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{{short description|Australian politician (born 1926)}}
'''Douglas (Doug) McClelland''' (b. [[5 August]] [[1926]]) was elected to the [[Australian Senate]] as a member of the [[Australian Labor Party]] on [[1 July]] [[1962]], representing [[New South Wales]]. Manager of Government Business in the Senate from [[9 July]] [[1974]], Minister for the Media in the [[Whitlam]] Government until [[6 June]] [[1975]], and then Special Minister of State, he also served as President of the Senate from [[21 April]] [[1983]] until his resignation on [[23 January]] [[1987]]. He went on to serve as Australian [[High Commissioner]] in [[London]].
{{For|the golfer|Doug McClelland (golfer)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2016}}
{{Use Australian English|date=January 2016}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix = [[The Honourable]]
| name = Doug McClelland
| honorific-suffix = {{post-nominals|country=AUS|size=100%|AC}}
| image = Doug McClelland 1973.jpg
| caption = McClelland in 1973
| office2 = [[President of the Senate (Australia)|President of the Senate]]
| term_start2 = 21 April 1983
| term_end2 = 23 January 1987
| predecessor2 = [[Harold Young (politician)|Harold Young]]
| successor2 = [[Kerry Sibraa]]
| office3 = [[Special Minister of State]]
| primeminister3 = [[Gough Whitlam]]
| term_start3 = 6 June 1975
| term_end3 = 11 November 1975
| predecessor3 = [[Lionel Bowen]]
| successor3 = [[Reg Withers]]
| office4 = [[Department of the Media|Minister for the Media]]
| primeminister4 = [[Gough Whitlam]]
| term_start4 = 19 December 1972
| term_end4 = 6 June 1975
| predecessor4 = ''New office''
| successor4 = [[Moss Cass]]
| office5 = [[List of High Commissioners of Australia to the United Kingdom|High Commissioner to the United Kingdom]]
| term_start5 = 21 March 1987
| term_end5 = March 1991
| predecessor5 = [[Alfred Parsons (diplomat)|Alfred Parsons]]
| successor5 = [[Richard Smith (diplomat)|Richard Smith]]
| office6 = [[Australian Senate|Senator]] for [[New South Wales]]
| term_start6 = 1 July 1962
| term_end6 = 23 January 1987
| successor6 = [[Sue West]]
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1926|8|5}}
| birth_place = [[Wentworthville, New South Wales]], Australia
| death_date =
| death_place =
| spouse = Lorna McNeill
| party = [[Australian Labor Party|Labor]]
| relations =[[Alfred McClelland]] (father)<br/>[[Robert McClelland (Australian politician)|Robert McClelland]] (son)
| residence =
| alma_mater =
| occupation = [[Court reporter]], politician
| profession =
| religion =
| signature =
| website =
| footnotes =
}}


'''Douglas McClelland''' {{post-nominals|country=AUS|AC}} (born 5 August 1926) is an Australian former politician who served as a [[Australian Senate|Senator]] for [[New South Wales]] from 1962 to 1987, representing the [[Australian Labor Party]] (ALP). He was [[Department of the Media|Minister for the Media]] (1972–1975) and [[Special Minister of State]] (1975) in the [[Whitlam government]], and ended his political career as [[President of the Senate (Australia)|President of the Senate]] (1983–1987). He resigned from the Senate to become [[High Commissioner of Australia to the United Kingdom|High Commissioner to the United Kingdom]] (1987–1991). McClelland is the last surviving minister who served in the [[Second Whitlam ministry]], and is the earliest elected Senator and federal Labor parliamentarian still alive.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://australianpolitics.com/parliament/house/living-former-house-members-1949-1972|title=Living Former Members Of The House Of Representatives (1949-1972)|author=Malcolm Farnsworth|year=2020}}</ref>
His son [[Robert McClelland (Australian politician)|Robert McClelland]] currently holds the seat of [[Division of Barton|Barton]] in the [[Australian House of Representatives]].


