Don Day
Encyclopedia
Don Day was an Australian politician and member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
from 1971 until 1984. He was a member of the Australian Labor Party
(ALP).
Day was born in Melbourne
, Victoria
. His father, Alfred Day, was an engineer. He was educated at Swinburne Technical College
and trained as a fitter and turner. In 1941 he joined the Australian Imperial Forces as a private and later transferred to the Royal Australian Air Force to become a catalina
pilot. Following his war service he settled in Maclean
and established a car and farm equipment dealership. He joined the Labor party at age 28 and served in local government.
Day won ALP pre-selection and was subsequently elected as the member for Casino
at the 1971 state election
. He retained this seat until it was abolished in a redistribution prior to the 1981 state election. He subsequently contested and won the seat of Clarence
. With the election of the Wran
government in 1976, Day, one of the few rural based members of the ALP, became the Minister for Decentralisation and Development and Minister for Primary Industries. He continued in rural industry portfolios in the Wran government until his retirement prior to the 1984 state election
.
New South Wales Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of New South Wales, an Australian state. The other chamber is the Legislative Council. Both the Assembly and Council sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney...
from 1971 until 1984. He was a member of the Australian Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
(ALP).
Day was born in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
. His father, Alfred Day, was an engineer. He was educated at Swinburne Technical College
Swinburne University of Technology
Swinburne University of Technology is an Australian public dual sector university based in Melbourne, Victoria. The institution was founded by the Honourable George Swinburne in 1908 and achieved university status in June 1992...
and trained as a fitter and turner. In 1941 he joined the Australian Imperial Forces as a private and later transferred to the Royal Australian Air Force to become a catalina
PBY Catalina
The Consolidated PBY Catalina was an American flying boat of the 1930s and 1940s produced by Consolidated Aircraft. It was one of the most widely used multi-role aircraft of World War II. PBYs served with every branch of the United States Armed Forces and in the air forces and navies of many other...
pilot. Following his war service he settled in Maclean
Maclean, New South Wales
Maclean is a town in Clarence Valley Local Government Area in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, Australia. It is on the Clarence River and near the Pacific Highway. At the 2006 census, Maclean had a population of 3,245 people...
and established a car and farm equipment dealership. He joined the Labor party at age 28 and served in local government.
Day won ALP pre-selection and was subsequently elected as the member for Casino
Electoral district of Casino
Casino was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales originally created in 1930 and named after Casino. It was abolished in 1968, recreated in 1971 and abolished again in 1981.-Members for Casino:...
at the 1971 state election
New South Wales state election, 1971
Elections for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly were held in the state of New South Wales, Australia, on Saturday 13 February 1971. The Liberal-Country Party coalition government led by Sir Robert Askin won a third term in office. The Labor Party opposition was led by Pat Hills.The...
. He retained this seat until it was abolished in a redistribution prior to the 1981 state election. He subsequently contested and won the seat of Clarence
Electoral district of Clarence
Clarence is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales.It was represented by Steve Cansdell of the National Party of Australia until he resigned on 16th September 2011 due to issues relating to a statutory declaration related to a speeding offence...
. With the election of the Wran
Neville Wran
Neville Kenneth Wran, AC, CNZM, QC was the Premier of New South Wales from 1976 until 1986. He was National President of the Australian Labor Party from 1980 to 1986 and Chairman of both the Lionel Murphy Foundation and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation from 1986...
government in 1976, Day, one of the few rural based members of the ALP, became the Minister for Decentralisation and Development and Minister for Primary Industries. He continued in rural industry portfolios in the Wran government until his retirement prior to the 1984 state election
New South Wales state election, 1984
Elections were held in the state of New South Wales, Australia, on Saturday 24 March 1984. The Labor government led by Neville Wran won a fourth term in office, although with a reduced margin and a 7% swing against it....
.