Arthur Samuel Drakeford (26 April 1878 – 9 June 1957) was an Australian politician who served as a member of the
House of Representatives
House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entitles. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often c ...
from 1934 to 1955, representing the
Labor Party. He served as
Minister for Air and
Minister for Civil Aviation from 1941 to 1949, and during World War II was the minister responsible for the
Royal Australian Air Force
"Through Adversity to the Stars"
, colours =
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, anniversaries = RAAF Anniversary Commemoration ...
. He was also responsible for the establishment of the domestic carrier
Trans Australia Airlines
Trans Australia Airlines (TAA), renamed Australian Airlines in 1986, was one of the two major Australian domestic airlines between its inception in 1946 and its merger with Qantas in September 1992. As a result of the "COBRA" (or Common Brand ...
and for the nationalisation of
Qantas
Qantas Airways Limited ( ) is the flag carrier of Australia and the country's largest airline by fleet size, international flights, and international destinations. It is the world's third-oldest airline still in operation, having been founded ...
.
Early life
Drakeford was born in the Melbourne suburb of
Fitzroy Fitzroy or FitzRoy may refer to:
People As a given name
*Several members of the Somerset family (Dukes of Beaufort) have this as a middle-name:
**FitzRoy Somerset, 1st Baron Raglan (1788–1855)
** Henry Charles FitzRoy Somerset, 8th Duke of Beau ...
and his first job was cleaning railway engines at
Benalla
Benalla
is a small city located on the Broken River gateway to the High Country north-eastern region of Victoria, Australia, about north east of the state capital Melbourne. At the the population was 10,822.
It is the administrative centr ...
. In May 1902 he married Ellen Tyrie, but she died in 1906. In 1903 he became secretary of the Benalla branch of the
Locomotive Engine Drivers' and Firemen's Association (LEDFA) and joined the
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party (ALP), also simply known as Labor, is the major centre-left political party in Australia, one of two major parties in Australian politics, along with the centre-right Liberal Party of Australia. The party forms the f ...
. In 1908, he moved to Melbourne as an engine driver. In 1911 he married Ellen Unger. He was vice-president of the LEDFA from 1914 to 1915, its president from 1916 to 1917 and general secretary from 1918. In 1920 he became the first federal secretary of the new
Australian Federated Union of Locomotive Enginemen
The Australian Federated Union of Locomotive Employees (AFULE) is an Australian trade union representing railway workers. It was formerly a national union which largely merged into the Australian Rail Tram and Bus Industry Union in 1992; however, ...
and from 1929 to 1948 was its national president. In 1927 he became senior vice-president of the
Australasian Council of Trade Unions on its foundation in 1927. He became president of the Labor Party's Victorian central executive in 1929.
Political career
Drakeford was elected as the member for the
Victorian Legislative Assembly
The Victorian Legislative Assembly is the lower house of the bicameral Parliament of Victoria in Australia; the upper house being the Victorian Legislative Council. Both houses sit at Parliament House in Spring Street, Melbourne.
The presiding ...
seat of
Essendon Essendon may refer to:
Australia
*Electoral district of Essendon
*Electoral district of Essendon and Flemington
*Essendon, Victoria
**Essendon railway station
**Essendon Airport
*Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League
United King ...
in 1927, but was defeated in 1932,
partly as a result of his opposition to the fiscally conservative
Premiers' Plan
The Premiers' Plan was a deflationary economic policy agreed by a meeting of the Premiers of the Australian states in June 1931 to combat the Great Depression in Australia that sparked the 1931 Labor split.
Background
The Great Depressio ...
drawn up in response to the
Great Depression
The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...
