Vernon Treatt
Encyclopedia
Sir Vernon Haddon Treatt KBE, MM
, QC
(15 May 189720 September 1984) was an Australian lawyer, soldier, Rhodes Scholar and politician. Born in Singleton, New South Wales and educated at Shore School
, Treatt interrupted his studies at the University of Sydney
to enlist at the outbreak of the First World War. Serving in the Royal Australian Artillery, Treatt served in France and was awarded the Military Medal
. Upon returning to Australia he was awarded a Rhodes scholarship
and further educated at New College, Oxford
.
After briefly practicing law in 1923 in Britain, Treatt returned to Australia and was admitted to the New South Wales bar that same year, serving as a Crown Prosecutor
at the supreme court. Treatt also was the Challis law lecturer at the University of Sydney. Treatt entered the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
on 26 March 1938, representing the Electoral district of Woollahra
for the United Australia Party
(UAP). When UAP Premier Bertram Stevens was ousted from the leadership in August 1939 and Alexander Mair
became Premier, Mair appointed Treatt, after serving only a few months in Parliament, as the Minister for Justice
. He served in this office until the UAP lost power in 1941.
During this time Treatt witnessed the breakup of the UAP into the various parties including the Democratic Party, which he joined, and then the establishment of the Liberal Party of Australia
as the major conservative political force in Australia in 1945. When the second leader of the party, Alexander Mair, resigned in March 1946, Treatt was elected to succeed him. As the third leader of the new party, Treatt became the first leader to contest an election. After serving eight years and almost winning government at the 1950 election
, Treatt resigned as Leader in August 1954 following a July attempt to depose him. He continued as a member of parliament until he retired in 1962 and thereafter served in various organisations and posts, including as a Chief Commissioner of the City of Sydney
in 1969, until his death in 1984.
, in 1897, the youngest son of Frank Burford Treatt (1845-1923), a Police Magistrate and migrant from Devon
, England
, and Kate Ellen Walsh (1856-1936), and was first educated at Young District School. When the Treatts moved to Sydney, he attended the Sydney Church of England Grammar School
from 1913 to 1914, becoming a Prefect and Cadet Lieutenant. Treatt then took up residence in 1915 at St. Paul's College
while studying for a Bachelor of Arts
(BA) at the University of Sydney
. During the First World War in 1916, Treatt interrupted his studies and enlisted as a Gunner in the Royal Australian Artillery, 6th Field Artillery Battery. He was sent over on 5 November 1917 to the Western Front
and was later promoted to Sergeant. For his service he received the Military Medal
on 14 May 1919.
Upon returning from the military he completed his studies in 1920 and was awarded a Rhodes scholarship
in the same year, at New College, Oxford
. At Oxford, Treatt gained a Master of Arts
and a Bachelor of Civil Law
in 1923 and was briefly admitted to the Bar at Lincoln's Inn
in that year. When he returned to Australia, Treatt was appointed to the New South Wales Bar and also as the Sub Warden of St Paul's College, University of Sydney from 1925 to 1930. In 1927, he played first grade Rugby Union for the Drummoyne DRFC
. He married Dorothy Isabelle Henderson (1902-1992) on 5 June 1930 and had four children: George Vernon, John Vernon (1930-1935), Rosemary Vernon (1930-1944), and Diana Vernon.
In 1927, Treatt was given the position of Challis lecturer in criminal law at the University of Sydney, a position he was to hold until 1959. One of his students was the future Justice of the High Court of Australia
, Michael Kirby
. In March 1928, Treatt was appointed and served as a Crown Prosecutor
for the Supreme Court of New South Wales
and the Court of Quarter sessions for the metropolitan district.
as an Independent Nationalist
candidate for the Legislative Assembly
seat of Willoughby
. He narrowly lost on a margin of 49.47%. After several years Treatt tried again to enter parliament at the 26 March 1938 state election
as the United Australia Party
candidate for the seat of Woollahra
. On this occasion he was successful, gaining 53.62% of the vote.
in the government of Alexander Mair
, who had become Premier after Bertram Stevens was defeated in a motion of no confidence in the house. In 1940, he was made a King's Counsel (KC).
