Jens Jensen
Encyclopedia
Jens August Jensen was an Australian politician and Minister for the Navy
.
Jensen was born in Ballarat, Victoria
and educated at Ballarat, leaving school at 11. He became a rabbit-hawker and miner at Beaconsfield, Tasmania
. In July 1885 he married Elizabeth Frances Broadhurst; she died in 1894 leaving him with a son and four daughters. He remarried Bertha Hopton in August 1896 and became a successful publican.
as an independent and was re-elected as a Labor
candidate for George Town in 1906 and Wilmot
1909 and was Chief Secretary in a Labor government for eight days in October 1909.
In February 1910 he resigned from the House of Assembly and won the seat of Bass
in the House of Representatives
at the April 1910 election
. He served as an Assistant Minister and then in July 1915 he became the first Minister for the Navy
in the Fisher
and Hughes
governments. When a group of more conservative ALP members under Billy Hughes broke away in 1917 over conscription issues to form the Nationalist Party of Australia
, Jensen joined them. Hughes retained government after the split, and Jensen was appointed Minister for Trade and Customs
. In 1918, Jensen was investigated by the Royal Commission on Navy and Defence Administration. When the Commission found against him, he was forced to resign from the ministry. He subsequently lost his endorsement to contest his seat at the 1919 election
. Though he attempted to contest the seat as an independent, he was defeated by the endorsed Nationalist candidate, David Jackson
.
Jensen subsequently shifted to state politics, elected to the Tasmanian House of Assembly
seat of Bass
in 1922. After losing his seat in 1925, he rejoined the ALP in 1927, and was elected to the state division Wilmot, holding it until 1934.
Jensen at times treated his wife violently and for the last 37 years of his life kept his cousin, Maggie Jane Gilbert as his mistress and gave her almost all of his wealth. He died of a stroke in the Melbourne suburb of South Caulfield, Victoria, survived by his wife and their son and daughter. He left no money to them or the children of his first marriage.
Minister for Defence (Australia)
The Minister for Defence of Australia administers his portfolio through the Australian Defence Organisation, which comprises the Department of Defence and the Australian Defence Force. Stephen Smith is the current Minister.-Ministers for Defence:...
.
Jensen was born in Ballarat, Victoria
Ballarat, Victoria
Ballarat is a city in the state of Victoria, Australia, approximately west-north-west of the state capital Melbourne situated on the lower plains of the Great Dividing Range and the Yarrowee River catchment. It is the largest inland centre and third most populous city in the state and the fifth...
and educated at Ballarat, leaving school at 11. He became a rabbit-hawker and miner at Beaconsfield, Tasmania
Beaconsfield, Tasmania
Beaconsfield is a town near the Tamar River, in the north-east of Tasmania, Australia. It lies 40 kilometres north of Launceston on the West Tamar Highway. It is part of the Municipality of West Tamar...
. In July 1885 he married Elizabeth Frances Broadhurst; she died in 1894 leaving him with a son and four daughters. He remarried Bertha Hopton in August 1896 and became a successful publican.
Political career
In 1903 Jensen was elected as the member for George Town in the Tasmanian House of AssemblyTasmanian House of Assembly
The House of Assembly, or Lower House, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of Tasmania in Australia. The other is the Legislative Council or Upper House...
as an independent and was re-elected as a 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...
candidate for George Town in 1906 and Wilmot
Division of Lyons (state)
The Electoral Division of Lyons, Tasmania is one of the 5 electorates in the Tasmanian House of Assembly, the lower house. The division is named after Joseph Lyons, Prime Minister of Australia 1931–39, Premier of Tasmania from 1923–1928 and his wife Dame Enid Lyons, the first woman elected to the...
1909 and was Chief Secretary in a Labor government for eight days in October 1909.
In February 1910 he resigned from the House of Assembly and won the seat of Bass
Division of Bass
The Division of Bass is an Australian Electoral Division in Tasmania. The division was created in 1903 and is named for the explorer George Bass. It has always been based on the city of Launceston and surrounding rural areas, and its boundaries have changed very little in the century since its...
in the 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....
at the April 1910 election
Australian federal election, 1910
Federal elections were held in Australia on 13 April 1910. All 75 seats in the House of Representatives, and 18 of the 36 seats in the Senate were up for election...
. He served as an Assistant Minister and then in July 1915 he became the first Minister for the Navy
Minister for Defence (Australia)
The Minister for Defence of Australia administers his portfolio through the Australian Defence Organisation, which comprises the Department of Defence and the Australian Defence Force. Stephen Smith is the current Minister.-Ministers for Defence:...
in the 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...
and Hughes
Billy Hughes
William Morris "Billy" Hughes, CH, KC, MHR , Australian politician, was the seventh Prime Minister of Australia from 1915 to 1923....
governments. When a group of more conservative ALP members under Billy Hughes broke away in 1917 over conscription issues to form 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...
, Jensen joined them. Hughes retained government after the split, and Jensen was appointed Minister for Trade and Customs
Minister for Trade (Australia)
The Australian Minister for Trade has been Dr. Craig Emerson since 14 September 2010.-Portfolio:Currently the Minister for Trade administers the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade jointly with the Minister for Foreign Affairs, although prior to 1987 there was a separate Department of Trade...
. In 1918, Jensen was investigated by the Royal Commission on Navy and Defence Administration. When the Commission found against him, he was forced to resign from the ministry. He subsequently lost his endorsement to contest his seat at the 1919 election
Australian federal election, 1919
Federal elections were held in Australia on 13 December 1919. All 75 seats in the House of Representatives, and 19 of the 36 seats in the Senate were up for election. The incumbent Nationalist Party of Australia led by Prime Minister of Australia Billy Hughes defeated the opposition Australian...
. Though he attempted to contest the seat as an independent, he was defeated by the endorsed Nationalist candidate, David Jackson
David Jackson (Australian politician)
David Sydney Jackson was an Australian politician. Born in Launceston, Tasmania, he was educated at state schools before becoming a manufacturing locksmith. He also served as President of the Tasmanian Chamber of Manufacturers...
.
Jensen subsequently shifted to state politics, elected to the Tasmanian House of Assembly
Tasmanian House of Assembly
The House of Assembly, or Lower House, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of Tasmania in Australia. The other is the Legislative Council or Upper House...
seat of Bass
Division of Bass (state)
The Electoral Division of Bass is one of the 5 electorates in the Tasmanian House of Assembly, or lower house; it takes its name from the British Naval Surgeon and Explorer of Australia: George Bass. The division shares its name and boundaries with the federal division of Bass...
in 1922. After losing his seat in 1925, he rejoined the ALP in 1927, and was elected to the state division Wilmot, holding it until 1934.
Jensen at times treated his wife violently and for the last 37 years of his life kept his cousin, Maggie Jane Gilbert as his mistress and gave her almost all of his wealth. He died of a stroke in the Melbourne suburb of South Caulfield, Victoria, survived by his wife and their son and daughter. He left no money to them or the children of his first marriage.