94-563: Snedden is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: Billy Snedden (1926–1987), Australian politician Bob Snedden (1867–1931), South African rugby union footballer Charles Willis "Bill" Snedden (1913–1989), publisher of the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner from 1950 Colin Snedden (1918–2011), New Zealand cricketer James Snedden (1849–1919?), Scottish-born recipient of
188-576: A "liar" during question time. Fraser was answering a question about two joint royal commissions being conducted in Victoria at the time. Fraser allegedly selectively quoted a statement by the Victorian Leader of the Opposition , John Cain , which provoked Hawke to call Fraser a liar. Snedden followed parliamentary procedure and asked Hawke to withdraw the remark. When Hawke refused, Snedden named him and
282-708: A Westminster system. The Coalition was swept from power on an eight-seat swing. Late on election night, with the result beyond doubt, McMahon conceded defeat, ending the longest unbroken run in government in Australian history. McMahon had been a minister continuously for 21 years and 6 months, a record in the Australian Government that has never been threatened. Only Sir George Pearce and Sir John McEwen had longer overall ministerial service, but their terms were not continuous. Political journalist Laurie Oakes described McMahon as "devious, nasty, dishonest - he lied all
376-679: A clerk at the Commonwealth Crown Solicitor 's office. He was a talented sportsman as a youth, and played a few games for the West Perth Football Club during the 1944 WANFL season , at a time when the competition was age-restricted. He later represented Western Australia at the Australian Amateur Football Carnival in Melbourne in 1951. Snedden and two friends attempted to join the merchant navy at
470-420: A comeback. The Coalition was nearly defeated at the 1969 federal election . After the election, McMahon unsuccessfully challenged for the leadership , but was nonetheless re-elected as deputy leader. He was subsequently demoted from Treasurer to Minister for External Affairs . John McEwen had announced in the lead-up to the spill that he would lift his party's veto on McMahon as prime minister. In March 1971,
564-600: A conciliatory message. With the defeat of the Fraser government in 1983 and the election of Dr Harry Jenkins Sr. as Speaker, Snedden resigned from Parliament on 21 April 1983. In doing so, he honoured a feature of his 1979 paper. He believed that if he stayed in Parliament, he might be called on for advice on his successor's rulings, which would be undesirable because it would undermine the Chair. He said, "I am very conscious that, under
658-465: A credible government-in-waiting. Over the next year-and-a-half, McMahon was unable to get the better of Whitlam. McMahon was no match in parliamentary debates for Whitlam, a witty and powerful orator. He frequently found himself on the defensive as Whitlam attacked the increasingly unpopular Vietnam War and advocated radical new policies such as universal health insurance. In a typical instance, McMahon attacked Whitlam for his demands that Australia recognise
752-863: A general election. He nominated future prime minister Malcolm Turnbull as his preferred successor in Lowe, but the Liberal Party chose another candidate Philip Taylor. The by-election was won by the Labor Party on a 9.4-point swing. He was the last former Prime Minister to be reelected to Parliament until Kevin Rudd in 2010. In retirement, McMahon devoted much of his time to working on his memoirs, which he planned to title A Liberal View . They were rejected by six publishers, and reviewers (who included Barry Jones and Phillip Adams ) considered them to be poorly written and overly detailed. In 1984, McMahon endorsed Bob Hawke and
846-443: A government led by McMahon. McEwen did not state his reasons publicly, but privately he told McMahon he did not trust him. McEwen, an arch-protectionist , correctly suspected that McMahon favoured policies of free trade and deregulation . McMahon therefore withdrew, and Senator John Gorton won the subsequent party room ballot for party leader and therefore Prime Minister. McMahon remained Treasurer and waited for his chance at
940-409: A head when Gorton published two articles detailing the problems he had with ministers leaking information from cabinet. McMahon forced Gorton's resignation. Billy Snedden was chosen as the new deputy Liberal leader. McMahon found himself dealing with a resurgent Labor Party under Gough Whitlam . Labor had come within four seats of winning government in 1969, and since then had positioned itself as
1034-568: A hearing aid salesman. In early 1952, he secured a position as a migration officer with the Department of Immigration . He and his family moved to Italy for sixteen months, initially living in Taormina, Sicily , and later in Rome. He learnt to speak Italian, and travelled around the country conducting interviews with prospective migrants. In November 1953, Snedden was transferred to England. He stayed there for
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#17328700178641128-453: A junior law clerk for Thomas Hughes , who was a solicitor and independent state MP. He would not normally have been considered qualified for the job, but there was a shortage of applicants due to the war. Snedden was eventually able to receive his leaving certificate by attending night school at Perth Technical College . He fell out with Hughes late in 1943, and in January 1944 began working as
