George Prendergast
This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (September 2014) |
George Elmslie | |
---|---|
Member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly for Footscray | |
In office 9 April 1927 – 28 August 1937 | |
Preceded by | Seat created |
Succeeded by | Jack Mullens |
Member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly for North Melbourne | |
In office 1 November 1900 – 4 March 1927 | |
Preceded by | William Watt |
Succeeded by | Seat abolished |
In office 20 September 1894 – 14 October 1897 | |
Preceded by | Sylvanus Reynolds |
Succeeded by | William Watt |
Personal details | |
Born | George Michael Prendergast 20 May 1854 Adelaide, South Australia |
Died | 28 August 1937 Melbourne, Victoria, Australia | (aged 83)
Spouse | Mary Eliza Larrad (m. 1876) |
Children | 3 |
Profession | Printer |
Nickname | Mick Prendergast |
George Michael "Mick" Prendergast (20 May 1854 – 28 August 1937) was an Australian politician who served as the 28th
Career
Prendergast was one of the first
In 1904 Prendergast became the first leader of the Parliamentary Labor Party. He resigned this position through ill-health in 1913, allowing
Victoria was Labor's weakest state throughout the 1920s, due to the gross over-representation of rural areas in the Legislative Assembly, and the strength of the
In April 1924, however, the Country Party withdrew its support from the Nationalist government of
Prendergast's government was the first Labor government in Victoria able actually to govern (Elmslie's government had had no chance to do anything before being defeated). Immediate action was taken to provide shelter for unemployed Victorians, while the government set up royal commissions into the causes of a major police strike in 1923, the prices of bread and flour, and the soldier settlement scheme. Increased expenditure was made available for rural roads, while reductions were made on rail freights and fares. With the support of the Country Party, he was able to pass several bills assisting farmers, but the Country Party would not support anything which benefited Labor's urban working-class base. This was a frustrating situation for Labor ministers, and several urged Prendergast to call another election in the hope of improving their position, but Prendergast was too timid to run this risk. In November the Country Party patched up its differences with the Nationalists, and the two parties joined forces to defeat Prendergast in the Assembly. The Country Party leader, John Allan, succeeded him as Premier. [citation needed]
Last years
Prendergast resigned as Labor Leader in 1926 and was succeeded by Hogan. In Hogan's first minority government (1927–28) he was again Chief Secretary. He died in 1937, still an MP, aged 83. Prendergast's granddaughter Kathleen Prendergast was a paleontologist and physician who became the first woman appointed as a Regimental Medical Officer in the Royal Army Medical Corps.[2] In the army she was known affectionately as "Mick" Prendergast.[3]
Further reading
ISBNs for the books listed. . (September 2014) |
- Serle, Geoffrey. "Prendergast, George Michael (1854–1937)". OCLC 70677943. Retrieved 21 November 2014.
- Geoff Browne, A Biographical Register of the Victorian Parliament, 1900–84, Government Printer, Melbourne, 1985
- Don Garden, Victoria: A History, Thomas Nelson, Melbourne, 1984
- Kathleen Thompson and Geoffrey Serle, A Biographical Register of the Victorian Parliament, 1856–1900, Australian National University Press, Canberra, 1972
- Kate White, John Cain and Victorian Labour 1917–1957, Hale and Iremonger, Sydney, 1982
- Raymond Wright, A People's Counsel. A History of the Parliament of Victoria, 1856–1990, Oxford University Press, Melbourne, 1992
- Ross McMullin, The Light on the Hill: The Australian Labor Party 1891–1991
See also
References
- ^ "Mr. Prendergast in Court". Bendigo Advertiser. Vol. XLV, no. 13, 204. Victoria, Australia. 21 September 1897. p. 2. Retrieved 25 January 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "WOMAN GEOLOGIST". Age. 21 July 1937. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
- S2CID 220231651.