Ron Withnall
Encyclopedia
Ronald John Withnall was an Australia
n politician and lawyer.
Withnall was born in Townsville
, Queensland
, but attended school at Canterbury High School in Sydney
. He studied law at the University of Sydney
and later moved to the Northern Territory
. He served as the Crown Law Officer for the Territory from 1954 to 1968, when he was elected to the Northern Territory Legislative Council
, the forerunner to the current Legislative Assembly
. In the same year, Withnall also became the inaugural President of the Law Society of the Northern Territory.
As a Member of the Legislative Council, Withnall made a name for himself as a fierce advocate of self-determination, and took part in the campaign which ultimately led to the creation of the Assembly in 1974. He ran as an independent in the first elections, and ultimately became one of only two non-Country Liberal Party
members (the other being fellow independent Dawn Lawrie
) in the first Assembly
. However, he was to only serve one term in the Assembly, and was replaced by the Country Liberal Party
's Tom Harris
.
Withnall died in late 1990, and several condolence motions were presented in the Assembly upon his death. Shane Stone
, in his introductory speech upon his election to the Port Darwin electorate in 1990, referred to Withnall as a "fearless and uncompromising advocate of self-government and statehood for the Territory". In 1994, then-Chief Minister
Marshall Perron
also praised Withnall's role in the Territory's achievement of self-governance. A 1976 interview with Withnall is on file at the National Library of Australia
.
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 and lawyer.
Withnall was born in Townsville
Townsville, Queensland
Townsville is a city on the north-eastern coast of Australia, in the state of Queensland. Adjacent to the central section of the Great Barrier Reef, it is in the dry tropics region of Queensland. Townsville is Australia's largest urban centre north of the Sunshine Coast, with a 2006 census...
, Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, but attended school at Canterbury High School 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...
. He studied law at the University of Sydney
University of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
and later moved to the Northern Territory
Northern Territory
The Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
. He served as the Crown Law Officer for the Territory from 1954 to 1968, when he was elected to the Northern Territory Legislative Council
Northern Territory Legislative Council
The Northern Territory Legislative Council was the partly elected governing body of the Northern Territory of Australia from 1947 until its replacement by the fully elected Northern Territory Legislative Assembly in 1974....
, the forerunner to the current Legislative Assembly
Northern Territory Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory is the unicameral parliament of the Northern Territory in Australia. It sits in Parliament House, located on State Square, close to the centre of the city of Darwin.-History:...
. In the same year, Withnall also became the inaugural President of the Law Society of the Northern Territory.
As a Member of the Legislative Council, Withnall made a name for himself as a fierce advocate of self-determination, and took part in the campaign which ultimately led to the creation of the Assembly in 1974. He ran as an independent in the first elections, and ultimately became one of only two non-Country Liberal Party
Country Liberal Party
The Northern Territory Country Liberal Party is a Northern Territory political party affiliated with both the National and Liberal parties...
members (the other being fellow independent Dawn Lawrie
Dawn Lawrie
Alline Dawn Lawrie is a former Australian politician. She was the Independent member for Nightcliff in the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly from 1974 to 1983; in the First Assembly, she and fellow independent Ron Withnall were the sole non-Country Liberal Party members...
) in the first Assembly
Members of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly, 1974-1977
This is a list of members of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly from 1974 to 1977. This first Assembly only had limited powers, as the Northern Territory was not granted self-government until 1978....
. However, he was to only serve one term in the Assembly, and was replaced by the Country Liberal Party
Country Liberal Party
The Northern Territory Country Liberal Party is a Northern Territory political party affiliated with both the National and Liberal parties...
's Tom Harris
Tom Harris (Australian politician)
Tom Harris is a former Australian politician. He was the Country Liberal Party member for Port Darwin in the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly from 1977 to 1990.-References:...
.
Withnall died in late 1990, and several condolence motions were presented in the Assembly upon his death. Shane Stone
Shane Stone
Shane Leslie Stone AC, QC is an Australian political figure. From 26 May 1995 to 8 February 1999 he was Chief Minister of the Northern Territory, representing the Country Liberal Party.-Biography:Stone was born in Bendigo, Victoria...
, in his introductory speech upon his election to the Port Darwin electorate in 1990, referred to Withnall as a "fearless and uncompromising advocate of self-government and statehood for the Territory". In 1994, then-Chief Minister
Chief Minister of the Northern Territory
The Chief Minister of the Northern Territory is appointed by the Administrator, who in normal circumstances will appoint the head of whatever party holds the majority of seats in the legislature of the territory...
Marshall Perron
Marshall Perron
Marshall Bruce Perron is a former Australian politician, who was a Country Liberal Party member of the Legislative Assembly in the Northern Territory from the formation of the Assembly in 1974 until his resignation in 1995. From 1988 to 1995, Perron was the Chief Minister of the Northern...
also praised Withnall's role in the Territory's achievement of self-governance. A 1976 interview with Withnall is on file at the National Library of Australia
National Library of Australia
The National Library of Australia is the largest reference library of Australia, responsible under the terms of the National Library Act for "maintaining and developing a national collection of library material, including a comprehensive collection of library material relating to Australia and the...
.