Charles McDonald (Australian politician)
Encyclopedia
Charles McDonald was an Australian politician who served as Speaker of the Australian House of Representatives
during the second and third Andrew Fisher
Labor
governments between 1910 and 1913 and between 1914 and 1917.
in 1860. He lived a transient life as a child with his family living in four colonies. He was living in Mudgee, New South Wales
, when he left school, becoming an apprentice printer. However, he later switched trades becoming a watchmaker.
in Queensland
.
He was elected in 1893 as Member for Flinders in the Queensland Legislative Assembly
. McDonald became known for his mastery of the Standing Orders. He was a member of the Queensland Executive between 1898 and 1903.
in the first election for the Australian House of Representatives
after Federation. McDonald was known as "Fighting Charlie" for his vigorous campaigning style. In one campaign, he reportedly rode over 3,000 miles on bicycle on the rough roads of outback Queensland.
McDonald became Chairman of Committees between 1906 and 1910. He became the first Labor Speaker in 1910 as Andrew Fisher
formed the first Labor majority Government. He served in that position until Labor was narrowly defeated in the 1913 Federal election. McDonald was a confirmed republican who abandoned the traditional Speakers wig and gown and removed the mace from the table.
The Liberal Government made an offer to McDonald to continue in the position but he declined due to the interests of the Labor Party.
The Liberal Prime Minister Joseph Cook
became frustrated by the Labor controlled Senate blocking his legislation and called for a double dissolution election. Labor won the election and McDonald became speaker again in 1914. He served as Speaker under the Australian Labor Party, National Labor Party, and Nationalist Party governments until the 1917 election
. During the parliamentary term, Labor split over the introduction of conscription in Australia
. After the election, McDonald served on the opposition backbench.
His health was failing in the mid-1920s despite a trip to the United Kingdom in 1923. He died of cerebro-vascular disease on the day before the 1925 election
, leading to his opponent Grosvenor Francis
being declared elected unopposed.
Speaker of the Australian House of Representatives
The Speaker of the House of Representatives is the presiding officer of the House of Representatives, the lower house of the Parliament of Australia. The presiding officer in the upper house is the President of the Senate....
during the second and third Andrew Fisher
Andrew Fisher
Andrew Fisher was an Australian politician who served as the fifth Prime Minister on three separate occasions. Fisher's 1910-13 Labor ministry completed a vast legislative programme which made him, along with Protectionist Alfred Deakin, the founder of the statutory structure of the new nation...
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...
governments between 1910 and 1913 and between 1914 and 1917.
Early life and career
Charles McDonald was born in North Melbourne, VictoriaNorth Melbourne, Victoria
North Melbourne is a large inner city suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 2 km north-west from Melbourne's central business district. It is bounded by the CityLink freeway to the west, Victoria Street to the south, O'Connell and Peel Streets to the east and Flemington Road to the north. Its...
in 1860. He lived a transient life as a child with his family living in four colonies. He was living in Mudgee, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, when he left school, becoming an apprentice printer. However, he later switched trades becoming a watchmaker.
Queensland Labor movement
McDonald was a watchmaker in Charters Towers in 1890 when he became the President of the Australian Labor Federation based in Brisbane. He played a leading role in the formation of the Australian Labor PartyAustralian 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 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...
.
He was elected in 1893 as Member for Flinders in the Queensland Legislative Assembly
Queensland Legislative Assembly
The Queensland Legislative Assembly is the unicameral chamber of the Parliament of Queensland. Elections are held approximately once every three years. Voting is by the Optional Preferential Voting form of the Alternative Vote system...
. McDonald became known for his mastery of the Standing Orders. He was a member of the Queensland Executive between 1898 and 1903.
Federal parliamentarian
In 1901, he successfully stood for the Division of KennedyDivision of Kennedy
The Division of Kennedy is an Australian Electoral Division in Queensland. The division was one of the original 75 divisions contested at the first federal election. The division is notable for its size, relative to other electoral divisions...
in the first election for 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....
after Federation. McDonald was known as "Fighting Charlie" for his vigorous campaigning style. In one campaign, he reportedly rode over 3,000 miles on bicycle on the rough roads of outback Queensland.
McDonald became Chairman of Committees between 1906 and 1910. He became the first Labor Speaker in 1910 as Andrew Fisher
Andrew Fisher
Andrew Fisher was an Australian politician who served as the fifth Prime Minister on three separate occasions. Fisher's 1910-13 Labor ministry completed a vast legislative programme which made him, along with Protectionist Alfred Deakin, the founder of the statutory structure of the new nation...
formed the first Labor majority Government. He served in that position until Labor was narrowly defeated in the 1913 Federal election. McDonald was a confirmed republican who abandoned the traditional Speakers wig and gown and removed the mace from the table.
The Liberal Government made an offer to McDonald to continue in the position but he declined due to the interests of the Labor Party.
The Liberal Prime Minister Joseph Cook
Joseph Cook
Sir Joseph Cook, GCMG was an Australian politician and the sixth Prime Minister of Australia. Born as Joseph Cooke and working in the coal mines of Silverdale, Staffordshire during his early life, he emigrated to Lithgow, New South Wales during the late 1880s, and became General-Secretary of the...
became frustrated by the Labor controlled Senate blocking his legislation and called for a double dissolution election. Labor won the election and McDonald became speaker again in 1914. He served as Speaker under the Australian Labor Party, National Labor Party, and Nationalist Party governments until the 1917 election
Australian federal election, 1917
Federal elections were held in Australia on 5 May 1917. All 75 seats in the House of Representatives, and 18 of the 36 seats in the Senate were up for election...
. During the parliamentary term, Labor split over the introduction of conscription in Australia
Conscription in Australia
Conscription in Australia, or mandatory military service also known as National Service, has a controversial history dating back to the first years of nationhood...
. After the election, McDonald served on the opposition backbench.
His health was failing in the mid-1920s despite a trip to the United Kingdom in 1923. He died of cerebro-vascular disease on the day before the 1925 election
Australian federal election, 1925
Federal elections were held in Australia on 14 November 1925. All 75 seats in the House of Representatives, and 22 of the 36 seats in the Senate were up for election...
, leading to his opponent Grosvenor Francis
Grosvenor Francis
Grosvenor Arundell Francis was an Australian politician. He was the Nationalist Party member for the House of Representatives seat of Kennedy from the 1925 election until his defeat by Darby Riordan at the 1929 election....
being declared elected unopposed.