Politics Richard Layton Butler

former south australian premiers (from left) robert richards, sir richard butler, lionel hill , sir henry barwell meet premier tom playford in 1940

in canberra, butler achieved fame tough bargaining skills, resulted in grants south australia; through funding, , reduction in government spending, south australia first state since start of depression balance budget. known in canberra fierce opponent of federal control, opposing proposed commonwealth wheat pool , rationalisation of butter production.

butler s term in office saw founding of south australian housing trust, designed build cheap homes affected depression , successful enticing of broken hill proprietary company (bhp) build blast furnace in whyalla, , general motors holden maintain adelaide base, major changes structure of parliament, including increase in parliamentary terms 3 years 5 years, reduction of number of members in lower house 46 39, , introduction of single-member electorates. had effect of increasing significant rural overweighting written state constitution (which called 2 rural seats every 1 seat in adelaide). resulting malapportionment later became known playmander.

not rosy butler, though. conditions laid down country party part of agreeing merger left former country party politicians more influence in lcl numbers in parliament have otherwise merited. not butler forced give ministerial post country party power broker percy blesing, former state country party leader archie cameron handed federal seat of barker. butler struggled control rural members of lcl - of these members publicly disagreed butler on key issues. internal opposition magnified butler s refusal introduce compulsory religious education state schools or ban drinking , gambling, led church , temperance groups launch moral crusade against butler, , prompted conservative lcl members consider dumping butler leader. butler held on position , led lcl 1938 election. @ poll, lcl lost several seats, formed minority government support of independents.

mounting internal lcl displeasure led butler consider switching federal politics. opportunity arose such move in 1938, following death in aeroplane crash of charles hawker, united australia party mp federal seat of wakefield. butler gained pre-selection 1938 wakefield by-election , resigned position premier , seat in parliament on 5 november 1938, replaced premier thomas playford iv. @ time of resignation, butler longest-serving premier in south australian history.

butler went by-election heavy favorite; on paper wakefield safely conservative seat uap/lcl majority of 13.1 percent. however, in shock result, butler lost by-election after independent percy quirke s preferences flowed overwhelmingly labor challenger sydney mchugh. allowed mchugh take seat on swing of 20 percent. although continued seek federal pre-selection lcl, internal party opponents thwarted him. instead, after being knighted in 1939, butler first appointed playford critical wartime positions of director of emergency road transport , chair of liquid fuel control board , later director of electricity trust of south australia.

labor mp mark butler richard layton butler s grandson.