David Hunter (politician)
Encyclopedia
David Benjamin Hunter was an Australia
n politician. He was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
from 1940 to 1976, representing three successive conservative parties - the United Australia Party
, Democratic Party, and Liberal Party
. He was the first blind member of the Parliament of New South Wales
, and held the seat of Croydon
and its successor seats of Ashfield-Croydon
and Ashfield
for a total of 36 years.
Hunter was born in Sydney
, and lost his sight at the age of six after contracting meningitis
. He was educated at the Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children
, and worked as an insurance broker before his election to parliament. He was actively involved in the United Australia Party
, serving on its central council from 1937 to 1937 and 1940 to 1942. His local member, former Premier Bertram Stevens, resigned to contest a federal seat in 1940, and Hunter won preselection to contest the subsequent by-election. He was easily elected, in doing so becoming the first blind person to be elected to the Parliament of New South Wales
.
Hunter was forceful from the beginning that his disability would not impact upon his performance as a member of parliament. He stated in his inaugural speech that he would "endeavour to make [fellow members] forget that there is a physical handicap under which [he laboured]", urged that he be treated as a "normal, ordinary citizen", and urged opposition members not to soften their responses to him out of sympathy. He did not use a walking stick or guide dog, and memorised his way around the corridors of Parliament. He made notes in Braille
, wrote his own correspondence, and could read Braille at a speed of more than 200 words per minute.
Hunter was active in advocating for the deaf and blind communities throughout his lifetime. He served as the vice-president of the Institute for Deaf and Blind Children and as honorary treasurer of the Blinded Servicemen's Club. He was responsible for legislation in 1944 which made the education of deaf and blind children compulsory; upon his death, a number of MLAs spoke of his efforts to ensure that the deaf and blind were treated as ordinary citizens. He was also concerned with issues of disadvantaged children, serving as chairman of the Society for Providing Homes for Neglected Children, and acting as a board member and frequent supporter of a nearby orphanage. Hunter was also a strong advocate for improved parliamentary services to allow members to better represent constituents. He campaigned for increased secretarial assistance, and as a member of the Library Committee for several decades, vigorously defended the independence of the Parliamentary Library.
Hunter was highly popular in his electorate, and won thirteen consecutive elections in Croydon and its successor electorates. He ran unopposed in 1950, and easily defeated fellow UAP MLA Richard Murden
in 1959 when their seats were merged in an electoral redistribution. He was only forced to preferences twice; at his last two elections, in 1971 and 1973, and took 52% of the vote at his closest re-election in 1971. He retired at the 1976 election
, where his seat of Ashfield was won by the Labor Party, remaining safely Labor thereafter until its abolition in 1999.
Hunter was made an Officer of the Order of British Empire (OBE) in 1975. He died in Sydney
in 1981.
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. He was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
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 1940 to 1976, representing three successive conservative parties - 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...
, Democratic Party, and Liberal Party
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...
. He was the first blind member of the Parliament of New South Wales
Parliament of New South Wales
The Parliament of New South Wales, located in Parliament House on Macquarie Street, Sydney, is the main legislative body in the Australian state of New South Wales . It is a bicameral parliament elected by the people of the state in general elections. The parliament shares law making powers with...
, and held the seat of Croydon
Electoral district of Croydon (New South Wales)
Croydon was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales, created in 1927, with the abolition of proportional representation from part of the multi-member electorate of Western Suburbs, and named after and including the Sydney suburb of Croydon...
and its successor seats of Ashfield-Croydon
Electoral district of Ashfield-Croydon
Ashfield-Croydon was an electoral district for the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales from 1959 to 1968, when it was replaced by Ashfield.-Members for Ashfield-Croydon:...
and Ashfield
Electoral district of Ashfield
Ashfield was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales, first created in 1894 with the abolition of multi-member electoral districts from part of Canterbury, and named after the Sydney suburb of Ashfield. It was abolished in 1920, with the...
for a total of 36 years.
Hunter was born in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, and lost his sight at the age of six after contracting meningitis
Meningitis
Meningitis is inflammation of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord, known collectively as the meninges. The inflammation may be caused by infection with viruses, bacteria, or other microorganisms, and less commonly by certain drugs...
. He was educated at the Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children
Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children
The Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children in Sydney provides a range of educational services for students with vision and/or hearing impairment, including specialist schools for signing deaf students, oral deaf students, and students with sensory and intellectual disabilities.RIDBC offers...
, and worked as an insurance broker before his election to parliament. He was actively involved in 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...
, serving on its central council from 1937 to 1937 and 1940 to 1942. His local member, former Premier Bertram Stevens, resigned to contest a federal seat in 1940, and Hunter won preselection to contest the subsequent by-election. He was easily elected, in doing so becoming the first blind person to be elected to the Parliament of New South Wales
Parliament of New South Wales
The Parliament of New South Wales, located in Parliament House on Macquarie Street, Sydney, is the main legislative body in the Australian state of New South Wales . It is a bicameral parliament elected by the people of the state in general elections. The parliament shares law making powers with...
.
Hunter was forceful from the beginning that his disability would not impact upon his performance as a member of parliament. He stated in his inaugural speech that he would "endeavour to make [fellow members] forget that there is a physical handicap under which [he laboured]", urged that he be treated as a "normal, ordinary citizen", and urged opposition members not to soften their responses to him out of sympathy. He did not use a walking stick or guide dog, and memorised his way around the corridors of Parliament. He made notes in Braille
Braille
The Braille system is a method that is widely used by blind people to read and write, and was the first digital form of writing.Braille was devised in 1825 by Louis Braille, a blind Frenchman. Each Braille character, or cell, is made up of six dot positions, arranged in a rectangle containing two...
, wrote his own correspondence, and could read Braille at a speed of more than 200 words per minute.
Hunter was active in advocating for the deaf and blind communities throughout his lifetime. He served as the vice-president of the Institute for Deaf and Blind Children and as honorary treasurer of the Blinded Servicemen's Club. He was responsible for legislation in 1944 which made the education of deaf and blind children compulsory; upon his death, a number of MLAs spoke of his efforts to ensure that the deaf and blind were treated as ordinary citizens. He was also concerned with issues of disadvantaged children, serving as chairman of the Society for Providing Homes for Neglected Children, and acting as a board member and frequent supporter of a nearby orphanage. Hunter was also a strong advocate for improved parliamentary services to allow members to better represent constituents. He campaigned for increased secretarial assistance, and as a member of the Library Committee for several decades, vigorously defended the independence of the Parliamentary Library.
Hunter was highly popular in his electorate, and won thirteen consecutive elections in Croydon and its successor electorates. He ran unopposed in 1950, and easily defeated fellow UAP MLA Richard Murden
Richard Murden
Richard William Murden was an Australian politician and a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for two terms from 1953 until 1959. He was a member of the Liberal Party of Australia....
in 1959 when their seats were merged in an electoral redistribution. He was only forced to preferences twice; at his last two elections, in 1971 and 1973, and took 52% of the vote at his closest re-election in 1971. He retired at the 1976 election
New South Wales state election, 1976
A general election for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly was held in the state of New South Wales, Australia, on Saturday 1 May 1976. The result was a narrow win for the Australian Labor Party under Neville Wran—the party's first in the state in more than a decade.- Issues :The incumbent...
, where his seat of Ashfield was won by the Labor Party, remaining safely Labor thereafter until its abolition in 1999.
Hunter was made an Officer of the Order of British Empire (OBE) in 1975. He died in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
in 1981.