. In the
1934 federal election, he was elected as the member for
Maribyrnong and held it until the
1955 election. Following the coming to power of the
Curtin government in October 1941, during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, he became
Minister for the Air and
Minister for Civil Aviation and held both positions until Labor's defeat at the
1949 election. He concentrated on obtaining resources for the
Royal Australian Air Force
"Through Adversity to the Stars"
, colours =
, colours_label =
, march =
, mascot =
, anniversaries = RAAF Anniversary Commemoration ...
and attempting to sort out its leadership problems, rather than intervening in military strategy. He was a member of War Cabinet from 1941 to 1946, and
Minister for the Navy from August to November 1946, on the resignation of
Norman Makin
Norman or Normans may refer to:
Ethnic and cultural identity
* The Normans, a people partly descended from Norse Vikings who settled in the territory of Normandy in France in the 10th and 11th centuries
** People or things connected with the Norm ...
to become Ambassador to the United States.
[
After the war, Drakeford concentrated on the establishment of a state-owned airline. He set up the Australian National Airlines Commission, which established ]Trans Australia Airlines
Trans Australia Airlines (TAA), renamed Australian Airlines in 1986, was one of the two major Australian domestic airlines between its inception in 1946 and its merger with Qantas in September 1992. As a result of the "COBRA" (or Common Brand ...
in 1946. Although Labor had intended it to be a monopoly, that was invalidated by the High Court under section 51(i) of the Australian Constitution
Section 51(i) of the Australian Constitution enables the Parliament of Australia to make laws about:
:Trade and commerce with other countries, and among the States; Legislative powers of the Parliament.
The meaning of trade and commerce is clari ...
, which guarantees free trade between the states. In 1947, he was in charge of the purchase of Qantas Empire Airways Ltd from Imperial Airways
Imperial Airways was the early British commercial long-range airline, operating from 1924 to 1939 and principally serving the British Empire routes to South Africa, India, Australia and the Far East, including Malaya and Hong Kong. Passenger ...
and its establishment as Australia's flag carrier
A flag carrier is a transport company, such as an airline or shipping company, that, being locally registered in a given sovereign state, enjoys preferential rights or privileges accorded by the government for international operations.
Hist ...
. In 1947, he became president of the first assembly of the permanent body of the International Civil Aviation Organization
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO, ) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that coordinates the principles and techniques of international air navigation, and fosters the planning and development of international sc ...
in Montreal, Quebec
Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the second-most populous city in Canada and most populous city in the Canadian province of Quebec. Founded in 1642 as '' Ville-Marie'', or "City of Mary", it is named after Mount Royal, the triple-pea ...
, Canada.[
Drakeford lost his seat at the 1955 election, as a result of the 1954 Labor Party split which led to the creation of the Democratic Labor Party (DLP). While he had a large lead on the first count, on the second count, DLP preferences flowed overwhelmingly to ]Liberal
Liberal or liberalism may refer to:
Politics
* a supporter of liberalism
** Liberalism by country
* an adherent of a Liberal Party
* Liberalism (international relations)
* Sexually liberal feminism
* Social liberalism
Arts, entertainment and m ...
challenger Philip Stokes, allowing Stokes to win by only 114 votes.
Drakeford died in 1957 at his home in the Melbourne suburb of Moonee Ponds
Moonee Ponds is an inner-city suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, north-west of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Moonee Valley local government area. Moonee Ponds recorded a population of 16,224 at the 2 ...
, survived by his wife and their four daughters. The son of his first marriage, Arthur Drakeford Jr. represented the Legislative Assembly seat of Essendon Essendon may refer to:
Australia
*Electoral district of Essendon
*Electoral district of Essendon and Flemington
*Essendon, Victoria
**Essendon railway station
**Essendon Airport
*Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League
United King ...
from 1945 to 1947 and Pascoe Vale
Pascoe Vale is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, north of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Merri-bek local government area. Pascoe Vale recorded a population of 18,171 at the 2021 census.
History
Pa ...
from 1955 to 1958.[
]
Notes
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Drakeford, Arthur Samuel
Australian Labor Party members of the Parliament of Australia
Members of the Australian House of Representatives for Maribyrnong
Members of the Australian House of Representatives
Members of the Cabinet of Australia
Members of the Victorian Legislative Assembly
1878 births
1957 deaths
20th-century Australian politicians
People from Fitzroy, Victoria
Politicians from Melbourne