George Laffer
Encyclopedia
George Richards Laffer was an Australia
n politician. He was member of the South Australian House of Assembly
from 1913 until 1933, representing the electorate of Alexandra
for the Liberal Union
, and its successors the Liberal Federation
and Liberal and Country League
. He was a minister in the Barwell
government, and was Speaker
from 1927 until 1930.
Laffer was born at Coromandel Valley
into a fruit-growing family, his father having emigrated from Cornwall
in 1840. He continued in the family business, and was actively involved in agricultural organisations, serving as a founder of the South Australian Fruitgrowers' Association, life member of the Agricultural Bureau, and as chairman of the Advisory Board of Agriculture. He served nine years on the Mitcham District Council
, including four years as chairman.
Laffer was elected to the House of Assembly for Alexandra
on his third attempt in 1913. He was chairman of committees from 1918 to 1920, and was promoted to the ministry when Henry Barwell
became Premier, serving as Commissioner of Crown Lands and Immigration and Minister for Repatriation until the government's defeat in 1924. Laffer was appointed Speaker after the Liberal Federation, in coalition with the Country Party, won the election of 1927
under Richard Layton Butler
, serving until their defeat in 1930. He was a member of a Royal Commission into illegal betting and the licensing of bookmakers from 1932 until 1933. He died suddenly in office in 1933, and received a state funeral before being buried at Mitcham Anglican Cemetery.
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 member of the South Australian House of Assembly
South Australian House of Assembly
The House of Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of South Australia. The other is the Legislative Council. It sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Adelaide.- Overview :...
from 1913 until 1933, representing the electorate of Alexandra
Electoral district of Alexandra
Alexandra was an electoral district of the House of Assembly in the Australian state of South Australia from 1902 to 1992. The district included the Fleurieu Peninsula, to the south of Adelaide.Alexandra was renamed Finniss at the 1993 state election....
for the Liberal Union
Liberal Union (Australia)
The Liberal Union was a political party resulting from a merger between the Liberal and Democratic Union and the conservatives in South Australia. It lasted from 1910 to 1922 when it became the Liberal Federation....
, and its successors the Liberal Federation
Liberal Federation
The Liberal Federation was a liberal conservative South Australian political party from 1922 to 1932. It stemmed from the Liberal Union's Henry Barwell. Richard Layton Butler was also premier during the party's time. It was a predecessor to the Liberal and Country League....
and Liberal and Country League
Liberal and Country League
The Liberal and Country League was a major political party in South Australia throughout its forty year existence. Thirty-four years were spent in government, in part due to the electoral malapportionment known as the Playmander, introduced after coming to power.Created on 9 June 1932 as the...
. He was a minister in the Barwell
Henry Barwell
Sir Henry Newman Barwell KCMG was the 28th Premier of South Australia.Born in Adelaide, South Australia, Barwell was educated at St Peter's College and Adelaide University, graduating in law...
government, and was Speaker
Speaker of the South Australian House of Assembly
The Speaker of the South Australian House of Assembly is the presiding officer of the South Australian House of Assembly, the lower house of the Parliament of South Australia...
from 1927 until 1930.
Laffer was born at Coromandel Valley
Coromandel Valley, South Australia
Coromandel Valley is a south-eastern suburb of Adelaide, South Australia. Part is in the City of Mitcham and the City of Onkaparinga with the Sturt River being the boundary between the two council areas....
into a fruit-growing family, his father having emigrated from Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
in 1840. He continued in the family business, and was actively involved in agricultural organisations, serving as a founder of the South Australian Fruitgrowers' Association, life member of the Agricultural Bureau, and as chairman of the Advisory Board of Agriculture. He served nine years on the Mitcham District Council
City of Mitcham
The City of Mitcham is a Local Government Area situated in the foothills of eastern Adelaide, South Australia. Within its bounds is Flinders University, South Australia's third largest....
, including four years as chairman.
Laffer was elected to the House of Assembly for Alexandra
Electoral district of Alexandra
Alexandra was an electoral district of the House of Assembly in the Australian state of South Australia from 1902 to 1992. The district included the Fleurieu Peninsula, to the south of Adelaide.Alexandra was renamed Finniss at the 1993 state election....
on his third attempt in 1913. He was chairman of committees from 1918 to 1920, and was promoted to the ministry when Henry Barwell
Henry Barwell
Sir Henry Newman Barwell KCMG was the 28th Premier of South Australia.Born in Adelaide, South Australia, Barwell was educated at St Peter's College and Adelaide University, graduating in law...
became Premier, serving as Commissioner of Crown Lands and Immigration and Minister for Repatriation until the government's defeat in 1924. Laffer was appointed Speaker after the Liberal Federation, in coalition with the Country Party, won the election of 1927
South Australian state election, 1927
State elections were held in Australia on 26 March 1927. All 46 seats in the South Australian House of Assembly were up for election. The incumbent Australian Labor Party government led by Premier of South Australia Lionel Hill was defeated by the opposition Liberal Federation led by Leader of the...
under Richard Layton Butler
Richard Layton Butler
Sir Richard Layton Butler KCMG was the 31st Premier of South Australia, serving two disjunct terms in office: from 1927 to 1930, and again from 1933 to 1938....
, serving until their defeat in 1930. He was a member of a Royal Commission into illegal betting and the licensing of bookmakers from 1932 until 1933. He died suddenly in office in 1933, and received a state funeral before being buried at Mitcham Anglican Cemetery.