==Early life==
{{AU-politician-stub}}
Born on 5 August 1926 in the western [[Sydney]] suburb of [[Wentworthville, New South Wales|Wentworthville]], Doug McClelland was the son of Gertrude Amy (née Cooksley) and [[Alfred McClelland]]. His father was a farmer, union organiser, and ALP politician who served two terms in the [[Parliament of New South Wales]] (1920–1927 and 1930–1932).<ref name=bio>{{cite Au Senate |sen id=mcclelland-douglas |title=McClelland, Douglas (1926– ) |volume=4 |year=2017 |first=Brian |last=Stevenson |access-date=2022-12-23}}</ref> He attended Wentworthville Public School before going on to [[Parramatta High School]] and the Metropolitan Business College in [[Parramatta]]. After leaving school he found work as a clerk in the state Agriculture Department.
[[Category:Australian politicians|McClelland, Douglas]]

In 1944, five days after his 18th birthday, McClelland enlisted in the [[Second Australian Imperial Force|Australian Imperial Force]] (AIF). He was stationed for periods in New South Wales, Queensland, and the Northern Territory before being discharged in January 1947 with the rank of [[corporal]]. From 1949 he worked as a [[court reporter]], employed by the state and federal governments. During this time he was an active member of the [[Australian Journalists Association]].<ref name=bio/>

==Politics==
McClelland joined the ALP in 1947 and was elected to the state executive in 1956. He served as the campaign secretary for his father's close friend [[H. V. Evatt]], who was the member for [[Division of Barton|Barton]] and served as federal leader of the ALP from 1951 to 1960. Evatt transferred to a different electorate in 1958, and McClelland lost the Barton [[preselection]] ballot to [[Len Reynolds (politician)|Len Reynolds]] by just two votes. He was elected to the Senate at the [[1961 Australian federal election|1961 federal election]], aged 35, to a term starting on 1 July 1962.<ref name=bio/>

McClelland was [[Department of the Media|Minister for the Media]] from 19 December 1972 to 6 June 1975, [[Manager of Government Business in the Senate]] from 9 July 1974, and then [[Special Minister of State]]. He also served as [[President of the Australian Senate|President of the Senate]] from 21 April 1983 until his resignation on 23 January 1987.<ref name=aph>{{cite web
|title = Biography for McClelland, the Hon. Douglas, AC
|publisher = [[Parliament of Australia]]
|work = ParlInfo Web
|url = http://parlinfoweb.aph.gov.au/piweb/view_document.aspx?id=7984&table=BIOGS
|access-date = 2007-12-02
|url-status = dead
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110524193115/http://parlinfoweb.aph.gov.au/piweb/view_document.aspx?id=7984&table=BIOGS
|archive-date = 24 May 2011
|df = dmy-all
}}</ref> (He was no relation to fellow ALP cabinet minister [[Jim McClelland]].) From 1981 until his resignation he was the [[List of Fathers of the Australian Senate|Father of the Senate]].

In August 1981, McClelland was elected [[Chairman of Committees (Australian Senate)|Chairman of Committees]] in the Senate, adding the title Deputy President in October. He defeated [[National Country Party]] senator [[Douglas Scott (politician)|Douglas Scott]] by one vote with the aid of the [[Australian Democrats|Democrats]], marking the start of the convention that the position is held by the opposition. When the ALP won the [[1983 Australian federal election|1983 federal election]], McClelland was elected [[President of the Senate (Australia)|President of the Senate]] in place of [[Harold Young (politician)|Harold Young]]. In 1985 and 1986, he was represented by lawyers at the trials of [[Lionel Murphy]], a judge of the [[High Court of Australia|High Court]] and former ALP senator, where concerns had arisen over whether parliamentarian witnesses could be examined on their conduct in parliament. McClelland subsequently introduced what became the ''Parliamentary Privileges Act 1987'', which defined and codified certain aspects of [[parliamentary privilege]]. It was "the first bill introduced by a presiding officer in the history of the Australian Parliament".<ref name=bio/>

McClelland retired from the Senate in January 1987, the year before the opening of the [[Parliament House, Canberra|new Parliament House]]. He had served as chairman of the Joint Standing Committee on the New Parliament House from 1983.<ref name=bio/>

==Later life==
McClelland served as [[List of Australian High Commissioners to the United Kingdom|Australian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom]] from 1987 to 1991.<ref name=bio/>

==Personal life==
McClelland married Lorna McNeill and they have one son—[[Robert McClelland (Australian politician)|Robert McClelland]], the former member for [[Division of Barton|Barton]]—and two daughters.<ref>{{cite book
| title = Who's Who in Australia
| publisher = Crown Contents
| year = 2008
| location = North Melbourne
| url = http://www.crowncontent.com.au
| isbn = 978-1-74095-160-9
| page =2303}}</ref> He was made a Companion of the [[Order of Australia]] in June 1987.<ref>{{cite web
| title =McClelland, Douglas
| publisher =[[Government of Australia]]
| work=It's an Honour
| url =https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/884341
| access-date = 2007-12-02 }}</ref>