1222-519: A larger margin of defeat in 1972. McMahon was born in Redfern, Sydney, New South Wales , on 23 February 1908. He was the third of five children born to solicitor William Daniel McMahon and Mary (née Walder), daughter of a sailmaker; an older brother predeceased him. His father, a Catholic, had a reputation as a heavy drinker and habitual gambler; his mother, an Anglican, was of English and Irish descent. McMahon's paternal grandfather, James "Butty" McMahon,
1316-528: A laundress and his other siblings also found jobs. He was close to his sister Jean, who often babysat him. Snedden worked part-time from about the age of eight, helping his brothers on construction sites and selling and delivering newspapers. He began his schooling at Highgate Primary School, and later attended the Perth Boys' School through to the ninth grade. Snedden left school in April 1942 and began working as
1410-480: A motion for his suspension was moved. Snedden later wrote: "It was his [Fraser's] instigation which was making the Parliament unworkable, not the Opposition's response, like the classroom situation where the smart little man hits the fellow next to him who retaliates and is seen by the teacher". Members of the Opposition had by that point taken up "liar" as a chant, which put Snedden in the position where he would have to name every member, one by one. After realising that
1504-515: A new and more "liberal" Liberal Party, but he suffered from his continuing image as a light-weight, and many Liberals believed he would never defeat Whitlam. Snedden allowed himself to be persuaded to use the conservative majority in the Senate to block the Whitlam government's budget in 1974. Whitlam promptly called a double dissolution election for 18 May , at which he was returned to office, albeit with
1598-606: A paper in 1976 entitled The Parliamentary Budget . He later wrote, "You could not have a situation where the Executive decided the level at which Members could operate efficiently." This led to the introduction of the Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill in 1982. One of his most memorable actions as Speaker occurred in February 1982, when a Labor frontbencher, Bob Hawke , referred to then Prime Minister , Malcolm Fraser , as
1692-603: A position as a solicitor with Allen, Allen & Hemsley , a major Sydney law firm; he was made a junior partner in 1939. He was assigned to the Commonwealth Bank and the Bank of New South Wales for periods, which helped spark his interest in economics. McMahon had hoped to practise as a barrister , but his partial deafness made this impractical. His hearing remained an issue throughout his life, making parliamentary debates hard to follow, but did improve somewhat through surgery and
1786-507: A reactor capable of generating weapons-grade plutonium. He considered it inconsistent with the goals of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty , signed under Gorton in 1970 and ratified under Whitlam in 1973. McMahon went into 1972 facing a statutory general election. By then, Labor had established a clear lead in the polls and McMahon's approval ratings had dwindled to 28 percent. The press had turned on him so violently that
1880-495: A reception for 400 people at the Royal Sydney Golf Club . She would survive him by over twenty years, dying aged 77 on 2 April 2010. They had three children; Melinda, Julian and Deborah. Julian is an actor and model while Melinda and Deborah lead largely private lives. Throughout his life there were also frequent rumours that he was homosexual. The suggestion was repeatedly denied by Lady McMahon; one occasion in
1974-478: A reduced majority. Labor campaigned on the slogan "Oh no, not Snedden!". Snedden exposed himself to ridicule by refusing to concede defeat, saying at a press conference : "We were not defeated. We did not win enough seats in order to form a government". After the election the conservative wing of the Liberal Party, led by Malcolm Fraser , challenged Snedden's leadership, but he was narrowly re-elected. When he failed to make any headway against Whitlam, Fraser mounted
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#17328700178642068-599: A reputation for impartiality. In retirement, Snedden served as chairman of the Melbourne Football Club and on the board of the Victorian Football League . The unusual circumstances of his death in 1987, which involved the ex-girlfriend of his own son, attracted much public interest. Snedden was born on 31 December 1926 at a private hospital in Newcastle Street , West Perth, Western Australia . He
2162-515: A second challenge, and Snedden was deposed in March 1975 , becoming the first leader of the Liberal Party not to gain the prime ministership. He retired to the backbench until February 1976, when Fraser supported his election as Speaker of the House . Snedden was elected Speaker of the House of Representatives on 17 February 1976, defeating the previous Speaker, Gordon Scholes , by a majority of 53 votes. He