As Minister for Justice, Treatt generated controversy when it was alleged that he had acted to reduce a fine imposed on the Abbco Bread Company who had sold short-weight bread to the Department of Defence. It resulted in a Royal Commission
in the matter from March to August 1941, chaired by Justice Maxwell, after a censure motion introduced by Labor Leader William McKell
was defeated. He was removed of any suspicion in the findings with the Royal Commissioner finding that: "There is no evidence, nor any thing even remotely to suggest that the Minister was guilty of any misconduct or irregularity either in the conclusion reached by him, and fully shared by the permanent head of his department, that the fine was too severe or in the manner of his dealing with the company's application. From start to finish I can discover nothing suggesting any irregularity in any action by the Minister."
when the Mair Government was defeated in a landslide defeat, losing 20 seats. Despite this, Treatt retained his seat with a significant margin increase of 67.68%. With the very poor results of the federal United Australia Party under Billy Hughes
at the 1943 Federal election
, the UAP disintegrated. A large number of former UAP members, including Treatt, then formed the Democratic Party in New South Wales, led by Alexander Mair, while others moved into the Commonwealth Party
and the Liberal Democratic Party. The Democratic Party then merged with the Commonwealth Party in January 1944. Mair resigned in 1944 to be replaced by Reginald Weaver
, who then led the hopelessly divided conservative forces to defeat at the 27 May 1944 election
, losing another three seats. Treatt retained his seat with 50.50%.
In 1945, the divided conservative parties formed together to form the Liberal Party of Australia
, which Treatt then joined. Party Leader Weaver died in office in November 1945 and was succeeded by Mair, with Treatt succeeding Athol Richardson
as Deputy Leader. After five months as Leader, Mair resigned in March 1946 and Treatt was then elected to succeed him as Liberal Party Leader and hence, Leader of the Opposition
.
on 3 May 1947, Treatt's Liberals and Michael Bruxner
's Country Party failed to defeat the Labor Government, now under new Premier James McGirr
, despite an overall swing of 4.5% and a gain of seven seats. Treatt retained his seat with an increased 69.75%.
As opposition leader, Treatt proved effective in attacking the shortcomings of the McGirr's Labor Government and in the Labor Party on a national level, particularly in areas of economics: "Because of the inflationary pressure, which is largely a result of the Socialists' own low production policy, continuation of subsidies is necessary on basic everyday goods..." and utilities: "The public is sick of seeing Ministers hunting up alibis, shifting about from one explanation to another and washing their hands of responsibility for powershortages on some flimsy pretext." In matters of ideology, Treatt supported Federal Liberal Leader Robert Menzies
in his virulent opposition to communism, particularly from the Soviet Union, China and Korea
. After returning from the Empire Parliamentary Conference in London in December 1948, Treatt declared "The Communists are on the move throughout the world. Australians must sit up and take just as much notice of what is happening across our narrow northern waters...It is of outstanding importance to Australia that the Western Powers' should secure some uniform policy to combat the Communist Asian menace."
Treatt led the Coalition again at the 17 June 1950 election
, which resulted in a hung parliament
, with Treatt's Coalition gaining 12 seats and a swing of 6.7% for a total of 46 seats. With the Labor Party also holding 46 seats, the balance of power lay with the two re-elected Independent Labor members, James Geraghty
and John Seiffert
, who had been expelled from the party for disloyalty during the previous parliament. Under a legalistic interpretation of the ALP rules, Seiffert was readmitted to the party and, together with the support of Geraghty, McGirr and Labor were able to stay in power. On 20 June, Treatt declared that he and his party would not make any concessions or compromises to the Labor Party, particularly in regards to the election of a speaker. Treatt retained his seat with 76.09%.
In his third term as Leader, Treatt criticised government cuts in transport services, but supported reductions in death duty taxes. At a Remembrance Day
address in 1952, Treatt criticised radical student politics embodied by the "long-haired intellectual types": "My belief in the value of university life and in higher education generally is a strong and abiding one...the sort of long-haired type I am thinking about may not even have a university degree. He is encased in self satisfied assurance of his own mental superiority." In his speech at the Lyceum Hall, Treatt warned of Australia's attitudes on its success: "A sort of mental haze seems to obscure the vision splendid that lies before this country. We are proud of being a British country, a country with British traditions, institutions, and all those things which go to make up what we call our 'British heritage. But this pride is not matched by a pride in being Australian. This seems to me one of the strongest sources of our weakness."
The near loss of the election by Labor further weakened McGirr's position and he was replaced as premier by Joseph Cahill
in April 1952.
Cahill had won popular support as a vigorous and impressive minister who had resolved problems with New South Wales' electricity supply and in his first 10 months as premier had reinvigorated the party. He appeared decisive and brought order to the government's chaotic public works program. In addition, he attacked the increasingly unpopular federal Coalition government of Robert Menzies
. All this contributed to Treatt's Coalition being defeated at the 14 February 1953 election
, with a total loss of ten seats and a swing against them of 7.2%. Treatt retained his seat with 67.61%. On 3 February 1954, Treatt received, along with Premier Cahill, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, at Farm Cove, Sydney
, at the beginning of her first visit to Australia and the first occasion on which a reigning monarch had set foot on Australian soil. He was also present the next day on 4 February when Her Majesty opened the Parliament of New South Wales
, the first time a monarch had opened an Australian parliament.