McClelland was awarded the [[Douglas Wilkie Medal]] for services to non-football in 1973 by the [[Anti-Football League]]. The accolade was presented after McClelland introduced a points system for television programming.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://antifootballleague.org/previous-wilkie-winners/|title=Previous Wilkie Winners &#124; The Anti-Football League}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category-inline}}
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{{s-start}}
{{s-off}}
{{succession box |before= New title |title= Minister for the Media| years=1972–1975 |after=[[Moss Cass]]}}
{{succession box |before= [[Lionel Bowen]] |title= [[Special Minister of State]]| years=1975 |after=[[Reg Withers]]}}
{{S-par| au}}
{{s-bef | before = [[Justin O'Byrne]]}}
{{s-ttl | title = [[Father of the Australian Senate]] | years = 1981 – 1987}}
{{s-aft | after = [[Peter Durack]]<br />[[Arthur Gietzelt]]}}
{{succession box |before= Sir [[Harold Young (politician)|Harold Young]] |title= [[President of the Australian Senate]]| years=1983–1987 |after=[[Kerry Sibraa]]}}
{{s-dip}}
{{succession box | title=[[List of Australian High Commissioners to the United Kingdom|Australian High Commissioner<br />to the United Kingdom]]|before=[[Alfred Parsons (diplomat)|Alfred Parsons]] | after=[[Richard Smith (diplomat)|Richard Smith]] | years=1987–1991}}
{{s-hon}}
{{s-bef | before = [[George Hannan]]}}
{{s-ttl | title = Earliest serving living Senator | years=2009 – present}}
{{s-aft | after = incumbent}}
{{s-end}}

{{President of the Australian Senate}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:McClelland, Doug}}
[[Category:1926 births]]
[[Category:Australian Labor Party members of the Parliament of Australia]]
[[Category:Presidents of the Australian Senate]]
[[Category:Members of the Australian Senate]]
[[Category:Members of the Australian Senate for New South Wales]]
[[Category:Members of the Cabinet of Australia]]
[[Category:1975 Australian constitutional crisis]]
[[Category:Companions of the Order of Australia]]
[[Category:Douglas Wilkie Medal winners]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:High commissioners of Australia to the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Permanent representatives of Australia to the International Maritime Organization]]
[[Category:20th-century Australian politicians]]
[[Category:Court reporters]]
[[Category:Australian Army personnel of World War II]]
[[Category:Australian Army soldiers]]

Latest revision as of 21:27, 7 September 2024

For the golfer, see Doug McClelland (golfer).

The Honourable
Doug McClelland
AC
McClelland in 1973
President of the Senate
In office
21 April 1983 – 23 January 1987
Preceded byHarold Young
Succeeded byKerry Sibraa
Special Minister of State
In office
6 June 1975 – 11 November 1975
Prime MinisterGough Whitlam
Preceded byLionel Bowen
Succeeded byReg Withers
Minister for the Media
In office
19 December 1972 – 6 June 1975
Prime MinisterGough Whitlam
Preceded byNew office
Succeeded byMoss Cass
High Commissioner to the United Kingdom
In office
21 March 1987 – March 1991
Preceded byAlfred Parsons
Succeeded byRichard Smith
Senator for New South Wales
In office
1 July 1962 – 23 January 1987
Succeeded bySue West
Personal details
Born (1926-08-05) 5 August 1926 (age 98)
Wentworthville, New South Wales, Australia
Political partyLabor
SpouseLorna McNeill
RelationsAlfred McClelland (father)
Robert McClelland (son)
OccupationCourt reporter, politician

Douglas McClelland AC (born 5 August 1926) is an Australian former politician who served as a Senator for New South Wales from 1962 to 1987, representing the Australian Labor Party (ALP). He was Minister for the Media (1972–1975) and Special Minister of State (1975) in the Whitlam government, and ended his political career as President of the Senate (1983–1987). He resigned from the Senate to become High Commissioner to the United Kingdom (1987–1991). McClelland is the last surviving minister who served in the Second Whitlam ministry, and is the earliest elected Senator and federal Labor parliamentarian still alive.[1]

Early life

[edit]

Born on 5 August 1926 in the western Sydney suburb of Wentworthville, Doug McClelland was the son of Gertrude Amy (née Cooksley) and Alfred McClelland. His father was a farmer, union organiser, and ALP politician who served two terms in the Parliament of New South Wales (1920–1927 and 1930–1932).[2] He attended Wentworthville Public School before going on to Parramatta High School and the Metropolitan Business College in Parramatta. After leaving school he found work as a clerk in the state Agriculture Department.