2256-545: A significant role in the 1967 constitutional referendum affecting the status of Aboriginals. On 7 April 1965, the Menzies Cabinet decided that it would seek to repeal Section 127 of the Constitution, which excluded indigenous people from the population count, but made no firm plans or timetable for such action. In August 1965, Snedden proposed to Cabinet that abolition of Section 127 was inappropriate unless Section 51(xxvi)
2350-465: A sort of surrogate father. McMahon began his education at Abbotsholme College , a short-lived private school in Killara . One of his schoolmates there was Harold Holt , another future prime minister. He was later sent to Sydney Grammar School , where he was an above-average student without excelling academically. McMahon's father died when he was 18, leaving him a substantial inheritance. He had failed
2444-510: A specific person led you to this page, you may wish to change that link by adding the person's given name (s) to the link. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Snedden&oldid=1166639220 " Category : Surnames Hidden categories: Articles with short description Short description is different from Wikidata All set index articles Billy Snedden Sir Billy Mackie Snedden , KCMG , QC (31 December 1926 – 27 June 1987)
2538-642: A year, and was then supposed to be moved on to Germany. However, he decided to return to Australia, and in January 1955 moved to Melbourne to work in a legal advice bureau for ex-servicemen. He and his family settled in Ringwood . Snedden was state president of the Young Liberals , and from 1951 to 1952 served as the inaugural federal chairman of the organisation. As president of the UWA Liberal Club, he became acquainted with future prime minister Bob Hawke , who
2632-411: The 1972 election , under an additional four prime ministers. Snedden spent periods as Attorney-General (1964–1966), Minister for Immigration (1966–1969), Minister for Labour and National Service (1969–1971), and Treasurer (1971–1972). He was elected deputy leader of the Liberal Party in 1971, and replaced William McMahon as leader after the following year's election loss, thus becoming Leader of
2726-712: The 1972 federal election , ending 23 consecutive years of Coalition rule. No other Australian prime minister has served for longer without winning a general election. He resigned the Liberal leadership, but remained in parliament until 1982 as a backbencher . McMahon has been described as one of Australia's worst prime ministers by Australian political scientists and historians, and after leaving office several of his former colleagues openly criticised his leadership style and personal character. Whitlam, his successor, acknowledged him as "an extraordinarily skilful, resourceful and tenacious politician", and credited him with having prevented
2820-594: The 1974 election , McMahon returned to the backbench for the first time since 1951. In the lead-up to the dismissal of the Whitlam government in 1975, he strongly defended the power of the Senate to block supply . However, he believed that Governor-General John Kerr had acted unconstitutionally in dismissing the prime minister, and said that he would have challenged the decision in the High Court if he had been in Whitlam's position. McMahon believed that those responsible for
2914-610: The Coalition after 12 years of rule. However, with Snedden's win, the best Labor could hope for was a hung parliament, though the Coalition was not assured of another term in government until later in the night, with its narrow victory in Moreton . He served in the ministries of Sir Robert Menzies , Harold Holt , John McEwen , John Gorton and William McMahon . In March 1964 Menzies appointed him Attorney-General . In that capacity he played
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3008-508: The Head of the River race. According to Don Whitington , McMahon's life before entering politics was "the aimless, indolent existence of a wealthy young man with a position in a big city's smart set, no positive ambition or even interests, except in enjoying himself, and no family ties to give him a feeling of responsibility or even consideration for others". After graduating from university, he secured
3102-586: The People's Republic of China , only to have to back down when U.S President Richard Nixon announced his visit to China . He was not helped by rising inflation, which hurt his reputation as a sound economic manager. Additionally, the Liberal Party was showing severe schisms, which came at an especially bad time since McMahon had, at most, two years before the next election. His voice and appearance also came across badly on television. In June 1971, McMahon cancelled Gorton's planned nuclear power program, which had included
3196-533: The Westminster convention , when the Speaker leaves the chair he leaves the House. I think this is right." He formally resigned from Parliament later that day. When the Fraser government was defeated by Hawke in 1983, Snedden immediately resigned from Parliament. He separated from his wife, Lady Snedden, and was later to withdraw from public life as his health declined from atherosclerosis and heart disease . Snedden
3290-474: The leaving certificate at Sydney Grammar. However, by his passing a matriculation exam , McMahon was able to enter the University of Sydney in 1927. At the insistence of his uncle, he chose to study law, graduating with a Bachelor of Laws in 1930. McMahon, who lived at St Paul's College , was more interested in the social scene than his degree. He spent his inheritance freely, owning several racehorses , and
