Eric Reece

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Eric Reece

Eric Elliott Reece AC (born July 6, 1909 in Mathinna , Tasmania ; † October 23, 1999 in Hobart , Tasmania) was an Australian politician of the Australian Labor Party (ALP), who was Prime Minister between 1958 and 1969 and again between 1972 and 1975 Tasmania was.

Life

MP and Minister

Reece was elected as a candidate for the Australian Labor Party on November 23, 1946 in the Darwin-Braddon constituency for the first time as a member of the House of Representatives (Tasmanian House of Assembly) , the lower house of the Tasmanian Parliament, and was a member of this until his resignation on March 31, 1975 .

Shortly afterwards, on December 10, 1946, Prime Minister Robert Cosgrove appointed him as Honorary Minister for Housing for the first time in a government office, which he held until December 18, 1947. At the same time, on October 30, 1947, he was also minister responsible for mining (Minister responsible for Mines) and held this office until August 25, 1958. After Prime Minister Edward Brooker took office on December 18, 1947, Reece became Minister for Lands and Works and also held this office in the second government of Cosgrave, who became Prime Minister again on December 25, 1948, until the end of Cosgrave's term of office on August 25, 1958. Most recently, from October 23, 1958 to August 25, 1958, he was also Minister for Local Government ) .

Prime Minister 1958 to 1969

On August 26, 1958, Reece was finally Cosgrave's successor and first took over the post of Prime Minister, which he held for eleven years until May 26, 1969.

At the same time he took over in his cabinet from August 26, 1958 to May 26, 1969, acting minister of mines (Minister administering the Department of Mines) and from August 26 to October 28, 1958 for the first time also Minister of Finance (Treasurer) . He was then from October 28, 1958 to May 12, 1959 Attorney General (Attorney General) and additionally between January 16 and May 12, 1959 Acting Minister for Police and Licensing (Minister administering the Police Department and Licensing) .

In the parliamentary elections of May 2, 1959, the Labor Party won 71,535 votes (44.5 percent) and suffered a loss of 5.77 percentage points. In the expanded from 30 to 35 seats House of Assembly reached 17 seats, while the opposition Liberal Party of Australia by Tim Jackson on 66005 votes came (41.05 percent) and received 16 seats. Two mandates were for non-party candidates. After the election, Reece took over the office of finance minister again on May 12, 1959 and also held this position for ten years until May 26, 1969.

The Reece government was confirmed in office in the parliamentary elections on May 2, 1964 and won 19 seats with 90,631 votes (51.32 percent), an absolute majority. The Liberal Party, now with the top candidate Angus Bethune , achieved 67,971 votes (38.49 percent) and was able to defend its 16 seats.

In the parliamentary elections that followed on May 10, 1969, the Labor Party lost its absolute majority and won just 17 seats with 90,278 votes (47.68 percent). The Liberal Party also won 17 seats with 67,971 votes (43.98 percent) and on May 26, 1969, with Angus Bethune as Prime Minister, formed a coalition with the Center Party , whose only MP and long-time speaker of the House of Assembly, Kevin Lyons , Vice Prime Minister became.

Prime Minister 1969 to 1972

After the election defeat, Reece took over the office of opposition leader and won the parliamentary elections of April 22, 1972 with the Labor Party, an overwhelming victory. The ALP won 108,910 votes (54.93 percent) an additional 7.25 percentage points and now had 21 seats in the House of Representatives. Bethunes Liberal Party won 76,073 votes (38.37 percent) this time, losing 5.61 percentage points and only had 14 parliamentary seats. In these elections he received 14,790 votes (35.4 percent), the best result to date in the Braddon constituency .

Subsequently, Reece was again Prime Minister on May 3, 1972 and from May 3, 1972 to March 31, 1975 was again Minister of Finance and also Acting Minister of Mining. In addition, he was briefly attorney general from August 2 to August 21, 1972.

On March 31, 1975 he resigned as Prime Minister and was replaced by Vice Prime Minister Bill Neilson . In 1975 he became Companion of the Order of Australia .

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personal data
SURNAME Reece, Eric
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Reece, Eric (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Australian politician
DATE OF BIRTH July 6, 1909
PLACE OF BIRTH Mathinna , Tasmania
DATE OF DEATH October 23, 1999
Place of death Hobart , Tasmania