Alexander Mair

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The Hon. Alexander Mair (Born North Carlton, August 25, 1889; Died Melbourne, August 3, 1969}. Premier of New South Wales August 5, 1939 - May 16, 1941.

A farmer, businessman and Presbyterian, the Melbourne-born Mair represented the electoral district of Albury, just north of the Victorian border, in the Legislative Assembly from 1932 until 1946. Having been Treasurer (1938-39) in the closing stages of Bertram Stevens' United Australia Party administration, Mair succeeded Stevens as Premier shortly before World War II. But he lasted less than two years in the office, and the May 1941 state election brought Labor to power in a landslide under William McKell; Labor remained in government for almost a quarter of a century afterwards.

Unlike most of the other important United Australia Party figures, Mair (who remained Opposition Leader till 1944) took a very important role in the establishment of the Liberal Party, which held meetings discussing its constitution at the Mate's Department Store building in Albury. He served on the Liberals' New South Wales executive from 1945 to 1946.

Preceded by
Joseph Fitzgerald
Member for Albury
1932 – 1946
Succeeded by
Cornelius Hurley
Preceded by
Bertram Stevens
Premier of New South Wales
1939-1941
Succeeded by
William McKell


Premiers of New South Wales
Donaldson | Cowper | Parker | Forster | Robertson | Martin | Parkes | Farnell | Stuart | Dibbs | Jennings | Reid | Lyne | See | Waddell | Carruthers | Wade | McGowen | Holman | Storey | Dooley | Fuller | Lang | Bavin | Stevens | Mair | McKell | McGirr | Cahill | Heffron | Renshaw | Askin | Lewis | Willis | Wran | Unsworth | Greiner | Fahey | Carr | Iemma