

Member for Murray (Vic)
Australian Country Party
Parliamentary Service
Elected to the House of Representatives for Echuca, Victoria, 1934. Elected to the House of Representatives for Indi, Victoria, 1937, following electoral redistribution. Re-elected 1940 and 1943, 1946. Elected to the House of Representatives for Murray, Victoria, 1949, following electoral redistribution. Re-elected 1951, 1954 (unopposed), 1955, 1958, 1961, 1963, 1966 and 1969. Resigned 5.2.1971.
Parliamentary Appointments
Member, War Cabinet from 1940 to 1941
Member, Australian Advisory War Council from 16.10.1941 to 31.08.1945
Acting Ministries
Acting Prime Minister from 28.4.1959 to 8.7.1959.
Acting Prime Minister from 1.12.1959 to 13.12.1959.
Acting Prime Minister from 15.4.1960 to 20.6.1960.
Acting Prime Minister from 29.9.1960 to 19.10.1960.
Acting Treasurer from 29.9.1960 to 13.10.1960.
Acting Prime Minister from 22.2.1961 to 30.3.1961.
Acting Prime Minister from 24.5.1962 to 23.6.1962.
Acting Minister for External Affairs from 28.5.1962 to 3.7.1962.
Acting Prime Minister from 13.6.1963 to 13.7.1963.
Acting Prime Minister from 20.6.1964 to 18.7.1964.
Acting Prime Minister from 2.1.1965 to 8.2.1965.
Acting Minister for Defence from 19.1.1965 to 27.2.1965.
Acting Prime Minister from 4.6.1965 to 11.7.1965.
Acting Minister for External Affairs from 12.6.1965 to 4.7.1965.
Acting Prime Minister from 21.4.1966 to 1.5.1966.
Acting Prime Minister from 28.6.1966 to 16.7.1966.
Acting Prime Minister from 29.8.1966 to 19.9.1966.
Acting Prime Minister from 24.10.1966 to 27.10.1966.
Acting Prime Minister from 2.2.1967 to 8.2.1967.
Acting Prime Minister from 28.3.1967 to 10.4.1967.
Acting Prime Minister from 28.5.1967 to 22.6.1967.
Ministerial Appointments
Minister for the Interior from 29.11.1937 to 26.4.1939.
Cabinet Minister from 29.11.1937 to 26.4.1939.
Cabinet Minister from 14.3.1940 to 7.10.1941.
Minister for External Affairs from 14.3.1940 to 28.10.1940.
Minister for Air from 28.10.1940 to 7.10.1941.
Minister for Civil Aviation from 28.10.1940 to 7.10.1941.
Minister for Commerce and Agriculture from 19.12.1949 to 11.1.1956.
Minister for Trade from 11.1.1956 to 17.12.1963.
Deputy Prime Minister 26.3.1958 to 5.2.1971.
Minister for Trade and Industry from 17.12.1963 to 1.2.1971.
Prime Minister from 19.12.1967 to 10.1.1968.
Cabinet Minister from 19.12.1949 to 5.2.1971.
Committee Service
Joint Select: Bankruptcy Legislation from 1935 to 1936.
House of Representatives Standing: Printing from 28.11.1934; Privileges from 7.3.1944 to 4.12.1947; Standing Orders from 14.3.1962 to 1.2.1971.
Conferences Delegations and Visits
Visited Malaya for the negotiations of a Trade Agreement between Australia and Malaya
Visited Ceylon for trade negotiations with the Government of Ceylon
Consultant on the Australian Delegation to the United Nations Conference on International Organisation, San Francisco, April 1945
Represented Commonwealth Government at meeting of International Wool Study Group, London, October 1950
Visited the UK, in connection with negotiations on food contracts, from August 1951 to November 1951
Represented Australia at meeting of Commonwealth Ministers on supply and production problems relating to raw materials, from August 1951 to November 1951
Attended Commonwealth Financial and Economic Conference, London, from November 1952 to December 1952
Attended Preliminary talks in London between Commonwealth representatives on proposals for review of GATT, October 1954
Led, with the Hon N. O'Sullivan, Australian Delegation to the ordinary and special sessions of GATT, Geneva, from October 1954 to November 1954
Attended Conference of Commonwealth Prime Ministers, London, from June 1956 to July 1956
Conducted negotiations in London for a review of the United Kingdom-Australia Trade Agreement, from May 1956 to August 1956
Conducted negotiations in Geneva for a new international Sugar Agreement from October 1956 to November 1956
Visited Japan for the negotiations of a Trade Agreement between Australia and Japan, from June 1957 to July 1957
Leader, Australian Delegation to the Commonwealth Trade and Economic Conference, Montreal from 23.08.1958 to 06.10.1958
Conducted Trade talks in Washington, April 1959
Visited New Zealand for trade discussions, from July 1960 to August 1960
Visited the USA, Canada, the UK and Europe, March-April, for consultations and discussions on the effects on Australia's trade, of Britain's entry into the European Economic Community, 1962
Accompanied the Prime Minister to the Conference of Commonwealth Prime Ministers, London, September 1962
Attended Conference of Commonwealth Prime Ministers, London, September 1962
Visited New Zealand, the USA, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Europe, for trade discussions, from April 1963 to May 1963
Visited Hong Kong, Japan and the Philippines, for trade discussions and to negotiate new Australia-Japan trade Agreement, from July 1963 to August 1963
Attended Commonwealth Trade Ministers' Conference, London, from March 1964 to April 1964
Attended United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, Geneva from March 1964 to April 1964
Attended inauguration of the Papua New Guinea House of Assembly, June 1964
Leader, Australian Delegation to International Sugar Conference, Geneva, from September 1965 to October 1965
Attended Commonwealth Trade Ministers' Meeting in London, and trade talks in the United States of America, from May 1966 to June 1966
Visited Poland and Bulgaria for trade talks, June 1968
Attended Australia-New Zealand Trade Agreement Talks, New Zealand, February 1967
Had talks with British Ministers in London and went to Geneva for Final Kennedy Round negotiations of GATT, from April 1967 to May 1967
Visited Romania to sign Trade Agreement, May 1967
Attended trade meetings of GATT for talks on programme for future GATT negotiations in agriculture, Geneva, from November 1967 to December 1967
Attended OECD Ministerial Council meetings, Paris, November to December 1967
Visited Hungary for trade talks, 1967
Led Australian Delegation to United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, New Delhi, February 1968
Visited Tokyo for trade talks, February 1968
Parliamentary Party Positions
Deputy Leader of the Country Party in the House of Representatives from 22.9.1943 to 26.3.1958.
Leader of the Country Party in the House of Representatives from 26.3.1958 to 1.2.1971.
Party Positions
Deputy Leader of the Australian Country Party in the House of Representatives, September 1943 to March 1958
Leader of the Australian Country Party in the House of Representatives from 26.03.1958 to 01.02.1971
Other Positions
Appointed a Member of Her Majesty's Privy Council, 1953
Personal
Born 29.3.1900, Chiltern, Australia
Died 20.11.1980
Married
Qualifications and Occupations before entering Federal Parliament
Farmer of Stanhope, Victoria
Honours
Appointed Knight Grand Cross of The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George, 01.01.1971
Military Service
Enlisted AIF from 09.08.1918 to 24.12.1918, Appointment terminated before embarkation for active service, in consequence of the demobilisation of the AIF