With confidence in his leadership demolished, Treatt's Liberal Party descended into factional in-fighting culminating in the resignation of Deputy Leader Walter Howarth
on the 22 July 1954, who publicly announced it on 4 July citing that he felt that Treatt doubted his loyalty. He was replaced by Party Whip Robert Askin
. The resignation split the party and sparked a leadership challenge from Pat Morton
, who criticised his "lack of aggression" towards the Labor Government. At the party meeting on 6 July, Treatt narrowly defeated Morton with 12 votes to 10.
With party support eroded, Treatt did not remain long as leader afterwards. On Friday 6 August 1954, Treatt announced that he would resign as leader on 10 August: "Following the unsuccessful challenge for the Parliamentary leadership, it was expected that there would be an end to activities so damaging to the party's morale and effectiveness. Unfortunately these activities have continued. The responsibilities of a political leader, particularly at the present time in New South Wales, are very heavy, and a leader giving of his best is infilled to receive the fullest support from every member of the party. This support has not been forthcoming, and without it the burdens on health and effectiveness would prove too much for any man." At the following party meeting, after a deadlocked vote between Askin and Morton, Askin asked Murray Robson to nominate and subsequently he was elected to succeed Treatt. On 17 June 1955, Queen Elizabeth II granted him retention of the title "The Honourable
" for life, for having served as Leader of the Opposition and the Executive Council of New South Wales
.
, while Treatt increased his majority to 70.84%. Morton
contested the next election in March 1959
, which resulted in another defeat with Cahill winning his final term in office. Treatt retained his seat uncontested. Divorcing his first wife, Treatt remarried to Frankie Wilson on 16 May 1960.
Treatt stayed in Parliament until his seat was abolished before the upcoming election in 1962, at which point he stood for the new seat of Bligh
. At the 1962 election
, Treatt was defeated by the Labor candidate, Tom Morey
, gaining only 45.29% of the vote. Treatt then joined local government circles, becoming Chair of the Boundaries Commission from 1964 to 1969 and was later appointed as the Chief Commissioner for the dismissed City of Sydney
from 1967 to 1969, organising the redistribution of council boundaries and reorganisation of council agencies. He also served as the President of the Sydney Cricket
and Sports Ground
Trust from 1965 to 1967. For his service as Chief Commissioner, he was Knighted as a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) in 1970.Citation: Chief Commissioner for Sydney Treatt died on 20 September 1984 in Sydney, New South Wales.
Military Medal
The Military Medal was a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Army and other services, and formerly also to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for bravery in battle on land....
, 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...
(15 May 189720 September 1984) was an Australian lawyer, soldier, Rhodes Scholar and politician. Born in Singleton, New South Wales and educated at Shore School
Sydney Church of England Grammar School
Sydney Church of England Grammar School is an independent, Anglican, day and boarding school for boys, located in North Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
, Treatt interrupted his studies 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...
to enlist at the outbreak of the First World War. Serving in the Royal Australian Artillery, Treatt served in France and was awarded the Military Medal
Military Medal
The Military Medal was a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Army and other services, and formerly also to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for bravery in battle on land....
. Upon returning to Australia he was awarded a Rhodes scholarship
Rhodes Scholarship
The Rhodes Scholarship, named after Cecil Rhodes, is an international postgraduate award for study at the University of Oxford. It was the first large-scale programme of international scholarships, and is widely considered the "world's most prestigious scholarship" by many public sources such as...
and further educated at New College, Oxford
New College, Oxford
New College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.- Overview :The College's official name, College of St Mary, is the same as that of the older Oriel College; hence, it has been referred to as the "New College of St Mary", and is now almost always...
.
After briefly practicing law in 1923 in Britain, Treatt returned to Australia and was admitted to the New South Wales bar that same year, serving as a Crown Prosecutor
Crown Prosecutor
Crown Prosecutors are the public prosecutors in the legal system of Australia.Crown Prosecutors represent the Crown in right of the Commonwealth and in right of each State or Territory in criminal proceedings. Crown Prosecutors are appointed not elected and not public servants; they are private...
at the supreme court. Treatt also was the Challis law lecturer at the University of Sydney. Treatt entered the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
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...
on 26 March 1938, representing the Electoral district of Woollahra
Electoral district of Woollahra
Woollahra was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales, originally created with the abolition of multi-member constituencies in 1894 from part of Paddington, along with Waverley and Randwick. It was named after and including the Sydney suburb of...
for the United Australia Party
United Australia Party
The United Australia Party was an Australian political party that was founded in 1931 and dissolved in 1945. It was the political successor to the Nationalist Party of Australia and predecessor to the Liberal Party of Australia...
(UAP). When UAP Premier Bertram Stevens was ousted from the leadership in August 1939 and Alexander Mair
Alexander Mair
Alexander Mair was an Australian politician and served as the Premier of New South Wales from 5 August 1939 to 16 May 1941. Born in Melbourne, working in various businesses, Mair moved to Albury, New South Wales and went on to be a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for fourteen...
became Premier, Mair appointed Treatt, after serving only a few months in Parliament, as the Minister for Justice
Minister for Justice (New South Wales)
The New South Wales Minister for Justice is The Honourable Greg Smith SC MP. The position supports the Attorney General and is typically held concurrently with that office....
