QUIZ: Oct winners; Nov question
Ross McMullin has provided another question to test and extend your knowledge of ALP history. The answer will be revealed next month. Correct entrants will receive hearty praise and admiration.
Date: 05 November 2007
I was a traditional Labor stalwart. My grandfather was active in the early days of the ALP in Newcastle, and that’s where I was born in 1917. I trained as a boilermaker, and became prominent in the Boilermakers Union.
I was also active in local government, becoming a Newcastle council alderman in 1946. A decade later I became one of Newcastle’s youngest mayors. My sense of humour was widely appreciated, but I called a spade a bloody shovel. I was dedicated to the labour movement, and everyone knew where I stood. I was very hostile to the Groupers and the DLP, and in the aftermath of the devastating 1950s split I won ALP preselection for the federal seat of Newcastle.
Labor had held Newcastle since federation. Nothing remarkable about that in a traditional ALP stronghold, but what was striking was that, when I took over this safe seat in 1958, I became only the third-ever MHR for Newcastle.
In Canberra, I gravitated to Left-aligned colleagues like Jim Cairns and Tom Uren. On Labor’s front bench, I became shadow minister for transport and developed a comprehensive reform blueprint that I was eager to implement. After the long years of opposition, the 1972 election win was a big breakthrough. Becoming a minister was a personal thrill, but there was too much to do to dwell on that for long. There’s not much point having a long-awaited election victory if you don’t use office to change the place significantly for the better.
That’s certainly what I did in transport. In road, rail and shipping, I insisted on genuinely national priorities. This had not been very evident before 1972. But we certainly changed things with initiatives such as the national highway system and the establishment of Australian National Railways. Gough Whitlam was once asked what would happen if he fell under a bus; he said this was highly unlikely because his government had substantially improved urban transport. I took this as a compliment.
After the Dismissal, I continued in parliament until my retirement in 1983. I remained active in the ALP. I was still secretary of my local party branch when I died in Newcastle in 2003 at the age of 85.
Who was I?
Also, a supplementary question this month: Who were my two predecessors as MHR for Newcastle?
TO SUBMIT YOUR ANSWER, CLICK HERE (please include your name, suburb & state/territory)
OCTOBER QUIZ ANSWER AND WINNERS
The answer to the previous Quiz is: Ted Holloway
Correct answers were received from:
Morris Allen, Eden Hills SA
Chris Bollmeyer, Grange SA
Lorie
Werner,
Box Hill South
VIC
Ken Maher, Dickson ACT
Brian McInnes, Leura NSW
Brian Cullen, Carlton VIC
Doug
Melville,
Kambah ACT
Vince Jeisman, Alice Springs NT
Peter Hughes, Bayview Heights QLD
Morris Allen, Eden Hills SA
John Gallagher, Randwick NSW
Aydan Casey, Marriclville NSW
Penny Carroll, Mt Lawley WA
Robert Bozinovski, Keilor Downs VIC
Matthew
Rayner,
Woodbine NSW
Nick Agocs, Dianella WA
George Harris, South Hobart TAS
Jacqueline Crouch, Ballarat VIC
P.E .Gribble,Ingleburn NSW
Alex Stoneman, Carisbrook VIC
Chris Ladyman, New Farm QLD
Malcolm Thurston, Nicholls,
ACT
Danni Smith, Brunswick VIC
Robert Pask, Bentleigh East VIC
Chris Virtue, Sydney NSW
Karen
Boyce,
Sale VIC
Niall Johnson, Warriewood NSW
Lawry Bredhauer
Conder ACT
Ian Hundley, Balwyn North VIC
John Kloprogge, North Croydon VIC
Alena Titterton, Potts Point, NSW
