Richard O'Connor (politician)

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Official portrait of O'Connor, circa 1910.

Richard Edward O'Connor (1851 - 18 November 1912), Australian politician, was a member of the first federal ministry.

O'Connor was born in Sydney, and was educated at Lyndhurst College, Sydney Grammar School, and at the University of Sydney, graduating as a lawyer in 1871. He became a clerk to the legislative council, studied law, and was called to the bar in 1876. Almost from the beginning he was known as a sound lawyer and he subsequently built up a successful practice, he was also a well-known journalist writing for Irish-Australian and Catholic magazines. A Protectionist, he was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council 1887-98. He was Minister for Justice 1891-93 and Solicitor-General 1893. He was made a Q.C. in 1896, and in the same year was a member of the people's federal convention held at Bathurst. He was an earnest advocate for federation and was elected one of the New South Wales representatives for the convention of 1897-8. At this convention he was a member with Sir Edmund Barton and Sir John Downer of the drafting committee which prepared the federation bill. This, with some amendments, eventually became the federal constitution.

O'Connor was elected to the Australian Senate in 1901 as a Senator for New South Wales. He was Vice-President of the Executive Council 1901-03 in the ministry of Edmund Barton. In 1903 he was appointed as a foundation Justice of the High Court of Australia, where he served until his death in 1912.