. He served in this office until the UAP lost power in 1941.
During this time Treatt witnessed the breakup of the UAP into the various parties including the Democratic Party, which he joined, and then the establishment of the Liberal Party of Australia
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
as the major conservative political force in Australia in 1945. When the second leader of the party, Alexander Mair, resigned in March 1946, Treatt was elected to succeed him. As the third leader of the new party, Treatt became the first leader to contest an election. After serving eight years and almost winning government at the 1950 election
New South Wales state election, 1950
The 1950 New South Wales State state election was held on 17 June 1950. It was conducted in single member constituencies with compulsory preferential voting and was held on boundaries created at a 1949 redistribution...
, Treatt resigned as Leader in August 1954 following a July attempt to depose him. He continued as a member of parliament until he retired in 1962 and thereafter served in various organisations and posts, including as a Chief Commissioner of the City of Sydney
City of Sydney
The City of Sydney is the Local Government Area covering the Sydney central business district and surrounding inner city suburbs of the greater metropolitan area of Sydney, Australia...
in 1969, until his death in 1984.
Early life
Vernon Treatt was born in Singleton, New South WalesSingleton, New South Wales
-Industry & Commerce:Major industries near Singleton include coal mining, energy generation, light industry, vineyards, horse breeding and cattle production. Dairying was once a mainstay in the area, but has declined....
, in 1897, the youngest son of Frank Burford Treatt (1845-1923), a Police Magistrate and migrant from Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, and Kate Ellen Walsh (1856-1936), and was first educated at Young District School. When the Treatts moved to Sydney, he attended the Sydney Church of England Grammar School
Sydney Church of England Grammar School
Sydney Church of England Grammar School is an independent, Anglican, day and boarding school for boys, located in North Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
from 1913 to 1914, becoming a Prefect and Cadet Lieutenant. Treatt then took up residence in 1915 at St. Paul's College
St. Paul's College, Sydney
St Paul's College in Sydney, Australia, is an Anglican residential college for men which is affiliated with the University of Sydney. Founded in 1856 by an 1854 act of the New South Wales Legislative Council, it is Australia's oldest university college...
while studying for a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
(BA) 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...
. During the First World War in 1916, Treatt interrupted his studies and enlisted as a Gunner in the Royal Australian Artillery, 6th Field Artillery Battery. He was sent over on 5 November 1917 to the Western Front
Western Front
Western Front was a term used during the First and Second World Wars to describe the contested armed frontier between lands controlled by Germany to the east and the Allies to the west...
and was later promoted to Sergeant. For his service he received the Military Medal
Military Medal
The Military Medal was a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Army and other services, and formerly also to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for bravery in battle on land....
on 14 May 1919.
Upon returning from the military he completed his studies in 1920 and was awarded a Rhodes scholarship
Rhodes Scholarship
The Rhodes Scholarship, named after Cecil Rhodes, is an international postgraduate award for study at the University of Oxford. It was the first large-scale programme of international scholarships, and is widely considered the "world's most prestigious scholarship" by many public sources such as...
in the same year, at New College, Oxford
New College, Oxford
New College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.- Overview :The College's official name, College of St Mary, is the same as that of the older Oriel College; hence, it has been referred to as the "New College of St Mary", and is now almost always...
. At Oxford, Treatt gained a Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
and a Bachelor of Civil Law
Bachelor of Civil Law
Bachelor of Civil Law is the name of various degrees in law conferred by English-language universities. Historically, it originated as a postgraduate degree in the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, but many universities now offer the BCL as an undergraduate degree...
in 1923 and was briefly admitted to the Bar at Lincoln's Inn
Lincoln's Inn
The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn is one of four Inns of Court in London to which barristers of England and Wales belong and where they are called to the Bar. The other three are Middle Temple, Inner Temple and Gray's Inn. Although Lincoln's Inn is able to trace its official records beyond...
in that year. When he returned to Australia, Treatt was appointed to the New South Wales Bar and also as the Sub Warden of St Paul's College, University of Sydney from 1925 to 1930. In 1927, he played first grade Rugby Union for the Drummoyne DRFC
Drummoyne DRFC
The Drummoyne District Rugby Football Club is a rugby union club based in Drummoyne, New South Wales, in Sydney, Australia. It's predecessor Glebe and Balmain Rugby Clubs are among the oldest in Australia and today it competes prominently in the First Division of the New South Wales Suburban Rugby...
. He married Dorothy Isabelle Henderson (1902-1992) on 5 June 1930 and had four children: George Vernon, John Vernon (1930-1935), Rosemary Vernon (1930-1944), and Diana Vernon.
