Antony Hamilton Lamb OAM (born 7 March 1939) is a former Australian politician. He served in the House of Representatives from 1972 to 1975 and from 1984 to 1990, representing the Australian Labor Party (ALP). He was a pharmacist prior to entering politics.

Dr Tony Lamb
Member of the Australian Parliament
for La Trobe
In office
2 December 1972 – 13 December 1975
Preceded byJohn Jess
Succeeded byMarshall Baillieu
Member of the Australian Parliament
for Streeton
In office
1 December 1984 – 24 March 1990
Preceded byNew seat
Succeeded byDivision abolished
Personal details
Born
Antony Hamilton Lamb

(1939-03-07) 7 March 1939 (age 85)
Horsham, Victoria
NationalityAustralian
Political partyAustralian Labor Party
RelationsHamilton Lamb (father)
Alma materUniversity of Melbourne
Victorian College of Pharmacy
OccupationPharmacist

Early life edit

Lamb was born on 7 March 1939 in Horsham, Victoria.[1] He was one of three children born to Marie Christine (née Schultz) and George Hamilton Lamb, his father being a Country Party member of the parliament of Victoria. His mother died in 1941 following a long illness,[2] while his father died in 1943 as a Japanese prisoner of war on the Burma Railway.[3]

Lamb attended Box Hill High School before taking up a scholarship at Scotch College, Melbourne. He qualified as a pharmacist at the Victorian College of Pharmacy in 1959, where he was a member of the Young Labor Association and active in the New Theatre. He later completed the degree of Bachelor of Arts at the University of Melbourne in 1971 and a diploma in education at Monash University in 1979.[4]

Lamb completed an apprenticeship with Eric Scott, the president of The Pharmacy Guild of Australia. He later worked for periods in South Croydon and Camberwell before becoming manager of a pharmacy at the Northland Shopping Centre in Preston.[4]

Politics edit

In 1972, he was elected to the Australian House of Representatives as the Labor member for La Trobe. As a backbench member in 1973, Lamb and David McKenzie introduced the Medical Practice Clarification Bill which, if passed, would have allowed abortion in the Australian Capital Territory. The bill was defeated after a conscience vote on 10 May 1973 by 98 votes to 23.[5]

Lamb held the seat of LaTrobe until his defeat in 1975. In 1984 he returned to the House as the member for the new seat of Streeton, which he held until its abolition in 1990. Lamb then contested the seat of Deakin, but was unsuccessful.[6]

Later life edit

In the Australia Day Honors, 2006, Lamb received the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for service to pharmacy, to the Australian Parliament and to the community.[7]

In 2009, Lamb published his thesis in fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy: Lamb, Antony H. (2009). Of measures and men: the Victorian Country Party, 1917 to 1945 (Ph.D.). Swinburne University of Technology. [8]

In 2015, Lamb and three other former MPs brought a case before the High Court of Australia, purporting that reductions to their retirement allowances and limitations on the number of "domestic return trips per year" under the Members of Parliament (Life Gold Pass) Act 2002 was unconstitutional under S51(xxxi) of the Constitution of Australia. They lost the case in 2016, with the court finding that Parliament was entitled to vary the terms of allowances.[9]

References edit

  1. ^ "Biography for LAMB, Antony Hamilton, OAM". Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
  2. ^ "Obituary MRS. HAMILTON LAMB". The Argus. Melbourne. 22 February 1941. p. 5. Retrieved 27 April 2012 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. ^ "SOLDIER M.L.A. DEATH IN THAILAND". The Cairns Post. Qld. 2 September 1944. p. 4. Retrieved 30 April 2012 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. ^ a b "Alumni profile: Tony Lamb" (PDF). Alchemy. No. 10. Victorian College of Pharmacy. 2006. p. 20.
  5. ^ Ainsley Symons (2014), "Anti-Abortion Campaigning and the Political Process," in Recorder (Melbourne Branch, Australian Society for the Study of Labour History), No. 279, March, p.2
  6. ^ Carr, Adam (2008). "Australian Election Archive". Psephos, Adam Carr's Election Archive. Retrieved 20 June 2008.
  7. ^ "Alumni and Friends". The University of Melbourne. University Advancement Office, University of Melbourne. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  8. ^ "Of measures and men: the Victorian Country Party, 1917 to 1945". Swinburne Research Bank. Swinburne University of Technology. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  9. ^ "Former MPs lose High Court challenge over entitlements". ABC News. 12 October 2016.
Parliament of Australia
Preceded by Member for La Trobe
1972–1975
Succeeded by
New division Member for Streeton
1984–1990
Division abolished