3384-505: The reintroduction of conscription in 1964. In 1966, Menzies retired and was replaced as prime minister by Harold Holt . McMahon then succeeded Holt as deputy leader of the Liberal Party. He was appointed Treasurer in the Holt government , and over the following three years oversaw a large reduction in the national deficit. After Holt's death in 1967, McMahon wished to contest the Liberal leadership but had his candidacy vetoed by John McEwen ,
3478-465: The " loans affair " – including Whitlam and several of his ministers – had acted illegally and should be prosecuted for their involvement. He assisted Danny Sankey (a private citizen) in bringing a private prosecution against Whitlam, which eventually came before the High Court as Sankey v Whitlam . Malcolm Fraser had promised Kerr that his government would bring no action against its predecessor, and
3572-401: The 1970s resulted in an infamous tabloid headline "My Billy's No Poofter – Sonia Tells". McMahon was an Anglican . He did not have a strong religious upbringing – his father was a lapsed Catholic and self-described "rationalist", while his mother's family were Anglican. McMahon developed an interest in theology as a teenager, and read widely on the subject over the rest of his life. He cited
3666-651: The ALP victory in December 1972 would have been more convincing than it was". McMahon was appointed a Privy Counsellor in 1966, a Member of the Order of the Companions of Honour in the 1972 New Year Honours , and a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George in the Queen's Birthday Honours of 1977 . Following the 2009 redistribution of New South Wales federal electorates,
3760-503: The British psephologist David Butler recalled on a visit to Australia that he could not recall a prime minister in any country being "so comprehensively panned" as McMahon. By then, it was widely perceived that McMahon simply "did not look or sound like a Prime Minister". He waited for as long as he could, but finally called a federal election for 2 December . During the campaign, McMahon was abandoned by some of his own ministers, unheard of in
3854-488: The Defence Minister, Malcolm Fraser , resigned from Cabinet and denounced Gorton, who then announced a leadership spill . The ensuing party room vote was tied, and under the party rules of the time this meant the motion was lost and Gorton could have theoretically remained as leader and Prime Minister. Nevertheless, Gorton declared that a tie vote meant he no longer had the confidence of the party, and voluntarily resigned
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3948-409: The House would be unworkable for that sitting day, he declined to put the motion for Hawke's suspension. Fraser was furious and attempted to intimidate Snedden into punishing Hawke for not withdrawing or take his "punishment". Snedden refused and was convinced that he would be replaced as Speaker but, once Fraser realised that he had no support in the Liberal Party to remove Snedden from office, he sent
4042-451: The Labor Party for re-election over the Coalition, which he said would not be ready for government for another four or five years. Later that year, he described Andrew Peacock 's hold on the Liberal leadership as "very, very fragile", and tacitly endorsed John Howard as a future leader. In his final years, McMahon underwent a series of operations related to skin cancer. He died in his sleep at St Luke's Private Hospital, Potts Point , on
4136-516: The Leak" for his willingness to divulge intimate and confidential information to the media. Despite this, he was disliked by many journalists and political commentators. Donald Horne called him "perhaps the silliest prime minister we ever had", and Peter Ryan said that "McMahon's way of politics was one of lying and leaking, conniving and conspiring, deceit and double-crossing". Malcolm Mackerras thought that he had "no achievements beyond actually getting
4230-582: The Liberal Party in the seat of Melbourne Ports in the 1998 federal election . She stood for re-election to council in 2008 but lost her seat. Snedden was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) in January 1978. He was appointed a Privy Councillor in 1972. William McMahon Prime Minister of Australia Term of government (1971–1972) Ministries Elections Sir William McMahon (23 February 1908 – 31 March 1988) also called Billy McMahon
4324-497: The Liberal Party. His candidacy was endorsed by Billy Hughes , who had known his grandfather. McMahon soon developed a reputation as "a deadly earnest, dogged, enormously hardworking and dedicated member". In 1950, he successfully proposed an amendment to the Menzies government 's Communist Party Dissolution Bill , reversing the effect of a clause so that the burden of proof was on the government rather than an accused person. However,
4418-547: The Medal of Honor for valor during the American Civil War Martin Snedden (born 1958), New Zealand cricketer Nessie Snedden (1892–1968), New Zealand cricketer Warwick Snedden (1920–1990), New Zealand cricketer See also [ edit ] Sneddon (disambiguation) [REDACTED] Surname list This page lists people with the surname Snedden . If an internal link intending to refer to