In 1944, five days after his 18th birthday, McClelland enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (AIF). He was stationed for periods in New South Wales, Queensland, and the Northern Territory before being discharged in January 1947 with the rank of corporal. From 1949 he worked as a court reporter, employed by the state and federal governments. During this time he was an active member of the Australian Journalists Association.[2]

Politics

[edit]

McClelland joined the ALP in 1947 and was elected to the state executive in 1956. He served as the campaign secretary for his father's close friend H. V. Evatt, who was the member for Barton and served as federal leader of the ALP from 1951 to 1960. Evatt transferred to a different electorate in 1958, and McClelland lost the Barton preselection ballot to Len Reynolds by just two votes. He was elected to the Senate at the 1961 federal election, aged 35, to a term starting on 1 July 1962.[2]

McClelland was Minister for the Media from 19 December 1972 to 6 June 1975, Manager of Government Business in the Senate from 9 July 1974, and then Special Minister of State. He also served as President of the Senate from 21 April 1983 until his resignation on 23 January 1987.[3] (He was no relation to fellow ALP cabinet minister Jim McClelland.) From 1981 until his resignation he was the Father of the Senate.

In August 1981, McClelland was elected Chairman of Committees in the Senate, adding the title Deputy President in October. He defeated National Country Party senator Douglas Scott by one vote with the aid of the Democrats, marking the start of the convention that the position is held by the opposition. When the ALP won the 1983 federal election, McClelland was elected President of the Senate in place of Harold Young. In 1985 and 1986, he was represented by lawyers at the trials of Lionel Murphy, a judge of the High Court and former ALP senator, where concerns had arisen over whether parliamentarian witnesses could be examined on their conduct in parliament. McClelland subsequently introduced what became the Parliamentary Privileges Act 1987, which defined and codified certain aspects of parliamentary privilege. It was "the first bill introduced by a presiding officer in the history of the Australian Parliament".[2]

McClelland retired from the Senate in January 1987, the year before the opening of the new Parliament House. He had served as chairman of the Joint Standing Committee on the New Parliament House from 1983.[2]

Later life

[edit]

McClelland served as Australian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom from 1987 to 1991.[2]

Personal life

[edit]

McClelland married Lorna McNeill and they have one son—Robert McClelland, the former member for Barton—and two daughters.[4] He was made a Companion of the Order of Australia in June 1987.[5]

McClelland was awarded the Douglas Wilkie Medal for services to non-football in 1973 by the Anti-Football League. The accolade was presented after McClelland introduced a points system for television programming.[6]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Malcolm Farnsworth (2020). "Living Former Members Of The House Of Representatives (1949-1972)".
  2. ^ a b c d e f Stevenson, Brian (2017). "McClelland, Douglas (1926– )". The Biographical Dictionary of the Australian Senate. Vol. 4. Retrieved 23 December 2022.
  3. ^ "Biography for McClelland, the Hon. Douglas, AC". ParlInfo Web. Parliament of Australia. Archived from the original on 24 May 2011. Retrieved 2 December 2007.
  4. ^ Who's Who in Australia. North Melbourne: Crown Contents. 2008. p. 2303. ISBN 978-1-74095-160-9.
  5. ^ "McClelland, Douglas". It's an Honour. Government of Australia. Retrieved 2 December 2007.
  6. ^ "Previous Wilkie Winners | The Anti-Football League".
[edit]

Media related to Doug McClelland at Wikimedia Commons  

Political offices
Preceded by
New title
 Minister for the Media
1972–1975 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Special Minister of State
1975 		Succeeded by
Parliament of Australia
Preceded by Father of the Australian Senate
1981 – 1987 		Succeeded by
Preceded by President of the Australian Senate
1983–1987 		Succeeded by
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by Australian High Commissioner
to the United Kingdom
1987–1991 		Succeeded by
Honorary titles
Preceded by Earliest serving living Senator
2009 – present 		Succeeded by
incumbent
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