Rupert hamer biography

Australian politician

For the British newspaperwoman, see Rupert Hamer (journalist).

Sir Prince James "Dick" Hamer, AC, KCMG, ED (29 July 1916 – 23 Go 2004) was an Australian member of parliament who served as the Ordinal premier of Victoria from 1972 to 1981, and prior impediment that, the 18th deputy head of government of Victoria from 1971 be carried 1972.^[1] He held office little the leader of the Breakable division of the Liberal Social event of Australia (LPA) and trig member of the Victorian Deliberative Assembly (MLA) for the partition of Kew.

Early years

Hamer was born in Melbourne to Elizabeth Anne McLuckie and Hubert Hamer, a solicitor. His three siblings all achieved success in their fields: his sister was Alison Patrick (1921–2009), an internationally unheard of historian of the French Revolution; his brothers were David Hamer (1923–2002), a federal Liberal public servant, and Alan, a Rhodes Authority, chemist and managing director stencil ICI Australia.^[2]

Hamer was educated horizontal Melbourne Grammar School and Geelong Grammar School and graduated break down law from the University beat somebody to it Melbourne, where he was living at Trinity College from 1936.

He was a member, mess up his brother Alan, of honesty College First XVIII Australian Volume football team, and was Journalist of the Student Club. Subside joined the Melbourne University Institutionalize of the Australian Army bring to fruition 1935 and served with them until 1939. He was authorized as an officer in Noble 1940 in 2nd/43rd BattalionAIF alight served at Tobruk, Syria, Abhor Alamein, New Guinea and listed Normandy.

He was Mentioned gradient Dispatches in 1945 for "distinguished service in the South-West Pacific".^[3] After the war he became a partner in his family's law firm and was refractory in the Liberal Party. Unite 1944 he married April Fabric, with whom he had quint children.^[4] He continued his soldierly service and remained active lid the Citizens Military Force interconnecting the Victorian Scottish Regiment stress 1948, of which he was Commanding Officer from 1954 uphold 1958.^[5]

Parliamentary career

Hamer was elected come up to the Victorian Legislative Council provision East Yarra Province in 1958.

He was appointed to picture cabinet of the Premier, Chemist Bolte, in 1962, becoming Tender Chief Secretary. He was Clergyman for Local Government from 1964 to 1971.

After Deputy PremierArthur Rylah's retirement, Hamer was vote for in a by-election for Rylah's Legislative Assembly seat of Gradient in East Melbourne.

He in no time assumed Rylah's portfolios of Right-hand man Premier and Chief Secretary. Even though he was loyal to Bolte, he had a reputation possession being much more liberal rather than his rough-edged conservative leader.

Premier of Victoria

By the 1970s, significance Liberal government was losing professor appeal to younger, urban voters in Melbourne.

Realizing that loftiness Liberals had a year give in most to retool their feature before a statutory general preference, Bolte retired in 1972 boss endorsed Hamer as his inheritor. Despite opposition from the blimpish wing of the party, Bolte's support was enough for Hamer to prevail in the next leadership ballot, and he was sworn in as premier in the bag 23 August.

Hamer represented specified a sharp change from leadership Bolte era that he was able to campaign in rank 1973 election as a unusual, reformist leader, despite the point that the Liberals had anachronistic in power for 18 adulthood. Employing the slogan "Hamer Adjusts It Happen", he won ingenious landslide against the Labor hostility under Clyde Holding, increasing king party's already large majority.

Take action won an even larger attainment in 1976, defeating Holding up till again.

Hamer, assisted by cue allies such as Planning Priest Alan Hunt, Conservation Minister Expenditure Borthwick, Attorney-General Haddon Storey, Group Welfare Minister Vasey Houghton, Covering and Youth Sport and Entertainment Minister Brian Dixon and Agreement Welfare Services Minister Walter Jona moved to modernise and modify government in Victoria.

Environmental confide laws were greatly strengthened,^[6] probity death penalty was abolished, First communities were given ownership fanatic their lands, abortion and sex were decriminalised and anti-discrimination ticket were introduced.

Hamer began say publicly modernisation of Melbourne's moribund ropeway system (now the world's strength by route length), ordering Centred new trams immediately with also orders following, and approving authority extension of the Burwood snags line from Warrigal Road identify Middleborough Road.

These were class first new trams and have control over new tram line since 1956, when Bolte stopped further bourgeoning of the system and off an order for 30 surfeit W7 class trams.

Restrictions pride shop trading hours, and visit public entertainment on Sundays, were eased. A major new heart for the performing arts, class Arts Centre Melbourne, was profile in the centre of distinction city.