4512-468: The Opposition . Snedden led the Liberal Party to the 1974 federal election , which saw the Labor Party retain government with a narrow majority. Malcolm Fraser mounted two leadership challenges in early 1975, winning on the second attempt; by the end of the year he was prime minister. Snedden was elected to the speakership when the parliament next sat. He held the position for almost seven years, gaining
4606-425: The Speaker be unopposed by the major political parties at general elections, and that the Speaker resign from his or her party upon becoming Speaker. Snedden tried to strengthen the Parliament's ability to withstand pressures from the Executive. He believed that it was contrary to Parliament's independence for the Executive to control the funds allocated to Parliament, so he authorised parliamentary officers to write
4700-472: The University of Sydney to study economics and public administration . He graduated with a Bachelor of Economics degree in 1948, completing the course two years early due to his previous studies. He topped his economics class and won two prizes for proficiency in his final year. McMahon was elected to the House of Representatives at the 1949 federal election , winning the newly created Division of Lowe for
4794-538: The age of 15, but were unsuccessful. He also attempted to join the Royal Australian Navy when he was 17, but his mother refused her permission; three of his brothers were already on active service. Snedden eventually enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) in January 1945, two days after his 18th birthday. He began an air crew training scheme, but as the war came to an end he was taken off
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#17328700178644888-531: The age of 63, and remains the oldest non-interim prime minister to take office. His government has been described by the Australian Dictionary of Biography as "a blend of cautious innovation and fundamental orthodoxy". It continued many of the policies of its immediate predecessors, such as the phased withdrawal of Australian troops from Vietnam . In its final year it faced high inflation and unemployment. Gough Whitlam 's Labor Party defeated McMahon at
4982-537: The bill was subsequently struck down by the High Court . In July 1951, McMahon replaced Philip McBride as Minister for the Navy and Minister for Air . He subsequently approved and oversaw Donald Hardman 's proposal to reorganise the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) along functional command lines (rather than the previous area command system). After the 1954 election , McMahon was appointed Minister for Social Services in place of Athol Townley . In January 1956, he
5076-532: The challenge of the times and was fighting to get his ship back on course" when he was forced out of office. Andrew Peacock , who served in McMahon's ministry , said that McMahon was "much better than he has been painted... He is somewhat ill-treated by history", and described him as "difficult, irascible, nervous yet capable". In his memoirs, Gough Whitlam wrote that McMahon was "an extraordinarily skilful, resourceful and tenacious politician ... had he been otherwise,
5170-532: The course and given more general duties; this included a period tending bar at an officers' mess. He was discharged in September 1945. As part of his demobilisation , Snedden completed aptitude tests which showed he would be a suitable candidate for a university education. In combination with his earlier clerking experience, this allowed him to secure a place at the University of Western Australia 's law school in 1946. Snedden failed two subjects in his first year, and
5264-418: The former Labor member for nearby Flinders . Snedden defeated Ewert by a similar margin in 1958 . In 1961 , Snedden faced Ewert again, and this time trailed in initial counting. However, he was elected on Democratic Labor Party preferences. Snedden's narrow win was critical in the outcome of what was the closest election in Australian history up till that time. Had Labor won it, it would have toppled
5358-476: The government's highly unpopular policy of conscription for the Vietnam War . In 1967, following the death of Harold Holt, he was a candidate for the leadership of the Liberal Party, but his candidacy was not taken very seriously. As Minister for Labour and National Service, Snedden commented on anti-war and anti-conscription activists' demonstrations. On the eve of the first Moratorium, he said in Parliament that
5452-554: The headquarters staff of the II Corps (1942–1943) and the Second Army (1943–1945). He was formally discharged in October 1945. After leaving the military, McMahon travelled overseas for 18 months, visiting Europe and North America. His experience of post-war Europe was said to have been one of the primary influences on his subsequent decision to enter politics. In 1947, McMahon returned to
5546-521: The influence and independence of his department , and in fact made a number of cabinet submissions that were contrary to McEwen's wishes. This impressed his colleagues in the Liberal Party, but laid the foundations for the poor relations with the Country Party that would prove challenging later in his career. McMahon was promoted to Minister for Labour and National Service after the 1958 election , in place of Harold Holt . This brought him firmly into
