Biography for SWARTZ, the Hon. Sir Reginald William Colin, KBEMember for Darling Downs (Qld)
Liberal Party of Australia
Parliamentary Service
Elected to the House of Representatives for Darling Downs, Queensland, 1949. Re-elected 1951 (unopposed), 1954, 1955 (unopposed), 1958, 1961, 1963, 1966 and 1969. Retired prior to general elections 1972.
Acting Ministries
Acting Minister for Health from 21.10.1964 to 18.11.1964.
Acting Minister for Health from 20.4.1967 to 21.5.1967.
Ministerial Appointments
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Trade from 24.5.1956 to 22.12.1961.
Minister for Repatriation from 22.12.1961 to 22.12.1964.
Minister for Health from 21.11.1964 to 26.1.1966.
Minister for Social Service from 21.1.1965 to 22.2.1965.
Minister for Civil Aviation from 26.1.1966 to 12.11.1969.
Minister Assisting the Treasurer from 13.2.1969 to 12.11.1969.
Minister for National Development from 12.11.1969 to 5.12.1972.
Cabinet Minister from 12.11.1969 to 5.12.1972.
Committee Service
House of Representatives Standing: Privileges served from 28.6.1951 to 14.10.1958; Standing Orders served from 22.3.1971 to 15.8.1972
Conferences, Delegations and Visits
Leader, Australian Mission to India, 1957.
Leader, Australian Mission to South-East Asia, from April 1958 to May 1958.
Senior Alternate Australian Delegate to 15th Session United Nations E.C.A.F.E., Broadbeach, Queensland, March 1959.
Leader, Australian Delegation to the first Commonwealth Medical Congress, Edinburgh, October 1965.
Senior Australian Representative at Farnborough Air Show, Britain, 1966.
Leader, Parliamentary Delegation to South Asia, from July 1966 to August 1966.
Senior Australian Delegate at ICAO Assembly, Argentina, 1968.
Australian Government representative at the commissioning of Telecommunication System, Djakarta, Indonesia from 1968 to 1968.
Visited Singapore and Japan and the Australian Troops in Vietnam, August 1970.
Visited the United States, Canada and Japan, July 1971.
Visited Singapore, October 1971.
Led Australian Forestry Delegation to New Zealand, 1971.
Parliamentary Party Positions
Leader of the House from 22.3.1971 to 15.8.1972.
Party Positions
Member of the Liberal Party Policy Committee (Qld.) from 1949 to 1954.
Member of the Liberal Party State Executive (Qld.) from 1961 to 1965.
Personal
Born: 14.4.1911, Brisbane, Australia
Died: 2.2.2006
Gender: Male
Marital Status: Married
Qualifications and Occupations before entering Federal Parliament
Oil Company Executive.
Honours
Appointed a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, 06.03.1947.
Appointed a Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, 03.06.1972.
Military Service
Served with 2/26 Infantry Battalion, 8th Division in Malayan campaign.
Prisoner of War three and a half years (including period on Burma-Thailand railway), Returned to Australia 07.10.1945.
Served in CMF with rank of Lt Colonel as Assistant Quartermaster-General, Northern Command.
Placed on Retired List (Northern Command) with rank of Colonel, 15.04.1961.
Joined CMF, 1928.
Enlisted in 2nd AIF from CMF, with rank of Captain from 28.11.1940 to 28.02.1946, when discharged.
Re-enlisted in CMF, with rank of Major in 25th Infantry Battalion (Darling downs Regiment), 1947.
Appointed Honorary Colonel - Australian Army Aviation Corps, 1969.
Electorate
Name: Darling Downs
Location: Darling Downs; Toowoomba, Warwick and the country towns of Killarney, Clifton, Pittsworth, Oakey, Allora, Millmerran, Goombungee and Grantham.
Area: 0 Sq km
Electors enrolled: 53,810 (at 29.10.1971)
Industries: Grain growing, dairying and the dairy products, meat, mixed farming and some secondary industry.