Peter Durack
Robert Ellicott | |
---|---|
Succeeded by | Gareth Evans |
Senator for Western Australia | |
In office 1 July 1971 – 30 June 1993 | |
Member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly | |
In office 20 February 1965 – 23 March 1968 | |
Preceded by | Stan Heal |
Succeeded by | Terry Burke |
Constituency | Perth |
Personal details | |
Born | 20 October 1926 Perth |
Political party | Liberal |
Spouse |
Isabel Milne (m. 1953) |
Relations | J. P. Durack (father) |
Alma mater | University of Western Australia Lincoln College, Oxford |
Profession | Barrister |
Peter Drew Durack,
He served in the
Early life
Durack was born on 20 October 1926 in Subiaco, Western Australia. He was the only child of Pleasance Sarah (née Rowe) and John Peter Durack. His father, a prominent barrister, was a member of the prominent Durack pastoralist family, being a grandson of Patrick Durack and nephew of Michael Durack.[3][4]
Durack began his education at Anglican primary schools in Subiaco and
In 1949, Durack was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship to attend Lincoln College, Oxford, and complete the degree of Bachelor of Civil Law. He graduated with second-class honours and the top mark in equity, subsequently tutoring in law at Keble College. He was admitted to Gray's Inn as a barrister in 1953. After returning to Australia he was admitted to legal practice in 1954 and joined the firm of Dwyer Durack,[3] which his father had co-founded with Walter Dwyer in 1915.[5]
State politics
At the 1965 state election, Durack was elected to the Western Australian Legislative Assembly. He defeated the incumbent Australian Labor Party (ALP) member Stan Heal in the seat of Perth by 207 votes.[3]
In parliament, Durack chaired two
Federal politics
Durack was an unsuccessful candidate for Liberal preselection at the 1969 Curtin by-election. He subsequently won one of the Senate seats at the 1970 Senate election, taking office on 1 July 1971.[3]
He was
He was deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate from 1983 to 1987, and 1990 to 1992.[7]
In 1992, he failed to win preselection by his party for a further term, and his political career ended in June 1993.
The Commonwealth Law Courts Building on Victoria Avenue in
He died in Perth on 13 July 2008.[2]
Publications
Durack wrote several books, dealing with legal issues and the
- Evidence. ISBN 0-644-01371-0
- The External Affairs Power ISBN 0-909536-47-3
- Mabo and After (with Ron Brunton & Tony Rutherford). ISBN 0-909536-36-8
Family
Durack was a grandson of Kimberley pioneer Jeremiah Durack, who was an uncle of Michael Patrick Durack (1865–1950).[9] He was therefore a cousin of authors Mary and Elizabeth Durack.
Durack was married to Isabel, with whom he had daughter Anne and son Philip.
References
- ^ Parliamentary Handbook: Historical Information Archived 1 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b "Former Liberal senator Peter Durack dies in Perth". ABC News. 15 July 2008.
- ^ a b c d e f g Hough, David. "DURACK, Peter Drew (1926–2008) Senator for Western Australia, 1971–93 (Liberal Party of Australia)". The Biographical Dictionary of the Australian Senate. Retrieved 22 December 2022.
- ^ Bolton, Geoffrey (1981). "Michael Patrick Durack (1865–1950)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Vol. 8.
- ^ "History". Dwyer Durack. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
- ^ "Peter Drew Durack". Biographical Register of Members of the Parliament of Western Australia. Parliament of Western Australia. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
- ^ Mendez, Torrance (18 July 2008). "Liberal's 'go to' mind in 1980s". The Age. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
- ^ Hough, David. "DURACK, Peter Drew (1926–2008) Senator for Western Australia, 1971–93 (Liberal Party of Australia)". The Biographical Dictionary of the Australian Senate. Retrieved 22 December 2022.
- ^ Durack, Michael Patrick (1865–1950)