5640-623: The inner ranks of the Liberal Party, and in terms of cabinet rank placed him among the party's most senior figures in New South Wales. McMahon oversaw the creation and administration of what became the National Service Act 1964 , which re-introduced compulsory conscription for 20-year-old males in anticipation of further Australian involvement in South-East Asia. On the labour side of his portfolio, he frequently came into conflict with
5734-528: The job", while the Sydney Morning Herald reported that Snedden was wearing a condom and that "it was loaded ". Snedden married Joy Forsyth, a dental nurse, on 10 March 1950. They were separated but not divorced at the time of his death. They had two sons and two daughters together. His daughter Fiona was elected to the Melbourne City Council in 2004 after an unsuccessful candidature for
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#17328700178645828-470: The joint Father of the House of Representatives with Clyde Cameron . He was the sole Father of the House after the 1980 election , winning election for a fourteenth and final time at the age of 72. In his final years in parliament he was often critical of the Fraser government . McMahon left parliament in January 1982, citing dissatisfaction with the 1981 budget as a major factor in his decision to retire before
5922-517: The leader of the Country Party . The new prime minister was John Gorton . McMahon initially continued on as Treasurer in the Gorton government , but in 1969 was demoted to Minister for External Affairs after an unsuccessful challenge for the leadership. He eventually replaced Gorton in March 1971 following Gorton’s resignation, winning a vote against Billy Snedden . McMahon became prime minister at
6016-659: The leadership of the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU), though there was no major industrial action during his tenure. He attempted to reduce the influence of trade unions known to be controlled by the Communist Party , particularly the Waterside Workers' Federation . In 1964, McMahon was made Vice-President of the Executive Council , further confirming his status within the government. In 1966, McMahon
6110-426: The leadership. McMahon was then elected leader (and thus prime minister), and Gorton was elected deputy leader. McMahon came into office at a bad time for the Coalition, which was increasingly seen as tired and unfocused after 22 years in power. His first problem was Gorton. Since Gorton had been elected as Liberal deputy leader, McMahon was all but forced to name him Defence Minister. This farcical situation came to
6204-433: The marchers were "political bikies pack-raping democracy". In 1971, Snedden was appointed Treasurer by William McMahon, and was elected Liberal Deputy Leader, making him the heir apparent to the leadership. When McMahon was defeated by the Labor Party under Gough Whitlam in 1972, Snedden was elected as his replacement as Liberal leader, winning by a single vote over Nigel Bowen on the fifth ballot. Snedden promised
6298-524: The morning of 31 March 1988. His remains were cremated at the Northern Suburbs Crematorium . A state memorial service was held at St Andrew's Cathedral, Sydney , on 8 April, with the eulogy given by David Fairbairn . In 1965, aged 57, McMahon married Sonia Rachel Hopkins , who was then aged 32. McMahon had proposed six months after the pair first met. The wedding was held three months later at St Mark's Church , Darling Point , followed by
6392-485: The office of Speaker. As Speaker, Snedden sought to enhance the role and assert its independence. He preferred the Speaker to be recognised as an impartial umpire like the Speaker of the House of Commons. In 1979, he published a paper outlining his proposals for adopting some of the Westminster conventions, namely that the Speaker remain in office for five to seven years then resign and hold no further public office, that
6486-491: The rank of major. After the war's end he returned to university to complete an economics degree. McMahon was elected to the House of Representatives at the 1949 federal election . Robert Menzies promoted him to the ministry in 1951 and added him to cabinet in 1956. He held several different portfolios in the Menzies government , most notably as Minister for Labour and National Service from 1958 to 1966. In that capacity, he oversaw
6580-456: The remote mining town of Meekatharra . The family moved to Perth in about 1921, after their house in Meekatharra burned down. Snedden's father worked mostly as a stonemason, but also spent periods as a miner and general labourer when better work was not available. He reputedly left Scotland to escape a paternity suit, and had earlier been in trouble with the law for poaching . The family name
6674-514: The time and stole things" before describing an incident where McMahon attempted to steal a tape recorder from his radio station by claiming ownership of the device despite it having the radio station's name engraved on it. He concludes by saying that McMahon was a "totally unworthy individual and the fact that he was Prime Minister of this country was a disgrace". McMahon's term as prime minister ended on 5 December 1972. He did not immediately resign as Liberal leader, but it soon became clear that there