In 1927, Treatt was given the position of Challis lecturer in criminal law at the University of Sydney, a position he was to hold until 1959. One of his students was the future Justice of the High Court of Australia
High Court of Australia
The High Court of Australia is the supreme court in the Australian court hierarchy and the final court of appeal in Australia. It has both original and appellate jurisdiction, has the power of judicial review over laws passed by the Parliament of Australia and the parliaments of the States, and...
, Michael Kirby
Michael Kirby
Michael Donald Kirby AC, CMG, is an Australian retired judge, jurist, and academic who is a former Justice of the High Court of Australia, serving from 1996 to 2009.-Biography:Michael Kirby attended Fort Street High School in Sydney...
. In March 1928, Treatt was appointed and served as a Crown Prosecutor
Crown Prosecutor
Crown Prosecutors are the public prosecutors in the legal system of Australia.Crown Prosecutors represent the Crown in right of the Commonwealth and in right of each State or Territory in criminal proceedings. Crown Prosecutors are appointed not elected and not public servants; they are private...
for the Supreme Court of New South Wales
Supreme Court of New South Wales
The Supreme Court of New South Wales is the highest state court of the Australian State of New South Wales...
and the Court of Quarter sessions for the metropolitan district.
Political career
Treatt first entered politics at the 1927 state electionNew South Wales state election, 1927
The 1927 New South Wales state election to elect the 90 members of the 28th Legislative Assembly was held on 8 October 1927. During the previous parliament the voting system, which had been a form of proportional representation with multi-member seats and a single transferable vote , was changed...
as an Independent Nationalist
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...
candidate for the Legislative Assembly
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...
seat of Willoughby
Electoral district of Willoughby
Willoughby is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is represented by Gladys Berejiklian of the Liberal Party of Australia.-History:...
. He narrowly lost on a margin of 49.47%. After several years Treatt tried again to enter parliament at the 26 March 1938 state 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....
as the United Australia Party
United Australia Party
The United Australia Party was an Australian political party that was founded in 1931 and dissolved in 1945. It was the political successor to the Nationalist Party of Australia and predecessor to the Liberal Party of Australia...
candidate for the seat of Woollahra
Electoral district of Woollahra
Woollahra was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales, originally created with the abolition of multi-member constituencies in 1894 from part of Paddington, along with Waverley and Randwick. It was named after and including the Sydney suburb of...
. On this occasion he was successful, gaining 53.62% of the vote.
Minister of the Crown
On 16 August 1938, after only serving a few months as a member of parliament, Treatt was appointed as the Minister for JusticeMinister for Justice (New South Wales)
The New South Wales Minister for Justice is The Honourable Greg Smith SC MP. The position supports the Attorney General and is typically held concurrently with that office....
in the government of Alexander Mair
Alexander Mair
Alexander Mair was an Australian politician and served as the Premier of New South Wales from 5 August 1939 to 16 May 1941. Born in Melbourne, working in various businesses, Mair moved to Albury, New South Wales and went on to be a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for fourteen...
, who had become Premier after Bertram Stevens was defeated in a motion of no confidence in the house. In 1940, he was made a King's Counsel (KC).
As Minister for Justice, Treatt generated controversy when it was alleged that he had acted to reduce a fine imposed on the Abbco Bread Company who had sold short-weight bread to the Department of Defence. It resulted in a Royal Commission
Royal Commission
In Commonwealth realms and other monarchies a Royal Commission is a major ad-hoc formal public inquiry into a defined issue. They have been held in various countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Saudi Arabia...
in the matter from March to August 1941, chaired by Justice Maxwell, after a censure motion introduced by Labor Leader William McKell
William McKell
Sir William John McKell GCMG , Australian politician, was Premier of New South Wales from 1941 to 1947, and was the 12th Governor-General of Australia. He was also the oldest Governor General of Australia, at 93 when he died....
was defeated. He was removed of any suspicion in the findings with the Royal Commissioner finding that: "There is no evidence, nor any thing even remotely to suggest that the Minister was guilty of any misconduct or irregularity either in the conclusion reached by him, and fully shared by the permanent head of his department, that the fine was too severe or in the manner of his dealing with the company's application. From start to finish I can discover nothing suggesting any irregularity in any action by the Minister."
Opposition
He served as Minister until the 10 May 1941 electionNew South Wales state election, 1941
The 1941 New South Wales state election was held on 10 May 1941. This election was for all of the 90 seats in the 33nd New South Wales Legislative Assembly and was conducted in single member constituencies with compulsory preferential voting....
when the Mair Government was defeated in a landslide defeat, losing 20 seats. Despite this, Treatt retained his seat with a significant margin increase of 67.68%. With the very poor results of the federal United Australia Party under Billy Hughes
Billy Hughes
William Morris "Billy" Hughes, CH, KC, MHR , Australian politician, was the seventh Prime Minister of Australia from 1915 to 1923....
at the 1943 Federal election
Australian federal election, 1943
Federal elections were held in Australia on 21 August 1943. All 74 seats in the House of Representatives, and 19 of the 36 seats in the Senate were up for election. The incumbent Australian Labor Party led by Prime Minister of Australia John Curtin easily defeated the opposition Country Party led...
