Len King (politician)
Encyclopedia
Leonard James King, AC
, QC
(1 May 1925 – 23 June 2011) was an Australian politician, lawyer and judge.
member of the South Australian House of Assembly
between 1970 and 1975, representing the eastern suburbs electorate of Coles
. King was appointed to various ministerial portfolios in his career, including Aboriginal Affairs, Social Welfare, Community Welfare, and Prices & Consumer Affairs. In modern South Australian history, he is one of the few newly elected members of Parliament that have been appointed straight to a Cabinet position without any previous parliamentary experience.
government, from 1970 until 1975.
from 20 June 1975 until his promotion to Chief Justice on 30 October 1978. He retired on the 28th of April 1995. King now works as a part-time mediator and sometimes as an Acting Justice of the Supreme Court of South Australia.
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
, QC
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
(1 May 1925 – 23 June 2011) was an Australian politician, lawyer and judge.
Political career
King was an 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...
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 :...
between 1970 and 1975, representing the eastern suburbs electorate of Coles
Electoral district of Coles
Coles was an electoral district of the House of Assembly in the Australian state of South Australia from 1970 to 2002. The district was based in the eastern suburbs of Adelaide....
. King was appointed to various ministerial portfolios in his career, including Aboriginal Affairs, Social Welfare, Community Welfare, and Prices & Consumer Affairs. In modern South Australian history, he is one of the few newly elected members of Parliament that have been appointed straight to a Cabinet position without any previous parliamentary experience.
Legal career
King was the Attorney-General during the reformist Don DunstanDon Dunstan
Donald Allan "Don" Dunstan, AC, QC was a South Australian politician. He entered politics as the Member for Norwood in 1953, became state Labor leader in 1967, and was Premier of South Australia between June 1967 and April 1968, and again between June 1970 and February 1979.The son of a business...
government, from 1970 until 1975.
Judicial career
King was a puisne justice of the Supreme Court of South AustraliaSupreme Court of South Australia
The Supreme Court of South Australia is the superior court for the Australian State of South Australia. It has unlimited jurisdiction within the state in civil matters, and hears the most serious criminal matters. The Supreme Court is the highest South Australian court in the Australian court...
from 20 June 1975 until his promotion to Chief Justice on 30 October 1978. He retired on the 28th of April 1995. King now works as a part-time mediator and sometimes as an Acting Justice of the Supreme Court of South Australia.