in the Postmaster General's Office as a telegraph boy, before entering the Commonwealth public service as an audit inspector. In his spare time, he rowed for Western Australia in 1914 and 1920.
During this time he joined the 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...
, and was both president of the Metropolitan Council and a member of the state executive. He was selected to run for the party at a by-election on 18 November 1922 in East Perth
Electoral district of East Perth
East Perth was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Western Australia from 1890 to 1962.Based in inner urban Perth, the district was one of the original 30 seats contested at the 1890 state election. The district's member from 1894 to 1904 was Walter James,...
, following the resignation of J. J. Simons
Jack Simons
John Joseph Simons was an Australian businessman and politician, best known for establishing the Young Australia League....
, and won the seat. Shortly after his election on 20 December 1922, he married Lucy Olive Stone in Inglewood
Inglewood, Western Australia
Inglewood is a suburb of Perth, Western Australia. Its Local Government Area is the City of Stirling.-History:With a name thought to have been derived from the Norwegian barque Inglewood , the suburb of Inglewood began when land was first granted to John Gregory in 1831...
. In 1926, he resigned from the Labor Party and sat from then as an Independent Labor member; however he failed to retain the seat at the 1927 election, losing to railwayman and unionist James Kenneally
James Kenneally
James Joseph Kenneally was an Australian politician, railwayman and unionist from Sydney.-Early life:Educated by the Christian Brothers, he moved to Western Australia in 1899 where he became a locomotive cleaner and then engine-driver...
.
After this, he practiced as an accountant and as secretary of the Mental Nurses' Union. He also gained his Bachelor of Laws
Bachelor of Laws
The Bachelor of Laws is an undergraduate, or bachelor, degree in law originating in England and offered in most common law countries as the primary law degree...
in 1932 and was admitted to the Bar in 1936.
Having unsuccessfully contested elections for his old seat in 1930, and for West Province in the Legislative Council
Western Australian Legislative Council
The Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of parliament in the Australian state of Western Australia. Its central purpose is to act as a house of review for legislation passed through the lower house, the Legislative Assembly. It sits in Parliament House in the state...
in 1934, he was successful in unseating Kenneally, by this stage a minister in the Collier government
Second Collier Ministry
The Second Collier Ministry was the 18th Ministry of the Government of Western Australia and was led by Labor Premier Philip Collier. It succeeded the Second Mitchell Ministry on 24 April 1933, following the defeat of the Nationalist government at the 1933 election on 8 April.The ministry was...
. However, it emerged that he had been an undischarged bankrupt at the time of the poll, and was hence ineligible to run, and Kenneally successfully petitioned for the poll to be declared void. A by-election was called for 9 May 1936, and Hughes, who had resolved his status in the interim, won again against Kenneally.
He sat as a member until 1943, before resigning to contest Division of Perth
Division of Perth
The Division of Perth is an Australian Electoral Division in the state of Western Australia. It is named after Perth, the capital city of Western Australia, where the Division is located...
in the 1943 federal election
Australian federal election, 1943
Federal elections were held in Australia on 21 August 1943. All 74 seats in the House of Representatives, and 19 of the 36 seats in the Senate were up for election. The incumbent Australian Labor Party led by Prime Minister of Australia John Curtin easily defeated the opposition Country Party led...
. He was unsuccessful in this, and at the 1945 Fremantle by-election
Fremantle by-election, 1945
The 1945 Fremantle by-election was held in the Australian federal electorate of Fremantle in Western Australia on 18 August 1945. The by-election was triggered by the death of the sitting member, Prime Minister John Curtin, on 5 July 1945.-Results:...
.
He died aged 88 at the Home of Peace in Subiaco
Subiaco, Western Australia
Subiaco is an inner western suburb of Perth, Western Australia, situated to the north west of Kings Park. Its Local Government Area is the City of Subiaco.-History:Prior to European settlement the area was home to the Noongar Indigenous people....
, and was buried in the Uniting Church section of Karrakatta Cemetery
Karrakatta Cemetery
Karrakatta Cemetery is a metropolitan cemetery in the suburb of Karrakatta in Perth, Western Australia. Karrakatta Cemetery first opened for burials in 1899, with Robert Creighton. Currently managed by the Metropolitan Cemeteries Board, the cemetery attracts more than one million visitors each...
.