Ernest Buttenshaw
Encyclopedia
Ernest Albert Buttenshaw (23 May 187626 June 1950) was an Australian politician and member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
from 1917 until 1932. He was a member of the Nationalist Party of Australia
until 1920, when he helped to establish the Progressive Party
. After 1925 he was a member of its successor, the Country Party
. He was the party leader between 1925 and 1932 and held a number of government ministries.
Buttenshaw was born in Young, New South Wales
. His father, was a blacksmith and he was educated to elementary level at Young Superior School. He initially worked as a delivery boy for the Post Office and later became a farmer. He was active in farmer's political groups and was the Shire President
of Bland Shire in 1914-1918.
Buttenshaw was elected as the Nationalist member for Lachlan
at the 1917 NSW state election. With the introduction of proportional representation in multi-member seats he became the member for Murrumbidgee
between 1920 and 1927. When single member electorates were restored in 1927, he again became the member for Lachlan until his retirement in 1938. With Michael Bruxner
he was one of the 'true blue' progressives who refused to support a coalition government with George Fuller's
Nationalists. Bruxner's faction became the Country Party with Bruxner as the leader and Buttenshaw the deputy leader. Bruxner resigned the leadership for family reasons in late 1925 and was succeeded by Buttenshaw. After the 1927 election of the Nationalist/Country Party coalition government led by Thomas Bavin, Buttenshaw became the Minister for Railways
(1927-1929) and Minister for Public Works (1927-1930). He was the Acting Premier
while Bavin was on a loan raising trip to the United Kingdom between April and August 1929. In 1932, Buttenshaw stood down in favour of Bruxner and became deputy leader again. He held the position of Minister for Lands in the government of Bertram Stevens. Buttenshaw retired at the 1938 election
and died in Sydney in 1950. He was a keen tennis player and coached Harry Hopman
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 1917 until 1932. He was a member of 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...
until 1920, when he helped to establish the Progressive Party
Progressive Party (1920)
The Progressive Party was a New South Wales political party that operated between 1920 and 1927, achieving representation in the Legislative Assembly due to proportional representation. The party attracted support from conservative voters in both rural and urban NSW. As a result, its policies were...
. After 1925 he was a member of its successor, 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...
. He was the party leader between 1925 and 1932 and held a number of government ministries.
Buttenshaw was born in Young, New South Wales
Young, New South Wales
-Demographics:On census night, 7 August 2001, there were 6,821 people counted in Young. There were 238 people who identified as being of Indigenous origin in the 2001 Census...
. His father, was a blacksmith and he was educated to elementary level at Young Superior School. He initially worked as a delivery boy for the Post Office and later became a farmer. He was active in farmer's political groups and was the Shire President
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Bland Shire in 1914-1918.
Buttenshaw was elected as the Nationalist member for Lachlan
Electoral district of Lachlan
Lachlan was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. During the first two Parliaments , there was an electorate in the same area called Lachlan and Lower Darling, named after the Lachlan and Darling Rivers. Lachlan was created in 1859 and...
at the 1917 NSW state election. With the introduction of proportional representation in multi-member seats he became the member for Murrumbidgee
Electoral district of Murrumbidgee
Murrumbidgee is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales, named after the Murrumbidgee River. It is represented by Adrian Piccoli of the National Party of Australia....
between 1920 and 1927. When single member electorates were restored in 1927, he again became the member for Lachlan until his retirement in 1938. With Michael Bruxner
Michael Bruxner
Lieutenant Colonel Sir Michael Frederick Bruxner KBE, DSO, JP was an Australian politician and soldier, serving for many years as Leader of the Country Party and its predecessors...
he was one of the 'true blue' progressives who refused to support a coalition government with George Fuller's
George Fuller (Australian politician)
Sir George Warburton Fuller KCMG was Premier of New South Wales, Australia on two occasions during the 1920s. His first term of office lasted less than one day ; his second lasted from 13 April 1922 to 17 June 1925.-Early life:Fuller was born in Kiama, New South Wales and was educated at Kiama...
Nationalists. Bruxner's faction became the Country Party with Bruxner as the leader and Buttenshaw the deputy leader. Bruxner resigned the leadership for family reasons in late 1925 and was succeeded by Buttenshaw. After the 1927 election of the Nationalist/Country Party coalition government led by Thomas Bavin, Buttenshaw became the Minister for Railways
Rail Corporation New South Wales
Rail Corporation New South Wales is a statutory authority of the New South Wales government. RailCorp owns, operates and maintains the Sydney suburban and interurban rail network which is marketed under the CityRail brand; in addition to operating rural passenger services under the CountryLink...
(1927-1929) and Minister for Public Works (1927-1930). He was the Acting Premier
Premiers of New South Wales
The Premier of New South Wales is the head of government in the state of New South Wales, Australia. The Government of New South Wales follows the Westminster system, with a Parliament of New South Wales acting as the legislature...
while Bavin was on a loan raising trip to the United Kingdom between April and August 1929. In 1932, Buttenshaw stood down in favour of Bruxner and became deputy leader again. He held the position of Minister for Lands in the government of Bertram Stevens. Buttenshaw retired at the 1938 election
New South Wales state election, 1938
The 1938 New South Wales state election was held on 26 March 1938. This election was for all of the 90 seats in the 32nd New South Wales Legislative Assembly and was conducted in single member constituencies with compulsory preferential voting....
and died in Sydney in 1950. He was a keen tennis player and coached Harry Hopman
Harry Hopman
Henry Christian Hopman, CBE was a world-acclaimed Australian-American tennis player and coach, born in Glebe, Sydney, New South Wales, and soon moving to Parramatta, a city adjoining Sydney and now effectively a suburb of the metropolis.Hopman was a student at Rosehill Public Primary school...