James Webster (Australian politician)
| The Honourable James Webster | |
|---|---|
| Senator for Victoria | |
|
In office 9 December 1964 – 28 January 1980 | |
| Preceded by | Harrie Wade |
| Succeeded by | Laurence Neal |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 14 June 1925 |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Political party | Australian Country Party |
| Occupation | Accountant, farmer |
James Joseph Webster (born 14 June 1925 in Flinders Island, Tasmania) is a former member of the Australian Senate.
The son of state MP Leslie Webster, he was educated at Caulfield Grammar School and the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology. He worked as an accountant and farmer prior to entering politics. Webster was appointed to the Senate as a member of the Country Party following the death of Harrie Wade in 1964, and served in the Senate until 1980.
He was the federal Minister for Science (later Minister for Science and the Environment) in the Fraser Government from 1975 to 1979.
In 1975, his constitutional eligibility to sit in the Senate was questioned, prompting the Parliament to introduce the Common Informers (Parliamentary Disqualifications) Act 1975, although ultimately the High Court found that he was not ineligible and he continued to serve until his retirement in 1980.[1][2]
References
- ↑ Re Webster [1975] HCA 22, (1975) 132 C.L.R. 270 (24 June 1975), H.C.
- ↑ Harris, I. C. (2005). House of Representatives Practice (PDF). Canberra: Department of the House of Representatives. p. 154. ISBN 0 642 78510 4.
External links
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Bill Morrison |
Minister for Science 1975–78 |
Succeeded by David Thomson |
| Preceded by Ray Groom |
Minister for Science and the Environment 1978–79 | |
| Diplomatic posts | ||
| Preceded by Lew Border |
Australian High Commissioner to New Zealand 1980 – 1984 |
Succeeded by Les Johnson |