Thomas Dunstan (Australian politician)

The Honourable
Thomas Dunstan
Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly
for Gympie
In office
22 May 1915 – 11 May 1929
Preceded byGeorge Mackay
Succeeded byVivian Tozer
In office
11 May 1935 – 29 Apr 1950
Preceded byVivian Tozer
Succeeded bySeat abolished
Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly
for Nash
In office
29 Apr 1950 – 7 Mar 1953
Preceded byNew seat
Succeeded byGreg Kehoe
Personal details
Born
Thomas Dunstan

(1873-04-20)20 April 1873
Thames, New Zealand
Died19 June 1954(1954-06-19) (aged 81)
Gympie, Queensland, Australia
Resting placeGympie Cemetery
NationalityNew Zealander Australian
Political partyLabor
SpouseMary Lydement (m.1901 d.1952)
OccupationJournalist

Thomas Dunstan (20 April 1873 – 19 June 1954) was a member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly.[1]

Early life

Dunstan was born at Thames, New Zealand, the son of Nicholas John Dunstan and his wife Esther Mary Ann (née Connon).[1] His brothers were George and William Dunstan.[2] He was educated at Thames State School and the One Mile State School in Gympie. On leaving School he was an apprentice with The Gympie Times newspaper before joining the Gympie Truth as a reporter, secretary, and canvasser. In 1901, he was promoted to editor-manager of the Truth and held this position for the next 41 years and in 1943 was the editor of the Labor Leader.[1]

On 27 February 1901 he married Mary Lydement[1] (died 1952)[3] and together they had five sons and two daughters. Dunstan died at Gympie in June 1954[1] and was accorded a state funeral which proceeded from St Peter's Church of England in Gympie[1] to the Gympie Cemetery.[4]

Public life

Dunstan, a member of the Labor Party, won the seat of Gympie in 1915, defeating the Ministerial candidate and sitting member, George Mackay.[1] Mackay later went on to have a successful career in the federal parliament. Dunstan held the seat until 1929 when he was defeated by Vivian Tozer of the CPNP.[5]

He contested Gympie at the 1932 state elections once again losing to Tozer.[6] In 1935 however, Dunstan won back the seat[7] and went on to represent it until it was abolished in 1950. He then contested and won the new electorate of Nash, and holding it until he retired from politics three years later at 80 years of age.[1]

During his parliamentary career he held the following roles:

  • Temporary Chairman of Committees 1920–1924
  • Temporary Chairman of Committees 1939–1949
  • Secretary for Public Lands 1925–1929
  • Minister without Office 1925–1925

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h "Former Members". Parliament of Queensland. 2015. Retrieved 15 April 2016.
  2. ^ "Deaths". The Advertiser. 20 March 1908. p. 4. Retrieved 16 April 2016.
  3. ^ Family history research — Queensland Government births, deaths, marriages, and divorces. Retrieved 15 April 2016.
  4. ^ Gympie Cemetery Mapping Portal — Gympie Cemetery Trust. Retrieved 15 April 2016.
  5. ^ "POLLING SUMMARY". The Brisbane Courier. No. 22, 243. Queensland, Australia. 13 May 1929. p. 17. Retrieved 15 April 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. ^ "COUNTRY". The Brisbane Courier. No. 23, 204. Queensland, Australia. 13 June 1932. p. 15. Retrieved 15 April 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. ^ "HOW QUEENSLAND SEATS WERE WON". Sunday Mail. No. 624. Queensland, Australia. 12 May 1935. p. 2. Retrieved 15 April 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
Parliament of Queensland
Preceded by Member for Gympie
1915–1929 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Member for Gympie
1935–1950 		Abolished
New seat Member for Nash
1950–1953 		Succeeded by