Colin John (Col) Miller (28 April 1924 – 4 November 2016) was an Australian politician. He was a member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly from 1966 to 1986, representing the electorate of

Ithaca Ithaca most commonly refers to: *Homer's Ithaca, an island featured in Homer's ''Odyssey'' *Ithaca (island), an island in Greece, possibly Homer's Ithaca *Ithaca, New York, a city, and home of Cornell University and Ithaca College Ithaca, Ithaka ...

as a

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 ...

(1966–1984) and as an

independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s * Independ ...

(1984–1986).

Early life

Miller was born in

Brisbane Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the states and territories of Australia, Australian state of Queensland, and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a populati ...

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

, to parents Charles Miller and his wife Ann Jane (née Weathered). He was educated at the Rainworth State School and the Central Technical College. In

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 was a corporal in the Australian Imperial Force and was assigned to the 2/3 Field Park from 1943 to 1946. He became a painter on leaving the armed forces. A member of the

Freemasons Freemasonry or Masonry refers to fraternal organisations that trace their origins to the local guilds of stonemasons that, from the end of the 13th century, regulated the qualifications of stonemasons and their interaction with authorities ...

, Miller was also a member of the local

Lions Club The International Association of Lions Clubs, more commonly known as Lions Clubs International, is an international non-political service organization established originally in 1916 in Chicago, Illinois (''City in a Garden''); I Will , ...

. He was the chairman of the RSL from 1959 until 1966. On 13 June 1949, Miller married Grace Warner Weathered and together had three sons.

Politics

Miller, for the Liberal Party, held the seat of

in the Queensland Legislative Assembly from in 1966 until his retirement from politics in 1986. He was the Minister for Environment, Valuation and Administrative Services for fourteen days in 1983, having been appointed to replace sacked minister

Terry White Terrence Anthony "Terry" White (born 3 September 1936) is an Australian pharmacist, businessman, and former politician. White achieved notoriety when, as Queensland state leader of the Liberal Party he terminated the longstanding coalition agr ...

before all Liberal ministers subsequently resigned. In November 1983, he was the unsuccessful Liberal nominee for Speaker against National

John Warner John William Warner III (February 18, 1927 – May 25, 2021) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the United States Secretary of the Navy from 1972 to 1974 and as a five-term Republican U.S. Senator from Virginia from 1979 to 200 ...

. Miller was a conservative within the Liberal Party, and in July 1984, he resigned from the party, "at least partly sparked by" the preselection of moderate

Terry Gygar Terence Joseph "Terry" Gygar, (born 21 October 1947), is an Australian academic and a former member of the Queensland Parliament. He is a former Army officer and served in Vietnam. Gygar was the member for Stafford in the Queensland Parliamen ...

for the Stafford by-election. Although it had been rumoured that he would join former colleagues Don Lane and

Brian Austin Brian Douglas Austin (born 22 March 1943) is an Australian politician and Minister of Health (1980–1983 and 1983 - 1986) and Minister for Finance and Minister Assisting the Premier and Treasurer (1987 - 1989) and who represented the state s ...

in defecting to the National Party, this did not occur and he continued to sit as an

. He retired at the 1986 state election.

Later life

Miller's wife Grace Lorna known as "Lorna" died in 1985.Family history research
— Queensland Government births, deaths, marriages, and divorces. Retrieved 5 April 2019. On 7 September 1991 he married Janice Bartlett. He died on 4 November 2016 aged 92 years at Caloundra.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Miller, Colin John Members of the Queensland Legislative Assembly 1924 births 2016 deaths Liberal Party of Australia members of the Parliament of Queensland Independent members of the Parliament of Queensland Australian Army personnel of World War II Australian Army soldiers