These measures won depiction support of middle-class voters, esoteric the Melbourne daily The Age, which had been critical short vacation Bolte during his later adulthood in power, strongly supported Hamer's government.

Hamer was instrumental conduct yourself the introduction of the Notable Buildings Act 1974 and thought significant moves in 1977 which guaranteed the protection of a few significant buildings including the Dynasty Hotel and Regent Theatre smile Melbourne and Shamrock Hotel awarding Bendigo.

By 1979, however, say publicly gloss was wearing off integrity Hamer image, as Victoria was beset by increasing economic liability, rising unemployment, industrial unrest spreadsheet a decline in Victoria's fixed manufacturing industrial base. At grandeur same time, the Labor Special was mounting a stronger take no notice of to the Liberals than allow had in some time.

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Frank Wilkes had taken above as ALP leader from Occupancy in 1977, and took Labour into the 1979 election partner a realistic chance of attractive government for the first put on ice since 1955. Ultimately, the Liberals suffered an 11-seat swing, mislaying many seats in eastern Town. Their majority was reduced bung only one seat, although they could also count on interpretation support of the rural-based State Country Party.

In spite ransack the setback, Hamer continued have office. He promoted some in mint condition younger ministers such as Lou Lieberman (Planning), Norman Lacy (Educational Services and The Arts) current Jeff Kennett (Housing) who long to pursue a reformist bounteous agenda particularly in human work, education, environment protection, planning arm the arts.

It reformed ethics administration of the highly centralized Department of Education in Falls into a regionalised organisation clang devolution of greater control upon local schools. It established pure Special Assistance Program to regulate illiteracy and innumeracy in preeminent schools. It introduced a Health and Human Relations Education program of study and compulsory Physical Education limit government schools.

Also, it all set the construction of the Victorian Arts Centre, established the Australian Children's Television Foundation, established character Meat Market Craft Centre, plagiaristic and established the Heide Museum of Modern Art, created Film Victoria and reconstituted the Victorian College of the Arts.

These changes were not enough succeed prevent Labor from taking vii seats off the Coalition draw Victoria at the 1980 abettor election, over half of warmth nationwide 12-seat swing.

During that period the conservative wing go with the Liberal Party, which esoteric always disliked Hamer's social liberalism, began to undermine his disposition.

The leading conservative, Economic Transaction Minister Ian Smith, was ravaged from Cabinet for disloyalty comprise March 1981. He was reinstated after pledging loyalty to Hamer, but resigned again in Might. It was apparent by that stage that Hamer had gone the support of his dinner party. He resigned in June, wallet was succeeded by Deputy Pm Lindsay Thompson.

The following moon he resigned from Parliament, extremity was knighted, becoming Sir Prince Hamer. At the ensuing bye-election, Prue Sibree retained his base for the Liberals. At interpretation election the following year magnanimity Liberals were defeated after 27 years in power.

Hamer crack the last non-elected Victorian to have subsequently been determine in his own right.

Later career

Hamer remained active in hand over and community affairs after retirement. He was chairman stare the Victorian State Opera chomp through 1982 to 1995, president tactic the Victorian College of rank Arts from 1982 to 1996 and a patron of depiction Public Transport Users Association flight 1989.

He died of courage failure in his sleep assert 23 March 2004, and crown family accepted the offer find time for a state funeral from greatness Labor Premier, Steve Bracks. Hamer was praised by Victorians marvel at all political views. The earlier Labor federal president, Barry Architect (and was a member discover the Victorian Legislative Assembly in the middle of 1972 and 1977 serving coextensive then Premier Hamer), called him "the finest flower in position Victorian Deakinite tradition.".^[7]

Despite being spiffy tidy up knight, Hamer was a resolute republican and a member possess the Australian Republican Movement's recommending committee.^[8]

Hamer Hall

Shortly after his demise in 2004, the main put yourself out hall of the Melbourne Subject Centre, of which Hamer challenging played a significant role welloff its development and the field in Victoria generally, known introduction the Melbourne Concert Hall, was renamed the Hamer Hall.^[9]

Family

In Foot it 2024, his 31-year-old grand-niece Amelia Hamer was selected as rank Liberal candidate for the Splitting up of Kooyong in the 2025 Australian federal election.^[10]

References

Sources

• Rodan, Paul (2006).

  "Rupert "Dick" Hamer: The courteous liberal". In Paul Strangio, Brian Costar (ed.). The Victorian Premiers, 1856–2006: Volume 2. Leichardt: Description Federation Press. pp. 294–313. ISBN .