, the UAP disintegrated. A large number of former UAP members, including Treatt, then formed the Democratic Party in New South Wales, led by Alexander Mair, while others moved into the Commonwealth Party
Commonwealth Party (New South Wales)
The Commonwealth Party was a short-lived, urban, conservative political party which was active in New South Wales, Australia in 1943-4.Following the defection of Joseph Lyons from the Australian Labor Party to the conservative side of politics in 1931, the opposition Nationalist Party and the five...
and the Liberal Democratic Party. The Democratic Party then merged with the Commonwealth Party in January 1944. Mair resigned in 1944 to be replaced by Reginald Weaver
Reginald Weaver
Reginald Walter Darcy Weaver was an Australian conservative parliamentarian who served in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for 28 years. Serving from 1917 in the backbenches, he entered the cabinet of Thomas Bavin in 1929 as Secretary for Mines and Minister for Forests until he returned to...
, who then led the hopelessly divided conservative forces to defeat at the 27 May 1944 election
New South Wales state election, 1944
The 1944 New South Wales state election was held on 27 May 1944. It was conducted in single member constituencies with compulsory preferential voting and was held on boundaries created at a 1940 redistribution...
, losing another three seats. Treatt retained his seat with 50.50%.
In 1945, the divided conservative parties formed together to form the Liberal Party of Australia
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
, which Treatt then joined. Party Leader Weaver died in office in November 1945 and was succeeded by Mair, with Treatt succeeding Athol Richardson
Athol Richardson
Athol Railton Richardson OBE, QC was an Australian politician and judge. Richardson represented the Electoral district of Ashfield for the United Australia Party and the Liberal Party of Australia from 26 March 1938 until 5 February 1952.-Early life:Richardson was born to parents Stephen Arthur...
as Deputy Leader. After five months as Leader, Mair resigned in March 1946 and Treatt was then elected to succeed him as Liberal Party Leader and hence, Leader of the Opposition
Leader of the Opposition (New South Wales)
The role of the Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition in New South Wales is a title held by the leader of the largest minority party in the state lower house, the New South Wales Legislative Assembly...
.
Leadership
The third Leader of the New South Wales Liberal Party, Treatt became the first to contest an election. At the electionNew South Wales state election, 1947
The 1947 New South Wales state election was held on 3 May 1947. It was conducted in single member constituencies with compulsory preferential voting and was held on boundaries created at a 1940 redistribution...
on 3 May 1947, Treatt's Liberals and 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...
's Country Party failed to defeat the Labor Government, now under new Premier James McGirr
James McGirr
James McGirr was the Labor Premier of New South Wales from 6 February 1947 to 3 April 1952.A Catholic, McGirr was the seventh son of John Patrick McGirr, farmer and Irish immigrant, and Mary McGirr, whose maiden name was O'Sullivan. Born in Parkes, New South Wales, he grew up on a dairy farm near...
, despite an overall swing of 4.5% and a gain of seven seats. Treatt retained his seat with an increased 69.75%.
As opposition leader, Treatt proved effective in attacking the shortcomings of the McGirr's Labor Government and in the Labor Party on a national level, particularly in areas of economics: "Because of the inflationary pressure, which is largely a result of the Socialists' own low production policy, continuation of subsidies is necessary on basic everyday goods..." and utilities: "The public is sick of seeing Ministers hunting up alibis, shifting about from one explanation to another and washing their hands of responsibility for powershortages on some flimsy pretext." In matters of ideology, Treatt supported Federal Liberal Leader Robert Menzies
Robert Menzies
Sir Robert Gordon Menzies, , Australian politician, was the 12th and longest-serving Prime Minister of Australia....
in his virulent opposition to communism, particularly from the Soviet Union, China and Korea
Domino theory
The domino theory was a reason for war during the 1950s to 1980s, promoted at times by the government of the United States, that speculated that if one state in a region came under the influence of communism, then the surrounding countries would follow in a domino effect...
. After returning from the Empire Parliamentary Conference in London in December 1948, Treatt declared "The Communists are on the move throughout the world. Australians must sit up and take just as much notice of what is happening across our narrow northern waters...It is of outstanding importance to Australia that the Western Powers' should secure some uniform policy to combat the Communist Asian menace."
Treatt led the Coalition again at the 17 June 1950 election
New South Wales state election, 1950
The 1950 New South Wales State state election was held on 17 June 1950. It was conducted in single member constituencies with compulsory preferential voting and was held on boundaries created at a 1949 redistribution...
