Lionel Bowen
The Honourable Lionel Bowen AC | |
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6th Deputy Prime Minister of Australia | |
In office 11 March 1983 – 4 April 1990 | |
Prime Minister | Bob Hawke |
Preceded by | Doug Anthony |
Succeeded by | Paul Keating |
Deputy Leader of the Labor Party | |
In office 22 December 1977 – 4 April 1990 | |
Leader |
Bill Hayden Bob Hawke |
Preceded by | Tom Uren |
Succeeded by | Paul Keating |
Deputy Leader of the Opposition | |
In office 22 December 1977 – 11 March 1983 | |
Leader |
Bill Hayden Bob Hawke |
Preceded by | Tom Uren |
Succeeded by | John Howard |
Attorney-General | |
In office 13 December 1984 – 4 April 1990 | |
Leader | Bob Hawke |
Preceded by | Gareth Evans |
Succeeded by | Michael Duffy |
Vice-President of the Executive Council | |
In office 14 July 1983 – 24 July 1987 | |
Leader | Bob Hawke |
Preceded by | Mick Young |
Succeeded by | Mick Young |
Minister for Trade | |
In office 11 March 1983 – 13 December 1984 | |
Leader | Bob Hawke |
Preceded by | Doug Anthony |
Succeeded by | John Dawkins |
Minister for Manufacturing Industry | |
In office 6 June 1975 – 11 November 1975 | |
Leader | Gough Whitlam |
Preceded by | Jim McClelland |
Succeeded by | Bob Cotton |
Special Minister of State | |
In office 30 November 1973 – 6 June 1975 | |
Leader | Gough Whitlam |
Preceded by | Don Willesee |
Succeeded by | Doug McClelland |
Postmaster-General | |
In office 19 December 1972 – 12 June 1974 | |
Leader | Gough Whitlam |
Preceded by | Lance Barnard |
Succeeded by | Reg Bishop |
Member of the Australian Parliament for Kingsford Smith | |
In office 25 October 1969 – 19 February 1990 | |
Preceded by | Dan Curtin |
Succeeded by | Laurie Brereton |
Personal details | |
Born |
Ultimo, New South Wales | 28 December 1922
Died |
1 April 2012 89) Sydney, New South Wales | (aged
Nationality | Australian |
Political party | Australian Labor Party |
Spouse(s) | Claire Clement |
Alma mater | University of Sydney |
Occupation | Solicitor |
Religion | Roman Catholic[1] |
Military service | |
Allegiance | Australia |
Service/branch | Australian Army |
Years of service | 1941–1945 |
Rank | Corporal |
Lionel Frost Bowen, AC (28 December 1922 – 1 April 2012) was an Australian politician and senior Labor Party figure, serving in the ministries of Gough Whitlam and Bob Hawke. He was Deputy Prime Minister of Australia from 1983 to 1990.
Personal life
Bowen was born in the Sydney suburb of Ultimo. His father left the family when Bowen was aged 10 years and Bowen's mother looked after her invalid brother and elderly mother, while working as a cleaner.[2] Bowen was educated at Cleveland Street public school, Marcellin College Randwick and Sydney University where he graduated with a LLB in 1946 and became a solicitor. He served in the Second Australian Imperial Force from 1941 to 1945, reaching the rank of corporal.[3][4]
Bowen and his wife, Claire, married in 1953 and had three daughters and five sons. He lived in the same home in Kensington for 73 years.[5]
Tony Bowen, a son of Lionel and Claire Bowen and a member of the Labor Party, was elected Mayor of the City of Randwick in 2012.[6] In 2013, Tony was an unsuccessful candidate for ALP preselection for Lionel's old seat of Kingsford Smith. [7]
Political career
Bowen was elected to Randwick Council and became Mayor in 1948.[8] He served in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1962 to 1969, representing Randwick,[4] before being elected to the Parliament of Australia in 1969, to the seat of Kingsford Smith in the House of Representatives. From 1972 to 1975 he served successively as Minister for Manufacturing Industry, Special Minister of State and Postmaster-General in the Whitlam cabinet.
