Adair Blain
Encyclopedia
Adair Macalister "Chill" Blain (21 November 1894 – 28 April 1983) was a long serving independent
member of the Australian House of Representatives
.
Born in Inverell, New South Wales
, Blain was educated in Perth, Western Australia
and the University of Adelaide
and worked as a surveyor in Western Australia
.
Following the outbreak of World War I
, Blain served as a corporal in 32nd Battalion of the First Australian Imperial Force
in France
from 1916 to 1919. Returning from Europe, Blain worked as a surveyor in Northern Queensland
before moving to the Northern Territory
in 1929 to become the Darwin
area surveyor.
Blain's work took him throughout northern Australia, giving him the opportunity to gain a high profile, which he used at the 1934 federal election
, when, standing as an independent for the Division of Northern Territory
, Blain defeated the incumbent Labor
member Harold Nelson
.
During the 1934 election campaign Blain promised to resign from parliament if the Northern Territory representative was not granted full voting rights in parliament. He reneged on this promise but continued to campaign for greater Territory control of Northern Territory affairs.
After changing his year of birth to 1897, Blain enrolled in the army during World War II
and served as a sergeant in the 2/12 Field Company, Royal Australian Engineers and sent to Malaya
. Captured by the Japanese following the Fall of Singapore in 1942, Blain was a Prisoner of War
, first in Singapore and later Borneo
, until his release in September 1945. Blain remains the only serving member of the House of Representatives to have been a Prisoner of War. Blain returned to Australia, and upon re-entering the House, wearing his uniform, was the subject of a standing ovation from his fellow members. He was then ordered to return to hospital where he spent the next two months recovering before returning to parliament.
Although officially an Independent, Blain worked closely with the Country Party
and while he was absent on wartime duties, Blain asked the Country Party member for Barker
, Archie Cameron
to act on his behalf.
While serving as a POW, Blain was re-elected unopposed to his Northern Territory seat at the 1943 election
, and elected again in 1946
before losing his seat at the 1949 election
to Labor challenger Jock Nelson
(the son of Harold Nelson, who Blain defeated in 1934).
Following his defeat, Blain moved to New South Wales to work as a surveyor.
The Northern Territory Electoral division of Blain
is named for him.
Brian Blain
, the Australian actor and the engineer Milton Blain are his nephews.
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
member of the Australian House of Representatives
Australian House of Representatives
The House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia; it is the lower house; the upper house is the Senate. Members of Parliament serve for terms of approximately three years....
.
Born in Inverell, New South Wales
Inverell, New South Wales
Inverell is a town in northern New South Wales, Australia, situated on the Macintyre River. It is also the centre of Inverell Shire. Inverell is located on the Gwydir Highway on the western slopes of the Northern Tablelands. It has a temperate climate...
, Blain was educated in Perth, Western Australia
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
and the University of Adelaide
University of Adelaide
The University of Adelaide is a public university located in Adelaide, South Australia. Established in 1874, it is the third oldest university in Australia...
and worked as a surveyor in Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
.
Following the outbreak of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, Blain served as a corporal in 32nd Battalion of the First Australian Imperial Force
First Australian Imperial Force
The First Australian Imperial Force was the main expeditionary force of the Australian Army during World War I. It was formed from 15 August 1914, following Britain's declaration of war on Germany. Generally known at the time as the AIF, it is today referred to as the 1st AIF to distinguish from...
in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
from 1916 to 1919. Returning from Europe, Blain worked as a surveyor in Northern Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
before moving to the Northern Territory
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
in 1929 to become the Darwin
Darwin, Northern Territory
Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 127,500, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities...
area surveyor.
Blain's work took him throughout northern Australia, giving him the opportunity to gain a high profile, which he used at the 1934 federal election
Australian federal election, 1934
Federal elections were held in Australia on 15 September 1934. All 74 seats in the House of Representatives, and 18 of the 36 seats in the Senate were up for election. The incumbent United Australia Party led by Prime Minister of Australia Joseph Lyons with coalition partner the Country Party led...