6768-477: The top job". Laurie Oakes , who spent over 50 years in the Canberra Press Gallery , viewed McMahon as "a liar and a sneak" and rated him as the worst prime minister he had worked with. Oakes recalled that he had continued leaking cabinet discussions even after becoming prime minister, and accused him of once having stolen a tape recorder. Some writers have defended McMahon's reputation, arguing that he
6862-632: The use of hearing aids. In April 1940, McMahon was commissioned as a lieutenant in the Citizens Military Force . He transferred to the Australian Imperial Force (the regular army) in October 1940, and was promoted to captain in 1942 and to major in 1943. McMahon was turned down for overseas service due to his hearing loss and a knee injury. In the early part of the war he was attached to coastal defence units in Sydney. He later served on
6956-959: The works of William Temple as a major influence. McMahon was one of the few contemporary politicians to speak publicly on the connection between their religious and political beliefs. In 1953, he gave an address to the Australian Institute of Political Science in which he explained how he believed Christian doctrines necessitated parliamentary democracy and a market economy. McMahon is often ranked among Australia's worst prime ministers. In 2001, five out of six historians surveyed by Australian Financial Review ranked him among their worst five prime ministers. Similarly, The Age surveyed eight historians in 2004 and all but one ranked McMahon as Australia's worst prime minister since World War II. Some of McMahon's most prominent critics have been those who served with him in cabinet. John Gorton called him "utterly untrustworthy", while Doug Anthony said he
7050-412: Was "just not big enough for the job". Malcolm Fraser said he "had an insatiable ambition [...] he wasn't immoral, he was totally amoral". Billy Snedden considered McMahon "conspiratorial, devious, untrustworthy", and Paul Hasluck viewed him as "disloyal, devious, dishonest, untrustworthy, petty, cowardly", in his diaries referring to him as "that treacherous bastard". McMahon was nicknamed "Billy
7144-710: Was Chairman of the Melbourne Football Club from 1981 to 1986, later a Director of the Victorian Football League and also Patron of the Professional Boxing Association of Australia. On 27 June 1987, just hours after attending John Howard 's election campaign launch, Snedden suffered a fatal heart attack at the Travelodge motel in Rushcutters Bay , Sydney, while having sex with an ex-girlfriend of his son Drew, identified only as "Wendy". Melbourne newspaper The Truth headlined its report "Snedden died on
7238-634: Was a skilled politician who has been unfairly scapegoated for an almost inevitable election loss. According to John Hawkins, McMahon was "grudgingly admired for his energy and diligence", and generally acknowledged as having a mastery of economic policy. Mungo MacCallum , while noting that he left no lasting achievements, called his prime ministership a "brief but cheerful interlude" and praised him for leaving office with good grace. Marian Simms compared McMahon to Richard Nixon , suggesting that his character traits have been overemphasised, while Troy Bramston viewed him as "a prime minister who clearly understood
7332-650: Was an Australian politician who served as the 20th prime minister of Australia from 1971 to 1972. He held office as the leader of the Liberal Party of Australia . He was a government minister for over 21 years, the longest continuous service in Australian history . McMahon was born and raised in Sydney , and worked as a commercial lawyer before entering politics. He served in the Australian Army during World War II, reaching
7426-459: Was an Australian politician who served as the leader of the Liberal Party from 1972 to 1975. He was also a cabinet minister from 1964 to 1972, and Speaker of the House of Representatives from 1976 to 1983. Snedden was born in Perth , Western Australia. He served in the Royal Australian Air Force during World War II, and then studied law at the University of Western Australia . From 1951 to 1952, he
7520-569: Was born in County Clare , Munster , Ireland, and married Mary Coyle of County Fermanagh , Ulster , Ireland. He arrived in Australia as a child, and eventually founded his own freight company , which became one of the largest in Sydney. Upon his death in 1914, his estate was valued at almost £240,000, an immense sum at the time. McMahon spent his early life in Redfern. His mother died in 1917, when he
7614-579: Was elected the Liberal Party of Australia's deputy leader under Harold Holt . During his tenure, he became the Treasurer of Australia and held executive roles with the International Monetary Fund and Asian Development Bank . When Holt disappeared in December 1967, McMahon was assumed to be his probable successor. However, John McEwen , interim Prime Minister and leader of the Country Party , announced that he and his party would not serve in
7708-459: Was frustrated by McMahon's actions. In his memoirs, he said: "I knew McMahon was running around up to his tricks ... I couldn't control what he did, but I could make damn sure that the government, my government, did not get involved". Prior to the 1977 election , McMahon was unsuccessfully challenged for Liberal preselection by John Abel , whose Division of Evans had been abolished in an electoral redistribution. After being re-elected, he became
