Vance Oakley "Pat" Dickie (29 August 191816 May 2012) was an Australian politician of the state of

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

, who held the

Victorian Legislative Council The Victorian Legislative Council (VLC) is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of Victoria, Australia, the lower house being the Legislative Assembly. Both houses sit at Parliament House in Spring Street, Melbourne. The Legislative Co ...

seat of the Province of

Ballarat Ballarat ( ) is a city in the Central Highlands (Victoria), Central Highlands of Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia. At the 2021 Census, Ballarat had a population of 116,201, making it the third largest city in Victoria. Estimated resid ...

from 1956 to 1978.

Biography

Dickie was born in

Bacchus Marsh Bacchus Marsh (Wathawurrung: ''Pullerbopulloke'') is an urban centre and suburban locality in Victoria, Australia located approximately north west of the state capital Melbourne and west of Melton, Victoria, Melton at a near equidistance to th ...

, Victoria on 29 August 1918, the youngest son of Charles Dickie and Daphne Annabelle Vance. His education was initially in the

State and High Schools, and boarding to matriculation at

Melbourne Grammar School (Pray and Work) , established = 1849 (on present site since 1858 - the celebrated date of foundation) , type = Independent, co-educational primary, single-sex boys secondary, day and boarding , denominatio ...

. Upon entering a professional career he was a manager for Lifeguard Milk Products Pty Ltd, Bacchus Marsh (1937–1940 and 1949–1960) and a director from 1960 to 1966. This professional career was interrupted by his enlisting in the Australian Imperial Force for World War 2 in 1940, where he served in the 2/2 Heavy AA Regiment, 2/5 Battery in the Middle East, Java, and Darwin, achieving the rank of sergeant before delisting in 1944. Community participation in the years following the war saw him hold roles as Bacchus Marsh shire councillor 1948–1964, president of council 1948–1949, 1960–1961; president Bacchus Marsh State School committee 1951–1964, Bacchus Marsh High School Council 1957–1964, Bacchus Marsh RSL 1954–1956, Bacchus Marsh War Memorial Hospital 1956–1964; member Bacchus Marsh Water Trust and Sewerage Authority 1958–1964; trustee Caulfield, Bacchus Marsh and Dowling Forest Racecourses and member Victoria Racing Club, Victoria Amateur Turf Club, Moonee Valley Racing Club. Dickie entered government in following a by-election for the Legislative Council seat of

Ballarat Province Ballarat Province was an electorate of the Victorian Legislative Council from 1937 until 2006, located around Ballarat. Ballarat, along with Doutta Galla, Higinbotham and Monash Provinces was created in the expansion of the Legislative Co ...

in March 1956, where he ran as a candidate for the

Liberal Party The Liberal Party is any of many political parties around the world. The meaning of ''liberal'' varies around the world, ranging from liberal conservatism on the right to social liberalism on the left. __TOC__ Active liberal parties This is a li ...

, a seat which he continued to hold until his resignation from parliament in August 1978. During his time in the Bolte and Hamer governments, Dickie served as the Minister of State Development (July 1964 – Dec 1965 and June 1970 – Aug 1972),

Minister of Health A health minister is the member of a country's government typically responsible for protecting and promoting public health and providing welfare and other social security services. Some governments have separate ministers for mental health. Coun ...

(September 1965 – June 1970), Minister for Tourism (June 1970 – Aug 1972), Minister of Immigration (December 1970 – Aug 1972), Minister of Housing (August 1972 – March 1976), Minister for Aboriginal Affairs (August 1972 – January 1975), and Chief Secretary (March 1976 – August 1978). He also served on the following committees of the Parliament of Victoria — Population Distribution committee 1961–1963 (chairman) and the Statute Law Revision committee 1958–1961. Within the party structure he was Secretary to cabinet 1964, deputy government Legislative Council leader 1972–1976, and government Legislative Council leader 1976–1978.

Personal

Dickie married Dorothy Jean Malcolm on 22 January 1944 and had three children. He died on 16 May 2012 in Bacchus Marsh.

Biography

Personal

References

Further reading