Category: Australian Prime Ministers and Sport Series
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Australian Prime Ministers and Sport Series – Alfred Deakin
By Greg Blood ALFRED DEAKIN PROTECTIONIST / LIBERAL PARTY 2nd Prime Minister: 1903-1904, 1905-1908, 1909-1910 Alfred Deakin understood the importance of exercise and as prime minister was a regular cyclist. Through his published newspaper articles, he understood the importance of sport in the new nation through the lens of character development, physical fitness and links…
australiansportreflections
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Australian Prime Ministers and Sport Series – Joseph Cook
By Greg Blood SIR JOSEPH COOK, GCMG LIBERAL PARTY 6th Prime Minister: 1913-1914 Joseph Cook was prime minister for just over a year and had a limited impact on sport in Australia. Cook viewed the participation at the Olympic Games as a way of promoting Australia’s identity internationally. Like his predecessors, he observed that sport…
australiansportreflections
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Australian Prime Ministers and Sport Series – James Scullin
By Greg Blood JAMES HENRY SCULLIN AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY 9th Prime Minister – 1929-1932 James “Jim’ Scullin had an interest in sport particularly Australian football, cricket and lawn bowls but it was more limited than several of the early prime ministers including Edmund Barton, George Reid and Stanley Bruce. He supported the Richmond Football Club that…
australiansportreflections
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Australian Prime Ministers and Sport Series – Edmund Barton
By Greg Blood EDMUND BARTON PROTECTIONIST PARTY 1st Prime Minister: 1901-1903 Edmund Barton, Australia’s first prime minister, had a significant connection with sport as a cricketer and rower and then as an administrator in cricket and rugby union. His involvement in sport occurred when sport in the New South Wales colony was becoming more organised and…
australiansportreflections
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Australian Prime Ministers and Sport Series – George Reid
By Greg Blood SIR GEORGE HOUSTAIN REID,HOUSTAIN KCMG, KC LIBERAL FREE TRADE PARTY 4th Prime Minister: 1904-1905 George Reid combined his political career in the New South Wales and federal parliaments with his time as president as NSW Cricket Association. He ceased his involvement with cricket administration by the time he became Australia’s fourth prime minister…
australiansportreflections
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Australian Prime Ministers and Sport Series – Stanley Bruce
By Greg Blood STANLEY MELBOURNE BRUCE CH MC PC NATIONALIST PARTY & UNITED AUSTRALIA PARTY 8th Prime Minister – 1923-1929 Stanley Bruce is regarded as the first prime minister to actively engage in sport during his political career. He had a lifetime commitment to sport, particularly rowing and golf. As prime minster, he regarded regularly…
australiansportreflections
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Australian Prime Ministers and Sport Series – John Gorton
By Greg Blood SIR JOHN GREY GORTON GCMG AC CH LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA 19th Prime Minister: 1968-1971 John Grey Gorton became prime minister with the unexpected tragic death of Harold Holt. In his three years as prime minister, Gorton highlighted that community sport was important for health, social cohesion and assimilation. This view most…
australiansportreflections
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Australian Prime Ministers and Sport Series – Harold Holt
By Greg Blood HAROLD HOLT LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA 17th Prime Minister: 1966–1967 Harold Holt had a passion for health and fitness and this led to several Australian Government initiatives during his time in leadership positions. Holt as prime minister upheld the Menzies Government view that government should have a limited involvement in sport. His…
australiansportreflections
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Australian Prime Ministers and Sport Series – Ben Chifley
By Greg Blood JOSEPH BENEDICT ‘BEN’ CHIFLEY– AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY 15th Prime Minister: 1945 -1949 Ben Chifley as Treasurer (1941-1949) and Prime Minister (1945-1949) made decisions that impacted positively and negatively on sport in Australia encompassed by World War II. Sport was important to Chifley in his youth and it helped him gain a community…
australiansportreflections
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Australian Prime Ministers and Sport Series – Chris Watson
By Greg Blood JOHN CHRISTIAN (CHRIS) WATSON AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY 3rd Prime Minister: 1904 Chris Watson was the Australian Labor Party’s (ALP) first prime minister but his time in the role was very brief – 113 days. Watson predominantly played rugby union and rowed in his youth and twenties. He viewed sport from the…
australiansportreflections