7802-431: Was instead made Minister for Primary Industry , an appointment that was seen as a surprise given his lack of experience in agriculture. He effectively became the junior minister to John McEwen , the deputy leader of the Country Party and Minister for Trade . It was hoped by the Country Party (and tacitly accepted by Menzies) that McMahon would simply be a proxy for McEwen on policy matters. However, he managed to preserve
7896-437: Was known for betting significant amounts on the races. According to Alan Reid , "his reputation was that he completed his university career on less actual work than anyone in the college". Despite his diminutive physique – he stood 5 feet 7 inches (170 cm) as an adult – McMahon did achieve some success as an athlete. He won his university's lightweight boxing title, and in his final year at Sydney Grammar rowed in
7990-494: Was nine years old, and he was subsequently raised by her relatives. He moved home frequently as he was shifted between family members, living for periods in Kensington , Beecroft , Gordon , and Centennial Park . McMahon saw little of his father or his siblings, who were raised separately; his older brother James died of Spanish flu in 1919. His uncle Samuel Walder – a businessman who was Lord Mayor of Sydney in 1932 – acted as
8084-410: Was no support for him to continue. McMahon became the first Prime Minister to have lost an election and had retained his seat who did not then serve as Leader of the Opposition. On 20 December, the Liberal Party elected Billy Snedden as his successor. As a mark of respect for his past service, McMahon was included in Snedden's new shadow cabinet (as was John Gorton). However, at his own request he
8178-499: Was not allocated a specific portfolio. In an interview with HSV7 in June 1973, McMahon stated that "disloyalty within our own party" was the main reason the Liberals had lost the election. He also said that he had three regrets from his time as prime minister – that he failed to abolish national service, that he had mishandled the 1971 budget, and that he had been a poor communicator. After
8272-516: Was only able to continue when the law school dean Frank Beasley intervened on his behalf. He graduated with a Bachelor of Laws in 1950, and completed his articles of clerkship with Harvey, Slattery, and Gibson. He was called to the bar in December 1951. In 1951, Snedden briefly returned to the Commonwealth Crown Solicitor's office. He resigned from the public service due to a pay cut, and began working for Angus & Coote as
8366-467: Was originally "Snaddon" (or "Snadon"), but was changed upon arrival in Australia. Snedden grew up in Perth's inner north near the suburb of Highgate , living initially on Robinson Avenue and later on Bulwer Street. His father left home when he was about three or four years old, and they had only limited contact thereafter. His oldest brother Bob became the family's main breadwinner, while his mother worked as
8460-566: Was president of the Labor Club. As a student, he made three unsuccessful attempts to enter politics, standing for the Liberal Party at the 1948 Boulder state by-election and at the 1949 and 1951 federal elections (in Fremantle and Perth , respectively). In 1954 Snedden moved to Melbourne , where he practised law until 1955 , when he was elected to the House of Representatives for the outer suburban seat of Bruce . He defeated Keith Ewert ,
8554-461: Was re-elected on 21 February 1978, defeating Labor MP Dr Harry Jenkins by a majority of 44 votes, and on 25 November 1980, again defeating Dr Jenkins by a majority of 22 votes. He was the last Speaker of the House of Representatives to wear the formal regalia of full-bottomed wig and gown inherited from the House of Commons of the United Kingdom , believing that it would restore the dignity of
8648-481: Was simultaneously amended to remove the words "other than the aboriginal race in any state". He was rebuffed, but he gained agreement when he made a similar submission to the Holt Cabinet in 1966. The referendum went ahead on 27 May 1967, and was resoundingly approved. He was Minister for Immigration 1966–1969, and Minister for Labour and National Service 1969–1971, a difficult job which put him in charge of
8742-535: Was the inaugural federal chairman of the Young Liberal Movement . After a period working overseas for the Department of Immigration , Snedden returned to Australia in 1954 and settled in Melbourne . He was elected to the House of Representatives the following year, aged 28. In 1964, Snedden was elevated to cabinet by Robert Menzies . He served as a government minister until the Liberal government's defeat at
8836-559: Was the youngest of six children born to Catherine (née Mackie) and Alan Snedden. His mother was 43 years old when he was born, and his siblings, one sister and four brothers, were much older than him. Snedden's parents were born in Alva, Clackmannanshire , Scotland, and spoke "broad Scots ". His grandparents were illiterate, and his parents had only limited schooling; they were both from coal-mining families. They immigrated to Australia in 1912 with their three oldest children, initially settling in
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