Arthur Robinson (Australian politician)
Encyclopedia
Sir Arthur Robinson KCMG (23 April 1872 – 17 May 1945) was an Australia
n politician.
, the son of journalist Anthony Bennett Robinson and Harriet, née Barton, the sister of Sir Edmund Barton
. He attended Scotch College
(where he was later Chairman of the School Council) before studying law at the University of Melbourne
. He became a barrister and solicitor in 1896, partnering William Bruce in the firm that was to become Arthur Robinson & Co. Robinson became known as a free trade
r and a conservative (in contrast to his uncle Edmund Barton), but he was also an ardent federalist. On 18 April 1899 he married Annie Summers Puckle at Malvern
.
in 1900 for the seat of Dundas, but was defeated in 1902. Subsequently, he entered the Australian House of Representatives
as the Free Trade
member for Wannon
in 1903, succeeding Samuel Cooke
. He was defeated in 1906 by Labour
, which ran a successful campaign focussing on his opposition to aspects relating to unionism in the Conciliation and Arbitration Act. Returning to state politics, he was elected to the Victorian Legislative Council
in 1912 and held his seat until his retirement in 1925, holding ministerial positions in the governments of Sir Alexander Peacock
and Sir Harry Lawson
.
Robinson was significantly involved in the State Electricity Commission, supporting Sir John Monash
in its establishment. His experiences in state parliament also changed his enthusiasm for federalism into opposition to federal powers. He was also appointed a CMG
in 1921 and a KCMG in 1923.
Following his retirement in 1925, Robinson attempted to re-enter the federal House of Representatives as the Nationalist
candidate for Fawkner
, but was defeated by his friend George Arnot Maxwell, who was elected as an independent
. He was condemned by The Age
as a "crusted Tory" and a "relic of a bygone age".
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n politician.
Early life
Robinson was born at Carlton, VictoriaCarlton, Victoria
Carlton is an inner city suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 2 km north from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Melbourne...
, the son of journalist Anthony Bennett Robinson and Harriet, née Barton, the sister of Sir Edmund Barton
Edmund Barton
Sir Edmund Barton, GCMG, KC , Australian politician and judge, was the first Prime Minister of Australia and a founding justice of the High Court of Australia....
. He attended Scotch College
Scotch College, Melbourne
Scotch College, Melbourne is an independent, Presbyterian, day and boarding school for boys, located in Hawthorn, an inner-eastern suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia....
(where he was later Chairman of the School Council) before studying law at the University of Melbourne
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
. He became a barrister and solicitor in 1896, partnering William Bruce in the firm that was to become Arthur Robinson & Co. Robinson became known as a free trade
Free trade
Under a free trade policy, prices emerge from supply and demand, and are the sole determinant of resource allocation. 'Free' trade differs from other forms of trade policy where the allocation of goods and services among trading countries are determined by price strategies that may differ from...
r and a conservative (in contrast to his uncle Edmund Barton), but he was also an ardent federalist. On 18 April 1899 he married Annie Summers Puckle at Malvern
Malvern, Victoria
Malvern is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 8 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Stonnington. At the 2006 Census, Malvern had a population of 9,422.-History:...
.
Politics
Robinson was elected to the Victorian Legislative AssemblyVictorian Legislative Assembly
The Victorian Legislative Assembly is the lower house of the Parliament of Victoria in Australia. Together with the Victorian Legislative Council, the upper house, it sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Melbourne.-History:...
in 1900 for the seat of Dundas, but was defeated in 1902. Subsequently, he entered 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....
as the Free Trade
Free Trade Party
The Free Trade Party which was officially known as the Australian Free Trade and Liberal Association, also referred to as the Revenue Tariff Party in some states and renamed the Anti-Socialist Party in 1906, was an Australian political party, formally organised between 1889 and 1909...
member for Wannon
Division of Wannon
The Division of Wannon is an Australian Electoral Division in the state of Victoria. It is located in the south-west of the state, and encompasses most of the Western Region of the state. It adjoins the South Australian border in the west, and the Bass Strait coast in the south. The Division...
in 1903, succeeding Samuel Cooke
Samuel Cooke
Samuel Winter Cooke was an Australian politician.-Early life:Cooke was the son of pastoralist Cecil Pybus Cooke and Arbella, née Winter. He was sent to England for his schooling, where he attended Mr Shapcott's school and Cheltenham College, subsequently taking a Bachelor of Arts at Trinity...
. He was defeated in 1906 by Labour
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...
, which ran a successful campaign focussing on his opposition to aspects relating to unionism in the Conciliation and Arbitration Act. Returning to state politics, he was elected to the Victorian Legislative Council
Victorian Legislative Council
The Victorian Legislative Council, is the upper of the two houses of the Parliament of Victoria, Australia; the lower house being the Legislative Assembly. Both houses sit in Parliament House in Spring Street, Melbourne. The Legislative Council serves as a house of review, in a similar fashion to...
in 1912 and held his seat until his retirement in 1925, holding ministerial positions in the governments of Sir Alexander Peacock
Alexander Peacock
Sir Alexander James Peacock, KCMG , Australian politician, was the 20th Premier of Victoria.Peacock was born of Scottish descent at Creswick, the first Victorian Premier born after the gold rush of the 1850s and the attainment of self-government in Victoria. He was distantly related to the family...
and Sir Harry Lawson
Harry Lawson
Sir Harry Sutherland Wightman Lawson KCMG , Australian politician, was the 27th Premier of Victoria.Lawson was born in Dunolly, the son of a Presbyterian clergyman of Scottish descent. He was educated at a local school and then briefly Scotch College in Melbourne. He was a noted Australian rules...
.
Robinson was significantly involved in the State Electricity Commission, supporting Sir John Monash
John Monash
General Sir John Monash GCMG, KCB, VD was a civil engineer who became the Australian military commander in the First World War. He commanded the 13th Infantry Brigade before the War and then became commander of the 4th Brigade in Egypt shortly after the outbreak of the War with whom he took part...
in its establishment. His experiences in state parliament also changed his enthusiasm for federalism into opposition to federal powers. He was also appointed a CMG
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
in 1921 and a KCMG in 1923.
Following his retirement in 1925, Robinson attempted to re-enter the federal House of Representatives as the Nationalist
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...
candidate for Fawkner
Division of Fawkner
The Division of Fawkner was an Australian Electoral Division in Victoria. The division was created in 1906 , and was abolished itself in 1969. It was named for John Pascoe Fawkner, one of the founders of Melbourne. It was located in the inner southern suburbs of Melbourne, including at various...
, but was defeated by his friend George Arnot Maxwell, who was elected as an independent
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...
. He was condemned by The Age
The Age
The Age is a daily broadsheet newspaper, which has been published in Melbourne, Australia since 1854. Owned and published by Fairfax Media, The Age primarily serves Victoria, but is also available for purchase in Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory and border regions of South Australia and...
as a "crusted Tory" and a "relic of a bygone age".