Les Bury

Leslie Harry Ernest Bury CMG (25 February 1913 – 7 September 1986) was an Australian politician. [cite web
title =Members of the House of Representatives since 1901
publisher =Parliament of Australia
work=Parliamentary Handbook
url =http://www.aph.gov.au/library/handbook/historical/representatives/brown.courtice.htm
accessdate = 2007-09-21 ]

Bury was born in London and was educated at Queen's College, Cambridge. During World War II, he served in the Second Australian Imperial Force from 1943 to 1945, with heavy artillery fixed defences and with the 12th Australian Radar Detachment.cite web
last = Hawke
first = Bob
authorlink =Bob Hawke
title =Death of Hon. L.H.E.Bury, CMG
work= Hansard
publisher = Parliament of Australia
date = 16 September 1986
url = http://parlinfoweb.aph.gov.au/piweb/view_document.aspx?ID=279002&TABLE=HANSARDR
accessdate = 2007-09-22 ] He worked in the Department of the Treasury in the 1940s and later worked as Executive Director of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the Australian representative on the International Monetary Fund from 1951 to 1956.cite web
first =Peter
last=King
authorlink=Peter King (Australian politician)
title =Bury, Mr Les
work =Hansard
publisher =Parliament of Australia
date =28 May 2003
url =http://www.aph.gov.au/Hansard/reps/dailys/dr280503.pdf
accessdate = 2007-09-21
pages=15279-80 ]

Bury was elected as the Liberal Party of Australia Member for Wentworth in 1956 at a by-election following the resignation of Eric Harrison to become High Commissioner to the United Kingdom. According to Peter King, he "... would attend football matches with [Labor leader] Arthur Calwell in Melbourne and ... [shadow Treasurer] Frank Crean stayed at the Bury home in Sydney". Bury was appointed Minister for Air and Minister assisting the Treasurer in Robert Menzies' ninth ministry in December 1961. On 27 July 1962 he was sacked for speaking in favour of the accession of the United Kingdom to the European Economic Community, saying that "European integration, of which the Common Market is an essential expression, is a keystone of the grand design for Western survival". This strongly conflicted with Deputy Prime Minister John McEwen's concerns over its impact on Australian exports to the United Kingdom.cite web
last =Coleman
first =Peter
authorlink =Peter Coleman
title =Death of Hon. L.H.E.Bury, CMG
work= Hansard
publisher = Parliament of Australia
date = 16 September 1986
url = http://parlinfoweb.aph.gov.au/piweb/view_document.aspx?ID=279014&TABLE=HANSARDR
accessdate = 2007-09-22 ] In December 1963, he became Minister for Housing, when he introduced the First Home Owners Grant, which continues to be a feature of the Australian political landscape.

In January 1966, Bury became Minister for Labour and National Service in Harold Holt's first ministry, during the Vietnam War, when he was responsible for implementing conscription. During John Gorton's first ministry in 1968 and 1969 when Phillip Lynch was Minister for the Army, conscription was regularly attacked with the slogan, "Lynch Bury and bury Lynch". In November 1969, Bury became Treasurer in the second Gorton Ministry. When William McMahon became Prime Minister in March 1971, he initially retained Bury as Treasurer, but 12 days later moved him to the Foreign Affairs portfolio, and sacked him in August 1971. Bury retired from parliament in 1974 due to ill health.cite web
last =Dobie
first =Don
authorlink = Don Dobie
title =Death of Hon. L.H.E.Bury, CMG
work= Hansard
publisher = Parliament of Australia
date = 16 September 1986
url = http://parlinfoweb.aph.gov.au/piweb/view_document.aspx?ID=279018&TABLE=HANSARDR
accessdate = 2007-09-22 ]

In the Queen's Birthday Honours of June 1979, he was appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG), in recognition of his service to the Parliament of Australia. [cite web
title =Bury, Leslie Harry Ernest
work= It's an Honour
publisher = Government of Australia
url = http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au/honours/honour_roll/search.cfm?aus_award_id=1066713&search_type=advanced&showInd=true
accessdate = 2007-10-20 ]

Bury died in Sydney and was survived by his wife Anne and his four sons, Peter, Michael, John and Nicholas.cite web
last =Sinclair
first =Ian
authorlink =Ian Sinclair
title =Death of Hon. L.H.E.Bury, CMG
work= Hansard
publisher = Parliament of Australia
date = 16 September 1986
url = http://parlinfoweb.aph.gov.au/piweb/view_document.aspx?ID=279010&TABLE=HANSARDR
accessdate = 2007-09-22 ]

Notes

Persondata
NAME = Bury, Leslie Harry Ernest
ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
SHORT DESCRIPTION = Australian politician
DATE OF BIRTH = 25 February 1913
PLACE OF BIRTH = London
DATE OF DEATH = 7 September 1986
PLACE OF DEATH = Sydney