- Doug Anthony
-
The Right Honourable
Doug Anthony
AC, CHDeputy Prime Minister of Australia In office
5 February 1971 – 5 December 1972Prime Minister John Gorton (1971)
William McMahon (1971-72)Preceded by John McEwen Succeeded by Lance Barnard In office
12 November 1975 – 11 March 1983Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser Preceded by Frank Crean Succeeded by Lionel Bowen Member of the Australian Parliament
for RichmondIn office
14 September 1957 – 18 January 1984Preceded by Larry Anthony Succeeded by Charles Blunt Personal details Born 31 December 1929
Murwillumbah, New South WalesNationality Australian Political party National Party of Australia Spouse(s) Margot Budd Relations Larry Anthony, Sr. (father) Children Larry Anthony Occupation Dairy farmer John Douglas Anthony, AC, CH (born 31 December 1929), is a former Australian politician. He was leader of the National Party from 1971 to 1984, and Deputy Prime Minister from 1971 to 1972 and again from 1975 to 1983.
Contents
Early life
Anthony was born in Murwillumbah in northern New South Wales.[1] He was the son of Hubert Lawrence "Larry" Anthony, a well-known Country Party politician. Doug Anthony was educated at The King's School in Sydney and at an agricultural college in Queensland.[1] After graduating he took up dairy-farming near Murwillumbah. In 1957 he married Margot Budd, with whom he had three children: Dougald, Jane and Larry.[1][2]
Political career
In 1957 Larry Anthony sr., who was Postmaster-General in the Liberal-Country Party coalition government led by Robert Menzies, died suddenly,[3] and Doug was elected to succeed his father in the Division of Richmond in the House of Representatives, aged 27.[1] He was appointed Minister for the Interior in 1964. In 1967 he became Minister for Primary Industry.[1][2] It was obvious that the Country Party leader, John McEwen, was grooming Anthony to succeed him.
When McEwen retired in 1971, Anthony was duly chosen as his successor, becoming Minister for Trade and Industry and Deputy Prime Minister in the governments of John Gorton and William McMahon. He was a shrewd, attractive figure, with considerable public speaking skills, and many people would have preferred to see him, rather than the bumbling McMahon, as Prime Minister. Such was not to be, but he showed his tough streak within the cabinet when he forced McMahon to accede to the Country Party's demands on petrol prices and other issues which affected rural voters.
After McMahon's defeat in 1972, Anthony was said to favour a policy of absolute opposition to the Labor government of Gough Whitlam. Despite this, the Country Party voted with the Labor Government on some bills, for example the 1973 expansion of state aid to under-privileged schools. He urged the Liberals to take a hard line against Whitlam thereafter, and welcomed his dismissal by the Governor-General, Sir John Kerr, in 1975. To broaden the appeal of his party beyond its declining rural base, he led its name change to the National Country Party, which began contesting urban seats in Queensland and Western Australia.
When the coalition parties were confirmed in power at the 1975 election, Anthony again became Deputy Prime Minister, with the portfolios of Overseas Trade and National Resources (Trade and Resources from 1977).[2] But with the dominating Malcolm Fraser as Prime Minister, and the Liberals having a majority in their own right between 1975 and 1980, Anthony found that he did not have the same power he had possessed before the 1972 election. Even Fraser's near-defeat in 1980 did not significantly increase Anthony's cabinet standing.
After Fraser lost office in 1983, Anthony remained as party leader (now named the National Party) for less than a year. He resigned from Parliament in early 1984. By then, although still only 55, he was the Father of the House of Representatives. He returned to his farm near Murwillumbah and generally stayed out of politics.[4] In 1996 his son Larry Anthony won his father's old seat,[5] creating the first three-generation dynasty in the House of Representatives.
In 1981 Anthony was appointed a Companion of Honour (CH).[6] In 2003 he was made a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) for service to the Australian Parliament, for forging the development of bi-lateral trade agreements, and for continued leadership and dedication to the social, educational, health and development needs of rural and regional communities.[7]
References in popular culture
Doug Anthony's name was used by the anarchic Canberra comedy trio the Doug Anthony All Stars, who rose to fame with celebrated appearances at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in the 1980s and came to national prominence in Australia in 1990 with their popular performances on the TV comedy series The Big Gig.
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e "John Douglas Anthony (1929- )". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 14 December 2004. http://www.abc.net.au/dynasties/txt/s1241115.htm. Retrieved 22 January 2010.
- ^ a b c "Doug Anthony". Parliamentary Handbook. National Archives of Australia. http://naa12.naa.gov.au/scripts/PersonDetail.asp?M=3&B=CP+55. Retrieved 24 January 2010.
- ^ "Hubert Lawrence Anthony (1897-1957)". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 14 December 2004. http://www.abc.net.au/dynasties/txt/s1241110.htm. Retrieved 22 January 2010.
- ^ "Honorary awards". The University of Sydney. 14 November 2009. http://www.usyd.edu.au/senate/committees/advisoryJDAnthony.shtml. Retrieved 22 January 2010.
- ^ "Lawrence James Anthony (1961- )". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 14 December 2004. http://www.abc.net.au/dynasties/txt/s1241124.htm. Retrieved 22 January 2010.
- ^ "Anthony, John Douglas, Companion of Honour". It's an Honour. http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au/honours/honour_roll/search.cfm?aus_award_id=1065989&search_type=simple&showInd=true. Retrieved 24 January 2010.
- ^ "Anthony, John Douglas, Companion of the Order of Australia". It's an Honour. http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au/honours/honour_roll/search.cfm?aus_award_id=1043205&search_type=simple&showInd=true. Retrieved 24 January 2010.
Political offices Preceded by
John GortonMinister for the Interior
1964–1967Succeeded by
Peter NixonPreceded by
Charles AdermannMinister for Primary Industry
1967–1971Succeeded by
Ian SinclairPreceded by
John McEwenDeputy Prime Minister
1971 – 1972Succeeded by
Lance BarnardPreceded by
Gough WhitlamMinister for Trade and Industry
1971–1972Succeeded by
Jim CairnsPreceded by
Frank CreanDeputy Prime Minister
1975 – 1983Succeeded by
Lionel BowenMinister for Overseas Trade/
Minister for Trade and Resources
1975–1983Preceded by
Ken WriedtMinister for National Resources
1975 – 1977Merged into Trade and
Resources portfolioParliament of Australia Preceded by
Sir James KillenFather of the House of Representatives
1983 - 1984Succeeded by
Tom UrenPreceded by
Hubert Lawrence AnthonyMember for Richmond
1957–1984Succeeded by
Charles BluntParty political offices Preceded by
John McEwenLeader of the Country Party/
National Country Party/
National Party of Australia
1971 – 1984Succeeded by
Ian SinclairPreceded by
Charles AdermannDeputy Leader of the
Country Party of Australia
1966-1971Succeeded by
Ian SinclairLeaders of the National Party of Australia (formerly Country Party) Categories:- 1929 births
- Living people
- Australian monarchists
- People from New South Wales
- Companions of the Order of Australia
- National Party of Australia politicians
- Members of the Cabinet of Australia
- Members of the Australian House of Representatives for Richmond
- Members of the Australian House of Representatives
- Members of the Order of the Companions of Honour
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