, when, standing as an independent for the Division of Northern Territory
Division of Northern Territory
The Division of Northern Territory was an Australian Electoral Division in the Northern Territory. Throughout its existence, it was the only Division in the Territory....
, Blain defeated the incumbent Labor
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...
member Harold Nelson
Harold Nelson (Australian politician)
Harold George Nelson was the inaugural member for the Northern Territory in the Australian House of Representatives....
.
During the 1934 election campaign Blain promised to resign from parliament if the Northern Territory representative was not granted full voting rights in parliament. He reneged on this promise but continued to campaign for greater Territory control of Northern Territory affairs.
After changing his year of birth to 1897, Blain enrolled in the army during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and served as a sergeant in the 2/12 Field Company, Royal Australian Engineers and sent to Malaya
British Malaya
British Malaya loosely described a set of states on the Malay Peninsula and the Island of Singapore that were brought under British control between the 18th and the 20th centuries...
. Captured by the Japanese following the Fall of Singapore in 1942, Blain was a Prisoner of War
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
, first in Singapore and later Borneo
Borneo
Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located north of Java Island, Indonesia, at the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia....
, until his release in September 1945. Blain remains the only serving member of the House of Representatives to have been a Prisoner of War. Blain returned to Australia, and upon re-entering the House, wearing his uniform, was the subject of a standing ovation from his fellow members. He was then ordered to return to hospital where he spent the next two months recovering before returning to parliament.
Although officially an Independent, Blain worked closely with the Country Party
National Party of Australia
The National Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Traditionally representing graziers, farmers and rural voters generally, it began as the The Country Party, but adopted the name The National Country Party in 1975, changed to The National Party of Australia in 1982. The party is...
and while he was absent on wartime duties, Blain asked the Country Party member for Barker
Division of Barker
The Division of Barker is an Australian Electoral Division in the south-east of South Australia.The division was created in 1903 and is named for Collet Barker, an early explorer of the region at the mouth of the Murray River...
, Archie Cameron
Archie Cameron
Archie Galbraith Cameron , was an Australian politician. He was Leader of the Country Party 1939-40, and Speaker of the House of Representatives 1950-56.-Biography:...
to act on his behalf.
While serving as a POW, Blain was re-elected unopposed to his Northern Territory seat at the 1943 election
Australian federal election, 1943
Federal elections were held in Australia on 21 August 1943. All 74 seats in the House of Representatives, and 19 of the 36 seats in the Senate were up for election. The incumbent Australian Labor Party led by Prime Minister of Australia John Curtin easily defeated the opposition Country Party led...
, and elected again in 1946
Australian federal election, 1946
Federal elections were held in Australia on 28 September 1946. All 74 seats in the House of Representatives, and 19 of the 36 seats in the Senate were up for election...
before losing his seat at the 1949 election
Australian federal election, 1949
Federal elections were held in Australia on 10 December 1949. All 121 seats in the House of Representatives, and 42 of the 60 seats in the Senate were up for election, where the single transferable vote was introduced...
to Labor challenger Jock Nelson
John Nelson (Australian politician)
John Norman Nelson , known as Jock Nelson, was an Australian politician. Born in Bundaberg, Queensland, the son of politician Harold Nelson, he was educated at state schools in Darwin before becoming a jackeroo and goldminer, and later a bore contractor at Alice Springs. After serving in the...
(the son of Harold Nelson, who Blain defeated in 1934).
Following his defeat, Blain moved to New South Wales to work as a surveyor.
The Northern Territory Electoral division of Blain
Electoral division of Blain
Blain is an electoral division of the Legislative Assembly in Australia's Northern Territory. It was first created in 1997, and is named after Adair Blain, the second member for the federal Northern Territory electorate, and the only Australian sitting MP to ever become a prisoner of war...
is named for him.
Brian Blain
Brian Blain
Brian Blain was an Australian film and television actor. He is best remembered for his role as Gordon Hamilton in the Seven Network soap opera Sons and Daughters from 1981 to 1987 when the series was cancelled, and his role as Captain Jacob Hilliard in the film sequel Return to the Blue Lagoon...
, the Australian actor and the engineer Milton Blain are his nephews.