Les Johnson

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
For other people with the same name, see Leslie Johnson.

Minister for Works
In office
9 October 1973 – 30 November 1973
Prime MinisterGough Whitlam
Preceded byJim Cavanagh
Succeeded byHimself (Housing & Construction)
Minister for Housing
In office
19 December 1972 – 30 November 1973
Prime MinisterGough Whitlam
Preceded byKevin Cairns
Succeeded byHimself (Housing & Construction)
Member of the Australian Parliament
for Hughes
In office
25 October 1969 – 19 December 1983
Preceded byDon Dobie
Succeeded byRobert Tickner
In office
10 December 1955 – 26 November 1966
Preceded byNew seat
Succeeded byDon Dobie
Personal details
Born(1924-11-22)22 November 1924
union organiser

Leslie Royston Johnson

High Commissioner to New Zealand
from 1984 to 1985, cutting short his term due to his daughter's ill health.

Early life

Johnson was born at

Federated Clerks Union and ran a general store and newsagency at Gymea.[1]

Politics

Johnson in 2006

Johnson was elected for the Australian Labor Party as the first member for the newly created House of Representatives seat of Hughes at the 1955 election. He held it until his defeat at the 1966 election by Liberal Don Dobie. However, a redistribution ahead of the 1969 election shifted most of the wealthier portions of Hughes to the newly created seat of Division of Cook. The reconfigured Hughes now had a notional Labor majority of eight percent, making it a fairly safe Labor seat on paper. Believing this made Hughes impossible to hold, especially with Johnson priming for a rematch, Dobie transferred to Cook. This proved prescient, as Johnson retook the seat on a large swing while Dobie narrowly won Cook. Johnson would hold Hughes without serious difficulty until 1983.

Following Labor's win at the

Minister for Aboriginal Affairs. He lost this position as a result of the dismissal of the Whitlam government
in November 1975. He subsequently became the Opposition Whip.

Labor returned to government at the

High Commissioner to New Zealand
. His position as High Commissioner was cut short following the serious illness of his daughter, Sally Anne Penman, who was diagnosed with breast cancer, and subsequently died in February 1988.

Personal life

Les Johnson married Gladys (Peg) Jones in 1947, and she died in 2002. They had three children, Grant, Sally (deceased) and Jenny. In 2003 Les Johnson married Marion Sharkey, and they lived at Shoal Bay, NSW.[3][4]

Johnson was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in June 1990.[5] He died on 26 May 2015, aged 90.[6]

References

  1. ISSN 1833-7538
    . Retrieved 27 September 2021.
  2. ^ "Appendix 3—Deputy Speakers". House of Representatives Practice (7th ed.). Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  3. ^ "Members of the House of Representatives since 1901". Parliamentary Handbook. Parliament of Australia. Archived from the original on 17 November 2007. Retrieved 6 February 2008.
  4. ^ "House of Representatives by-elections 1901–2005". Parliamentary Library research brief. Parliament of Australia. Archived from the original on 21 August 2008. Retrieved 6 February 2008.
  5. Government of Australia
    . Retrieved 6 February 2008.
  6. ^ "Gazette Herald – Whitlam minister Les Johnson dies at 90". www.gazetteherald.com. Archived from the original on 26 May 2015.
Political offices
Preceded by Minister for Housing
1972–1973 		Merged into Housing
and Construction
Preceded by Minister for Works
1973
New title Minister for Housing and Construction
1973–75 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
Minister for Aboriginal Affairs

1975 		Succeeded by
Parliament of Australia
New division Member for Hughes
1955–1966 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Member for Hughes
1969–1983 		Succeeded by
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by
Australian High Commissioner to New Zealand

1984 – 1985 		Succeeded by
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