, which resulted in a hung parliament
Hung parliament
In a two-party parliamentary system of government, a hung parliament occurs when neither major political party has an absolute majority of seats in the parliament . It is also less commonly known as a balanced parliament or a legislature under no overall control...
, with Treatt's Coalition gaining 12 seats and a swing of 6.7% for a total of 46 seats. With the Labor Party also holding 46 seats, the balance of power lay with the two re-elected Independent Labor members, James Geraghty
James Geraghty
James Leo Geraghty was an Australian politician. He was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1941 until 1953. He was a member of the Australian Labor Party until 1950 and then sat as an Independent Labor member .-Early life:Geraghty was born in Parramatta, New South Wales...
and John Seiffert
John Seiffert
John Wesley Seiffert was an Australian politician and a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1941 until his death in 1965...
, who had been expelled from the party for disloyalty during the previous parliament. Under a legalistic interpretation of the ALP rules, Seiffert was readmitted to the party and, together with the support of Geraghty, McGirr and Labor were able to stay in power. On 20 June, Treatt declared that he and his party would not make any concessions or compromises to the Labor Party, particularly in regards to the election of a speaker. Treatt retained his seat with 76.09%.
In his third term as Leader, Treatt criticised government cuts in transport services, but supported reductions in death duty taxes. At a Remembrance Day
Remembrance Day
Remembrance Day is a memorial day observed in Commonwealth countries since the end of World War I to remember the members of their armed forces who have died in the line of duty. This day, or alternative dates, are also recognized as special days for war remembrances in many non-Commonwealth...
address in 1952, Treatt criticised radical student politics embodied by the "long-haired intellectual types": "My belief in the value of university life and in higher education generally is a strong and abiding one...the sort of long-haired type I am thinking about may not even have a university degree. He is encased in self satisfied assurance of his own mental superiority." In his speech at the Lyceum Hall, Treatt warned of Australia's attitudes on its success: "A sort of mental haze seems to obscure the vision splendid that lies before this country. We are proud of being a British country, a country with British traditions, institutions, and all those things which go to make up what we call our 'British heritage. But this pride is not matched by a pride in being Australian. This seems to me one of the strongest sources of our weakness."
The near loss of the election by Labor further weakened McGirr's position and he was replaced as premier by Joseph Cahill
Joseph Cahill
John Joseph Cahill was Premier of New South Wales in Australia from 1952 to 1959. He is best remembered as the Premier who approved construction on the Sydney Opera House, and for his work increasing the authority of local government in the state.-Early years:Joe Cahill, as he was popularly known,...
in April 1952.
Cahill had won popular support as a vigorous and impressive minister who had resolved problems with New South Wales' electricity supply and in his first 10 months as premier had reinvigorated the party. He appeared decisive and brought order to the government's chaotic public works program. In addition, he attacked the increasingly unpopular federal Coalition government of Robert Menzies
Robert Menzies
Sir Robert Gordon Menzies, , Australian politician, was the 12th and longest-serving Prime Minister of Australia....
. All this contributed to Treatt's Coalition being defeated at the 14 February 1953 election
New South Wales state election, 1953
The 1953 New South Wales state election was held on 14 February 1953. It was conducted in single member constituencies with compulsory preferential voting and was held on boundaries created at a 1952 redistribution...
, with a total loss of ten seats and a swing against them of 7.2%. Treatt retained his seat with 67.61%. On 3 February 1954, Treatt received, along with Premier Cahill, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, at Farm Cove, Sydney
Farm Cove, New South Wales
Farm Cove is a tidal inlet and shallow bay in Sydney Harbour, separated from Sydney Cove by Bennelong Point . Known to the indigenous inhabitants of Sydney as Woccanmagully, Farm Cove was used by them as an initiation ground and for the "Kangaroo and Dog Dance".The land immediately adjacent to Farm...
, at the beginning of her first visit to Australia and the first occasion on which a reigning monarch had set foot on Australian soil. He was also present the next day on 4 February when Her Majesty opened the Parliament of New South Wales
Parliament of New South Wales
The Parliament of New South Wales, located in Parliament House on Macquarie Street, Sydney, is the main legislative body in the Australian state of New South Wales . It is a bicameral parliament elected by the people of the state in general elections. The parliament shares law making powers with...
, the first time a monarch had opened an Australian parliament.
With confidence in his leadership demolished, Treatt's Liberal Party descended into factional in-fighting culminating in the resignation of Deputy Leader Walter Howarth
Walter Howarth
Walter Arthur Harrex Howarth was an Australian politician who represented the Maitland for the United Australia Party and the Liberal Party of Australia .-Early life:...
on the 22 July 1954, who publicly announced it on 4 July citing that he felt that Treatt doubted his loyalty. He was replaced by Party Whip Robert Askin
Robert Askin
Sir Robert William Askin GCMG, was an Australian politician and the 32nd Premier of New South Wales from 1965 to 1975, the first representing the Liberal Party of Australia. He was born in 1907 as Robin William Askin, but always disliked his first name and changed it by deed poll in 1971...
