Davis Hughes

Sir Davis Hughes (24 November 1910 – 16 March 2003) was an Australian politician and bureaucrat.

Early life

Hughes was born in Launceston, Tasmania and was educated at Launceston High School and the University of Tasmania, although he did not graduate.^[1] He married Joan Johnson in 1940 and they had issue one son and two daughters. He was a school teacher in Tasmania from 1927 until 1935 and at The Armidale School from 1947 until 1950. He served in the Royal Australian Air Force from 1939 until 1945 as a squadron leader.^[2]

Political career

Hughes was elected as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for Armidale from 1950 to 1953 and 1956 to 1973 for the Country Party. He briefly led the party in 1958 but was forced to resign in 1959 after it was found he did not have the university degree which he claimed.^[3]

With the election of the Askin government in 1965, Hughes became Minister for Public Works,^[2] with responsibility among other things for the completion of the Sydney Opera House. He eventually brought about Jørn Utzon's resignation. Hughes refused to accept Utzon's approach to managing the Opera House project and, specifically, to give permission for the construction of plywood prototypes for its interiors. He cut off Utzon's funding so Utzon could not even pay his own staff. Utzon was forced to resign, and Hughes immediately accepted. The Opera House was subsequently completed according to designs that were not consistent with Utzon's original vision.

Hughes died at Erina.

Honours

Hughes was knighted in 1975, two years after retiring from parliament.^[4]

Notes

1. ^ "Our History- No 68. Skulduggery in the 1959 State Election". The Armidale Independent. http://www.armidaleindependent.com.au/wordpress/?p=3055. 
2. ^ ^{a b} "Sir Davis Hughes (1910 - 2003)". Members of Parliament. Parliament of New South Wales. http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/members.nsf/1fb6ebed995667c2ca256ea100825164/fa4803c2be39f814ca256e3800061a98. Retrieved 25 February 2010. 
3. ^ http://dspace.anu.edu.au/bitstream/1885/46052/2/02whole.pdf
4. ^ "Death of the Honourable Sir Davis Hughes". Hansard. Parliament of New South Wales. http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/hansart.nsf/V3Key/LA20030430030. Retrieved 2007-05-01. 

Parliament of New South Wales
Preceded by David Drummond	Member for Armidale 1949 – 1953	Succeeded by Jim Cahill
Preceded by Jim Cahill	Member for Armidale 1956 – 1973	Succeeded by David Leitch
Party political offices
Preceded by Sir Michael Bruxner	Leader of the New South Wales Country Party 1958 – 1959	Succeeded by Sir Charles Cutler
Preceded by William Chaffey	Deputy Leader of the New South Wales Country Party 1968 – 1973	Succeeded by Leon Punch

Persondata
Name	Hughes, Davis
Alternative names
Short description	Australian politician
Date of birth	24 November 1910
Place of birth	Launceston, Tasmania, Australia
Date of death	16 March 2003
Place of death	Erina, New South Wales, Australia