Bill Dunn (Australian politician)

William Fraser Dunn JP (2 February 1877 – 7 October 1951) was a Labor Party politician and member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1910 until 1950. He served as Minister for Agriculture for eight years, as well as deputy leader and leader of the Labor Party in New South Wales.

William Dunn
William Fraser Dunn, NSW Minister for Agriculture
William Fraser Dunn, NSW Minister for Agriculture
10th Leader of the Opposition of New South Wales
In office
16 April 1923 – 31 July 1923
Preceded byGreg McGirr
Succeeded byJack Lang
Personal details
Born(1877-02-02)2 February 1877
Queanbeyan, Colony of New South Wales
Died7 October 1951(1951-10-07) (aged 74)
Moore Park, New South Wales, Australia
Political partyLabor
SpouseMinnie Elizabeth Dunnington
Military service
AllegianceAustralia
Branch/serviceAustralian Army
Years of service1915–1918
RankCaptain
Unit35th Battalion
Battles/warsFirst World War

Early life

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Dunn was born in Queanbeyan where his father was a small farm holder. He was educated at the local public school which he left at the age of 15 to assist on his father's farm. Following an injury he joined the New South Wales Department of Education and taught at various schools in NSW regional areas.

Political career

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He joined the ALP in 1895 and was the party's successful candidate for the seat of Mudgee in the 1910 election. He resigned from the Labor Party and parliament in protest at the party's land policy in 1911. This left the party without a majority in the parliament and the policy was rapidly changed, allowing Dunn to win the resulting by-election as the endorsed ALP candidate. He continued as the member for Mudgee until the seat was replaced by the multi-member seat of Wammerawa in 1920. He represented this electorate until the single member seat of Mudgee was recreated in 1927 and, with the exception of the period 1932–1935, he remained the member for Mudgee until his retirement in 1950. In 1915-1918 he was granted leave from parliament to serve as a captain in the First Australian Imperial Force.[1]

Ministerial career

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Dunn was the Minister for Agriculture in the governments of John Storey, James Dooley, Jack Lang, William McKell and the first ministry of James McGirr. Under his leadership the ministry expanded its activities in organised marketing and co-operative development.[2]

Party Leader

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Although Dunn had no factional power base in the Labor Party, his geniality resulted in his advancement within the parliamentary caucus. He was the deputy leader of the party in 1922–1923 and was selected by the federal executive of the ALP as a stopgap parliamentary leader during a factional party schism related to the expulsion of James Dooley from the party. Jack Lang claimed that Dunn spent much of his time as party leader wandering around parliament house, trying to get Labor party members to attend a caucus meeting.

References

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  1. ^ "Mr (Captain) William Fraser Dunn (1877–1951)". Former members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
  2. ^ "Dunn, William Fraser (1877–1951)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. ISBN 978-0-522-84459-7. ISSN 1833-7538. OCLC 70677943. Retrieved 9 October 2019.

 

New South Wales Legislative Assembly
Preceded by Member for Mudgee
1910–1920
District abolished
New district Member for Wammerawa
1920–1927
Served alongside: Clark/Thorby/Ashford
District abolished
New district Member for Mudgee
1927–1932
Succeeded by
Preceded by Member for Mudgee
1935–1950
Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by Minister for Agriculture
1920–1921
Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister for Agriculture
1921–1922
Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister for Agriculture
1925–1927
Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister for Agriculture
1930–1932
Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister for Forests
1930–1932
Preceded byas Minister for Agriculture Minister for Agriculture and Forests
1941–1944
Succeeded byas Minister for Agriculture
Preceded byas Minister for Forests Vacant
Title next held by
Milton Morris
as Minister for Forests
New title Minister for Conservation
1944–1946
Succeeded by
Preceded by Secretary for Lands
1946–1947
Succeeded by
Party political offices
Preceded by
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Deputy Leader of the Australian Labor Party (NSW Branch)
1922–1923
Succeeded by
Preceded by Leader of the Australian Labor Party (NSW Branch)
1923
Succeeded by