Sir David Eric Fairbairn, KBE, DFC (3 March 1917 – 1 June 1994) was an Australian politician. He was a member of the Liberal Party and served in the House of Representatives from 1949 to 1975. He held ministerial office as Minister for Air (1962–1964), National Development (1964–1969), Education and Science (1971), and Defence (1971–1972).
Sir David Fairbairn | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Minister for Defence | |
| In office 13 August 1971 – 5 December 1972 | |
| Prime Minister | William McMahon |
| Preceded by | John Gorton |
| Succeeded by | Lance Barnard |
| Minister for Education and Science | |
| In office 22 March 1971 – 20 August 1971 | |
| Prime Minister | William McMahon |
| Preceded by | Nigel Bowen |
| Succeeded by | Malcolm Fraser |
| Leader of the House | |
| In office 26 January 1966 – 28 October 1966 | |
| Leader | Harold Holt |
| Preceded by | Harold Holt |
| Succeeded by | Billy Snedden |
| Minister for National Development | |
| In office 10 June 1964 – 12 November 1969 | |
| Prime Minister | Robert Menzies Harold Holt John McEwen John Gorton |
| Preceded by | Bill Spooner |
| Succeeded by | Reg Swartz |
| Minister for Air | |
| In office 27 July 1962 – 10 June 1964 | |
| Prime Minister | Robert Menzies |
| Preceded by | Les Bury |
| Succeeded by | Peter Howson |
| Member of the Australian Parliament for Farrer | |
| In office 10 December 1949 – 11 November 1975 | |
| Preceded by | New seat |
| Succeeded by | Wal Fife |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 3 March 1917 Claygate, Surrey, England |
| Died | 1 June 1994 (aged 77) Canberra, Australia |
| Political party | Liberal Party of Australia |
| Spouse | Ruth |
| Relations | George Fairbairn (grandfather) Edmund Jowett (grandfather) James Fairbairn (uncle) |
| Children | Three daughters |
| Alma mater | University of Cambridge |
| Occupation | RAAF officer |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | Australia |
| Branch/service | Australian Army Royal Australian Air Force |
| Years of service | 1939–1945 |
| Rank | Flight Lieutenant |
| Unit | 21st Light Horse Riverina Regiment (1939–41) No. 79 Squadron (1941–45) |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards | Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire Distinguished Flying Cross |
Early life edit
Fairbairn was born in Claygate, Surrey. His grandfathers both served in the Parliament of Australia—Sir George Fairbairn served in the House of Representatives seat of Fawkner from 1906 to 1913 and in the Senate from 1917 to 1923, and Edmund Jowett was the federal member for Grampians from 1917 to 1922. His uncle, James Fairbairn, was one of three ministers in the Menzies government who were killed in the 1940 Canberra air disaster.[1]
Fairbairn was educated at Geelong Grammar School and Jesus College, Cambridge. In 1939, he took control of Dunraven, a pastoral property at Woomargama, Riverina, New South Wales.[2]
World War II edit
During World War II, he served in the 21st Light Horse Riverina Regiment from 1939 to 1941 and joined the Royal Australian Air Force in 1941. He served both in Britain, where he located the first V-1 flying bomb launching site, and in the New Guinea campaign. In 1945 he was badly wounded and discharged with the rank of Flight Lieutenant.[1] Fairbairn had been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross in 1944.[3]
Political career edit
In the 1949 election, Fairbairn was elected to the House of Representatives as the federal member for Farrer. He was appointed Minister for the Air in 1962 in the ninth Menzies Ministry. In 1964, he became Minister for National Development. After the 1969 election, he unsuccessfully challenged Prime Minister John Gorton for the leadership (along with William McMahon), and then resigned from the ministry, saying: "I have given deep thought and consideration to this decision. I have made it reluctantly. My sole concern in coming to it is the future of the Liberal Party, the Government and the Nation." According to Ian Sinclair, he was opposed to Gorton's centralism and in particular, his attempt to claim of sovereignty over Australia's territorial waters and continental shelf for the Commonwealth.[4]
Fairbairn became Minister for Education and Science in March 1971 in the McMahon Ministry and Minister for Defence from August 1971 to the government's defeat in 1972 election. He retired from Parliament at the 1975 election.[1]
He had announced his retirement in 1975 but the dismissal of the Whitlam Government meant that his retirement came earlier than expected at the subsequent 1975 election.
From 1977 to 1980, Fairbairn was Australia's Ambassador to the Netherlands.[5][6] Media reported that the posting "deeply perturbed" staff of the Department of Foreign Affairs, which came at a time when the department was being forced to reduce its overseas representation significantly.[7]
Fairbairn died in Woden Valley Hospital in Canberra on 1 June 1994, survived by his wife, Ruth and three daughters.[8][9]
Honours edit
Fairbairn was awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross in 1944,[3] and made a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1977.[10]
Notes edit
- ^ a b c Howe, Brian (6 June 1994). "Condolences: Fairbairn, Hon. Sir David Eric, KBE DFC" (PDF). Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Commonwealth of Australia: House of Representatives. pp. 1412–1413. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
- ^ Hancock, I R (2021). "Fairbairn, Sir David Eric (1917–1994)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. ISSN 1833-7538. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
- ^ a b "Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) entry for Fairbairn, David Eric". Australian Honours Database. Canberra, Australia: Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 25 January 1944. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
- ^ Sinclair, Ian (6 June 1994). "Condolences: Fairbairn, Hon. Sir David Eric, KBE DFC" (PDF). Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Commonwealth of Australia: House of Representatives. p. 1417. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
- ^ "Netherlands envoy posted to Geneva". The Canberra Times. 5 January 1977. p. 8. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
- ^ "Staff of embassy gets involved". The Canberra Times. 27 April 1980. p. 16. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
- ^ Juddery, Bruce (18 December 1976). "Posting upsets staff". The Canberra Times. p. 7. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
- ^ Fischer, Tim (6 June 1994). "Condolences: Fairbairn, Hon. Sir David Eric, KBE DFC" (PDF). Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Commonwealth of Australia: House of Representatives. pp. 1415–1416. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
- ^ Downer, Alexander (6 June 1994). "Condolences: Fairbairn, Hon. Sir David Eric, KBE DFC" (PDF). Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Commonwealth of Australia: House of Representatives. pp. 1413–1415. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
- ^ "Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) entry for Fairbairn, David Eric". Australian Honours Database. Canberra, Australia: Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 31 December 1977. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
In recognition of service to Parliament