. The resignation split the party and sparked a leadership challenge from Pat Morton
Pat Morton
Philip Henry Morton was an Australian businessman and politician. Born in Lismore in Northern New South Wales to a prominent political family and educated at Lismore High School, Morton left school at fourteen to be employed in a legal firm, before branching out into various businesses...
, who criticised his "lack of aggression" towards the Labor Government. At the party meeting on 6 July, Treatt narrowly defeated Morton with 12 votes to 10.
With party support eroded, Treatt did not remain long as leader afterwards. On Friday 6 August 1954, Treatt announced that he would resign as leader on 10 August: "Following the unsuccessful challenge for the Parliamentary leadership, it was expected that there would be an end to activities so damaging to the party's morale and effectiveness. Unfortunately these activities have continued. The responsibilities of a political leader, particularly at the present time in New South Wales, are very heavy, and a leader giving of his best is infilled to receive the fullest support from every member of the party. This support has not been forthcoming, and without it the burdens on health and effectiveness would prove too much for any man." At the following party meeting, after a deadlocked vote between Askin and Morton, Askin asked Murray Robson to nominate and subsequently he was elected to succeed Treatt. On 17 June 1955, Queen Elizabeth II granted him retention of the title "The Honourable
The Honourable
The prefix The Honourable or The Honorable is a style used before the names of certain classes of persons. It is considered an honorific styling.-International diplomacy:...
" for life, for having served as Leader of the Opposition and the Executive Council of New South Wales
Executive Council of New South Wales
The Executive Council of New South Wales is the cabinet of that Australian state, consisting of the Ministers, presided over by the Governor .-Role and history:...
.
Later life
Robson was soon replaced in 1955 by Morton, who then led the Coalition to another defeat at the 3 March 1956 electionNew South Wales state election, 1956
The 1956 New South Wales state election was held on 3 March 1956. It was conducted in single member constituencies with compulsory preferential voting and was held on boundaries created at a 1952 redistribution...
, while Treatt increased his majority to 70.84%. Morton
contested the next election in March 1959
New South Wales state election, 1959
The 1959 New South Wales state election was held on 21 March 1959. It was conducted in single member constituencies with compulsory preferential voting and was held on boundaries created at a 1957 redistribution...
, which resulted in another defeat with Cahill winning his final term in office. Treatt retained his seat uncontested. Divorcing his first wife, Treatt remarried to Frankie Wilson on 16 May 1960.
Treatt stayed in Parliament until his seat was abolished before the upcoming election in 1962, at which point he stood for the new seat of Bligh
Electoral district of Bligh
Bligh was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It was created in 1962, partly replacing Paddington-Waverley and was an urban electorate, covering 13.03 km² and taking in the suburbs of Potts Point, Darling Point, Woolloomooloo, Elizabeth...
. At the 1962 election
New South Wales state election, 1962
The 1962 New South Wales state election was held on 3 March 1962. It was conducted in single member constituencies with compulsory preferential voting and was held on boundaries created at a 1961 redistribution...
, Treatt was defeated by the Labor candidate, Tom Morey
Tom Morey (politician)
Tom Morey was an Australian politician, elected from 1962 to 1965 as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, for the electoral district of Bligh. He was a member of the Australian Labor Party.-Notes:...
, gaining only 45.29% of the vote. Treatt then joined local government circles, becoming Chair of the Boundaries Commission from 1964 to 1969 and was later appointed as the Chief Commissioner for the dismissed City of Sydney
City of Sydney
The City of Sydney is the Local Government Area covering the Sydney central business district and surrounding inner city suburbs of the greater metropolitan area of Sydney, Australia...
from 1967 to 1969, organising the redistribution of council boundaries and reorganisation of council agencies. He also served as the President of the Sydney Cricket
Sydney Cricket Ground
The Sydney Cricket Ground is a sports stadium in Sydney in Australia. It is used for Australian football, Test cricket, One Day International cricket, some rugby league and rugby union matches and is the home ground for the New South Wales Blues cricket team and the Sydney Swans of the Australian...
and Sports Ground
Sydney Sports Ground
The Sydney Sports Ground was a Stadium and Dirt track racing venue in Sydney, New South Wales. The ground was located where the car park of the Sydney Football Stadium currently sits. The ground had two main grandstands and was surrounded by a grass covered hill, giving it a capacity of more than...
Trust from 1965 to 1967. For his service as Chief Commissioner, he was Knighted as a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) in 1970.Citation: Chief Commissioner for Sydney Treatt died on 20 September 1984 in Sydney, New South Wales.