Gerald McKellar

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Gerald Colin McKellar (29 May 1903 – 13 April 1970) was an Australian politician and government minister.

McKellar was born in Gulgong, New South Wales and educated at Gilgandra and became a wheat and sheep farmer in the Gilgandra area. He married Florence Emily Smith in 1926. He commanded the local militia from 1936 and was appointed a major in the second Australian Imperial Force in September 1942. He was transferred to the reserves in April 1946. After World War II, he became an official in several farming organisations.[1]

[edit] Political career

McKellar was elected as a Country Party Senator at the 1958 election. In December 1964, he was appointed Minister for Repatriation. He was obliged to implement Cabinet's decision to cut costs despite the strenuous opposition of the Returned Services League. During the Holt government, he also came under strong pressure over the "V.I.P. flights affair" as he represented the Minister for Air Peter Howson in the Senate. He agreed not to be appointed to the second Gorton Ministry in November 1969, on grounds of ill-health and five months later died of coronary heart disease, survived by his wife and three sons.[1]

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ a b Schneider, Russell (2000). McKellar, Gerald Colin (1903 - 1970). Australian Dictionary of Biography. Australian National University. Retrieved on 2008-01-16.
Political offices
Preceded by
Reginald Swartz		 Minister for Repatriation
1964 – 1969		 Succeeded by
Mac Holten


Persondata
NAME McKellar, Gerald Colin
ALTERNATIVE NAMES
SHORT DESCRIPTION Australian politician
DATE OF BIRTH 29 May 1903
PLACE OF BIRTH Gulgong, New South Wales
DATE OF DEATH 13 April 1970
PLACE OF DEATH Sydney