Allan Guy
Encyclopedia
James Allan Guy, CBE
(30 November 1890 – 16 December 1979) was an Australian politician who represented the Australian Labor Party
in both the Tasmanian House of Assembly
and the Federal House of Representatives
, before leaving to represent the United Australia Party
and then the Liberal Party of Australia
in both the House of Representatives and the Senate
. His father, James Guy, had also been a Senator.
Guy was elected to the Division of Bass
in the Tasmanian House of Assembly
in 1916 and was part of Joseph Lyons
' cabinet when Labor came to power in 1923. He served as Chief Secretary (1923–28), Minister for Mines (1923–24), Minister for Railways (1924–28), Acting Premier from July to December 1926, then Deputy Premier until Labor was defeated in 1928. He became Deputy Leader of the Opposition and remained in the Tasmanian parliament until 1929.
In 1929 he contested and won the Federal Division of Bass
for Labor and joined James Scullin
's government. In 1931 he joined Joseph Lyons, James Fenton
and two other Labor members in forming the United Australia Party
along with the Nationalist Party of Australia
opposition, which came to office in December with Lyons as prime minister. In 1932 Lyons rewarded him for his loyalty by appointing him assistant Minister for Trade and Customs. One of Guy's responsibilities was to defend film-censorship provisions which he described as 'both necessary and admirable', for, without them, 'all sorts of puerile and undesirable films could be displayed, to the detriment, not only of our civilization, but of the Christian religion'.
After losing his seat in the 1934 election, Guy contested it unsuccessfully in 1937, and then the Division of Wilmot
unsuccessfully in 1939, before winning it in 1940. He represented Wilmot for the UAP from until 1946.
In 1949 he was elected to the Australian Senate
representing the recently formed Liberal Party of Australia
, where he remained until being defeated in the 1956 election.
He was awarded a CBE
in 1968 for services to "Parliament and the community."
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(30 November 1890 – 16 December 1979) was an Australian politician who represented 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...
in both the Tasmanian House of Assembly
Tasmanian House of Assembly
The House of Assembly, or Lower House, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of Tasmania in Australia. The other is the Legislative Council or Upper House...
and the Federal 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....
, before leaving to represent the United Australia Party
United Australia Party
The United Australia Party was an Australian political party that was founded in 1931 and dissolved in 1945. It was the political successor to the Nationalist Party of Australia and predecessor to the Liberal Party of Australia...
and then the Liberal Party of Australia
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
in both the House of Representatives and the Senate
Australian Senate
The Senate is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of Australia, the lower house being the House of Representatives. Senators are popularly elected under a system of proportional representation. Senators are elected for a term that is usually six years; after a double dissolution, however,...
. His father, James Guy, had also been a Senator.
Guy was elected to the Division of Bass
Division of Bass (state)
The Electoral Division of Bass is one of the 5 electorates in the Tasmanian House of Assembly, or lower house; it takes its name from the British Naval Surgeon and Explorer of Australia: George Bass. The division shares its name and boundaries with the federal division of Bass...
in the Tasmanian House of Assembly
Tasmanian House of Assembly
The House of Assembly, or Lower House, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of Tasmania in Australia. The other is the Legislative Council or Upper House...
in 1916 and was part of Joseph Lyons
Joseph Lyons
Joseph Aloysius Lyons, CH was an Australian politician. He was Labor Premier of Tasmania from 1923 to 1928 and a Minister in the James Scullin government from 1929 until his resignation from the Labor Party in March 1931...
' cabinet when Labor came to power in 1923. He served as Chief Secretary (1923–28), Minister for Mines (1923–24), Minister for Railways (1924–28), Acting Premier from July to December 1926, then Deputy Premier until Labor was defeated in 1928. He became Deputy Leader of the Opposition and remained in the Tasmanian parliament until 1929.
In 1929 he contested and won the Federal Division of Bass
Division of Bass
The Division of Bass is an Australian Electoral Division in Tasmania. The division was created in 1903 and is named for the explorer George Bass. It has always been based on the city of Launceston and surrounding rural areas, and its boundaries have changed very little in the century since its...
for Labor and joined James Scullin
James Scullin
James Henry Scullin , Australian Labor politician and the ninth Prime Minister of Australia. Two days after he was sworn in as Prime Minister, the Wall Street Crash of 1929 occurred, marking the beginning of the Great Depression and subsequent Great Depression in Australia.-Early life:Scullin was...
's government. In 1931 he joined Joseph Lyons, James Fenton
James Fenton (Australian politician)
James Edward Fenton CMG was an Australian politician. He is notable for having been appointed a cabinet minister by two governments of different political complexions, but resigning from both governments on matters of principle.Born at Nette Yallock, near Avoca, Victoria, Fenton was educated at a...
and two other Labor members in forming the United Australia Party
United Australia Party
The United Australia Party was an Australian political party that was founded in 1931 and dissolved in 1945. It was the political successor to the Nationalist Party of Australia and predecessor to the Liberal Party of Australia...
along with the Nationalist Party of Australia
Nationalist Party of Australia
The Nationalist Party of Australia was an Australian political party. It was formed on 17 February 1917 from a merger between the conservative Commonwealth Liberal Party and the National Labor Party, the name given to the pro-conscription defectors from the Australian Labor Party led by Prime...
opposition, which came to office in December with Lyons as prime minister. In 1932 Lyons rewarded him for his loyalty by appointing him assistant Minister for Trade and Customs. One of Guy's responsibilities was to defend film-censorship provisions which he described as 'both necessary and admirable', for, without them, 'all sorts of puerile and undesirable films could be displayed, to the detriment, not only of our civilization, but of the Christian religion'.
After losing his seat in the 1934 election, Guy contested it unsuccessfully in 1937, and then the Division of Wilmot
Division of Wilmot
The Division of Wilmot was an Australian Electoral Division in the state of Tasmania. It was located in central Tasmania, and was named after Sir John Eardley-Wilmot, the sixth Lieutenant-Governor of Tasmania...
unsuccessfully in 1939, before winning it in 1940. He represented Wilmot for the UAP from until 1946.
In 1949 he was elected to the Australian Senate
Australian Senate
The Senate is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of Australia, the lower house being the House of Representatives. Senators are popularly elected under a system of proportional representation. Senators are elected for a term that is usually six years; after a double dissolution, however,...
representing the recently formed Liberal Party of Australia
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
, where he remained until being defeated in the 1956 election.
He was awarded a CBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in 1968 for services to "Parliament and the community."