Lance Barnard

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Lance Herbert Barnard AO (1 May 19196 August 1997), