John William Knight (20 November 19434 March 1981) was an Australian politician. He represented the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) in the

Senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

, for the Liberal Party of Australia, from 1975 until his death in 1981. John Knight was born in Armidale, New South Wales. He gained a Bachelor of Arts from the

University of New England University of New England may refer to: * University of New England (Australia), in New South Wales, with about 18,000 students * University of New England (United States), in Biddeford, Maine, with about 3,000 students See also *New England Colle ...

and a Master of Arts from the East–West Center, Hawaii, as a

Fulbright scholar The Fulbright Program, including the Fulbright–Hays Program, is one of several United States Cultural Exchange Programs with the goal of improving intercultural relations, cultural diplomacy, and intercultural competence between the people of ...

. He was Private Secretary to

Billy Snedden Sir Billy Mackie Snedden, (31 December 1926 – 27 June 1987) was an Australian politician who served as the leader of the Liberal Party from 1972 to 1975. He was also a cabinet minister from 1964 to 1972, and Speaker of the House of Represe ...

, then became a diplomat. He was secretary of the ACT Branch of the Liberal Party in 1974–75. In 1975 he was visiting fellow at the Australian National University. In 1975, the ACT and the Northern Territory each became entitled to elect two senators to the Senate, and John Knight (Liberal) and Susan Ryan ( Labor) were elected as the ACT's first two senators on 13 December 1975. He was re-elected at the 1977 election. John Knight represented the Commonwealth government at the bicentenary celebrations of Captain

James Cook James Cook (7 November 1728 Old Style date: 27 October – 14 February 1779) was a British explorer, navigator, cartographer, and captain in the British Royal Navy, famous for his three voyages between 1768 and 1779 in the Pacific Ocean an ...

's arrival in Hawaii, in January 1978. In March 1978 he was appointed the Government Deputy Whip in the Senate. Knight died suddenly on 4 March 1981. The casual vacancy created by his death was filled by Margaret Reid.

Sources

*Parliamentary Handbook of the Commonwealth of Australia, 20th ed, 1978 {{DEFAULTSORT:Knight, John Liberal Party of Australia members of the Parliament of Australia Members of the Australian Senate for the Australian Capital Territory Australian diplomats 1943 births 1981 deaths 20th-century Australian politicians Fulbright alumni