Bowen played a relatively quiet role in politics, preferring to work behind the scenes.[2][5][8] A significant achievement came as acting education minister in the Whitlam government, when he managed to split the opposition and win National Party support in the Senate for needs-based funding for non-government schools.[9]
When Whitlam resigned as Labor leader after his defeat at the 1977 election, Bowen contested the party leadership but was defeated by Bill Hayden and became Deputy Leader. He retained this position when Bob Hawke became Leader in February 1983. When Hawke won the March 1983 election, Bowen became Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade in the first Hawke Ministry. In July 1983, he was appointed Vice-President of the Executive Council and in the second Hawke ministry, he became Attorney-General, losing the Trade portfolio.
In 1988 Bowen sponsored four referendums to reform the Australian Constitution (see Australian referendum, 1988), but all were defeated. He retired from federal politics prior to the March 1990 election, and was succeeded as Deputy Prime Minister by Paul Keating.
Post political career
Bowen served as Chairman of the National Gallery of Australia between 1990 and 1995 and shared a strong interest in horseracing.[5]
In 1991, he was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia "in recognition of service to the community and politics."[10] In 2001, he received a Centenary Medal.[11]
Bowen died from pneumonia on 1 April 2012[12] after years afflicted with Alzheimer's disease.[5] He was given a state funeral on 11 April 2012.[13]
Legacy
The Family Court of Australia and the Federal Magistrates Court are located in the Lionel Bowen Building in Goulburn Street, Sydney. The City of Randwick main library is known as the Bowen Library.
Gallery
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Bowen with German Federal Minister of Justice Hans A. Engelhard in April 1987
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The Lionel Bowen Building in Goulburn Street, Sydney
References
- ↑ "Labor's staunch Catholic politician Lionel Bowen dies". CathNews. 1 April 2012. Retrieved 5 April 2012.
- 1 2 "Lionel Bowen: the model deputy". ABC News (Australia). AAP. 1 April 2012. Retrieved 5 April 2012.
- ↑ "Bowen, Lionel Frost". World War II Nominal Roll. Commonwealth of Australia. Retrieved 25 February 2010.
- 1 2 "Mr Lionel Frost Bowen (1922 – )". Members of Parliament. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 25 February 2010.
- 1 2 3 4 Humphries, David (3 April 2012). "Labor's anchor through turbulent era". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 5 April 2012.
- ↑ Herbertson, Lisa (26 September 2012). "Tony Bowen elected as new mayor of Randwick Council". Southern Courier. Retrieved 26 September 2012.
- ↑ http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/pre-selection-voting-underway-to-replace-peter-garrett-in-nsw-seat-of-kingsford-smith/story-fni0cx12-1226682380520
- 1 2 Benson, Simon (2 April 2012). "Vale Lionel Bowen: a true working class hero". The Daily Telegraph (Australia). Retrieved 5 April 2012.
- ↑ Steketee, Mike (2 April 2012). "Legend of Labor Lionel Bowen never lost the touch". The Australian. Retrieved 5 April 2012.
- ↑ "Mr Lionel Frost Bowen, Companion of the Order of Australia". It's an Honour. Commonwealth of Australia. Retrieved 22 January 2008.
- ↑ "Mr Lionel Frost Bowen, Centenary Medal". It's an Honour. Commonwealth of Australia. Retrieved 1 April 2012.
- ↑ Wroe, David (2 April 2012). "Death of Labor elder Bowen, who remained an everyday bloke". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2 April 2012.
- ↑ "'Unique' Bowen farewelled at Sydney funeral". The Sydney Morning Herald. AAP. 11 April 2012. Retrieved 11 April 2012.
Civic offices | ||
---|---|---|
Preceded by George Nicholas Elias Dan |
Mayor of Randwick 1951 |
Succeeded by Lou Walsh |
Preceded by Harry Jensen |
Mayor of Randwick 1955 |
Succeeded by Ranville Ashmore Popplewell |
Parliament of Australia | ||
Preceded by Daniel Curtin |
Member for Kingsford Smith 1969–1990 |
Succeeded by Laurie Brereton |
Political offices | ||
Preceded by Alan Hulme |
Postmaster-General 1972–1974 |
Succeeded by Reg Bishop |
Preceded by Doug Anthony |
Deputy Prime Minister of Australia 1983–1990 |
Succeeded by Paul Keating |
Minister for Trade 1983–1984 |
Succeeded by John Dawkins | |
Preceded by Gareth Evans |
Attorney-General 1984–1990 |
Succeeded by Michael Duffy |
Party political offices | ||
Preceded by Tom Uren |
Deputy Leader of the Labor Party 1977–1990 |
Succeeded by Paul Keating |
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