Robert Joseph Mulvey (24 November 1868 – 24 April 1937) was a trade union secretary and member of the

Queensland Legislative Council The Queensland Legislative Council was the upper house of the parliament in the Australian state of Queensland. It was a fully nominated body which first took office on 1 May 1860. It was abolished by the Constitution Amendment Act 1921, which to ...

. Mulvey was born at

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 William Mulvey and his wife Margaret Holmes (née McKechnie) and was educated in Brisbane. He secretary of the Moulders' Union from 1897 to 1908, secretary of the Eight-Hour Day Committee from 1906 to 1923, and secretary of the

Queensland Trades and Labor Council The Queensland Council of Unions (QCU) is a representative, an advocacy group, or peak body, of Queensland trade union organisations, also known as a labour council, in the Queensland, Australia. As of 2020, 26 unions and 13 regional branches w ...

from 1923 to 1935.

Political career

When the Labour Party starting forming governments in Queensland, it found much of its legislation being blocked by a hostile Council, where members had been appointed for life by successive conservative governments. After a failed

referendum A referendum (plural: referendums or less commonly referenda) is a direct vote by the electorate on a proposal, law, or political issue. This is in contrast to an issue being voted on by a representative. This may result in the adoption of a ...

in May 1917, Premier

Ryan Ryan may refer to: People and fictional characters *Ryan (given name), a given name (including a list of people with the name) *Ryan (surname), a surname (including a list of people with the name) Places Australia * Division of Ryan, an elector ...

tried a new tactic, and later that year advised the Governor, Sir

Hamilton John Goold-Adams Sir Hamilton John Goold-Adams, (27 June 1858, in Jamesbrook, County Cork – 12 April 1920) was an Irish soldier and colonial administrator, who served as Governor of Queensland from 1915 to 1920. Early life Born in the townland of Jamesbrook in ...

, to appoint thirteen new members whose allegiance lay with Labour to the council."Goold-Adams, Sir Hamilton John (1858–1920)"
''

Australian Dictionary of Biography The ''Australian Dictionary of Biography'' (ADB or AuDB) is a national co-operative enterprise founded and maintained by the Australian National University (ANU) to produce authoritative biographical articles on eminent people in Australia's ...

''. Retrieved 12 April 2015. In 1920, the new Premier

Ted Theodore Edward Granville Theodore (29 December 1884 – 9 February 1950) was an Australian politician who served as Premier of Queensland from 1919 to 1925, as leader of the state Labor Party. He later entered federal politics, serving as Treasurer in ...

appointed a further fourteen new members to the Council with Mulvey amongst the appointees. He served for two years until the council was abolished in March 1922.

Personal life

Mulvey died in

in April 1937 and was buried at the

Redcliffe Cemetery Redcliffe may refer to: Places England *Redcliffe, Bristol, a district of the city *Redcliffe College, a Bible college in Gloucester, England Queensland, Australia *Redcliffe Peninsula, a peninsula and suburban region in the Brisbane metropolit ...

.Moreton Bay Region Cemeteries Database
–

Moreton Bay Regional Council The Moreton Bay Region is a local government area in the north of the Brisbane metropolitan city in South East Queensland, Australia. Established in 2008, it replaced three established local government areas, the City of Redcliffe and the Shires ...

. Retrieved 12 April 2015.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mulvey, Robert Members of the Queensland Legislative Council 1868 births 1937 deaths Australian Labor Party members of the Parliament of Queensland Politicians from Brisbane Colony of Queensland people