Dugald Thomson (28 December 1849 – 27 November 1922) was an Australian politician. He campaigned for

Federation A federation (also known as a federal state) is a political entity characterized by a union of partially self-governing provinces, states, or other regions under a central federal government (federalism). In a federation, the self-governin ...

as a member of the

New South Wales Legislative Assembly The New South Wales Legislative Assembly is the lower of the two houses of the Parliament of New South Wales, an Australian state. The upper house is the New South Wales Legislative Council. Both the Assembly and Council sit at Parliament Ho ...

(1894–1901), and was subsequently elected to the new federal

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 ...

(1901–1910). He served as

Minister for Home Affairs An interior minister (sometimes called a minister of internal affairs or minister of home affairs) is a cabinet official position that is responsible for internal affairs, such as public security, civil registration and identification, emergenc ...

in the Reid Government from 1904 to 1905.

Early life

Thomson was born in

Camberwell Camberwell () is a district of South London, England, in the London Borough of Southwark, southeast of Charing Cross. Camberwell was first a village associated with the church of St Giles and a common of which Goose Green is a remnant. This e ...

, London, England, to Scottish parents Jane (née Duncan) and John Thomson. His father was an insurance broker. The family emigrated to South Australia the year after he was born, and later moved to Victoria. Thomson completed his education in England and trained at his uncle's business in

Liverpool Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a popul ...

. After spending two years at sea, he returned to Melbourne at the age of 19 and joined the merchant firm of

Robert Harper Robert or Bob Harper may refer to: * Robert Almer Harper (1862–1946), American botanist * Robert Goodloe Harper (1765–1825), US senator from Maryland * Robert Harper (fl. 1734–1761), founder of Harpers Ferry, West Virginia * Robert Harper (a ...

. He set up a Sydney branch in 1877 and was a managing partner until 1892. He also established the North Shore Steam Ferry Company with

James Garvan James Patrick Garvan (2 May 1843 – 20 November 1896) was an Australian politician, Colonial Treasurer of New South Wales in 1889. Garvan was born in Cappagh, County Limerick, Ireland, son of Denis Bourke Garvan and Anne, Culhane. Garvan fo ...

New South Wales politics

Thomson won the

seat of

Warringah Warringah is a name taken from the local Aboriginal word for Middle Harbour, in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It may refer to: *Division of Warringah, an electoral division of the Australian House of Representatives created in 1922 *Electoral ...

in 1894 and supported the

Free Trade Free trade is a trade policy that does not restrict imports or exports. It can also be understood as the free market idea applied to international trade. In government, free trade is predominantly advocated by political parties that hold econo ...

ministry of

George Reid Sir George Houston Reid, (25 February 1845 – 12 September 1918) was an Australian politician who led the Reid Government as the fourth Prime Minister of Australia from 1904 to 1905, having previously been Premier of New South Wales f ...

, although he opposed its legislation on workplace conditions, made necessary by its dependence on Labor Party support.

Federal politics

Thomson was a supporter of

federation A federation (also known as a federal state) is a political entity characterized by a union of partially self-governing provinces, states, or other regions under a central federal government (federalism). In a federation, the self-governin ...

and won the

seat of North Sydney at the 1901 election and held it to his retirement prior to the 1910 election. In early 1904, following the retirement of William McMillan, he was elected deputy leader of the Free Traders. He relinquished the position to Joseph Cook on 28 July 1905. Thomson was

from 1904 to 1905 in the Reid Ministry. During his period in parliament he spoke often on maritime matters, and served on two royal commissions. In July 1909, Thomson was elected president of the newly formed New South Wales Federal Liberal League. Thomson died in the Sydney suburb of

Kirribilli Kirribilli is a suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. One of the city's most established and affluent neighbourhoods, it is located three kilometres north of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area administere ...

at the age of 72, unmarried.

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Thomson, Dugald Free Trade Party members of the Parliament of Australia Members of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly Members of the Australian House of Representatives for North Sydney Members of the Australian House of Representatives Members of the Cabinet of Australia 1849 births 1922 deaths Commonwealth Liberal Party members of the Parliament of Australia 20th-century Australian politicians People from Camberwell English emigrants to Australia Burials at Gore Hill Cemetery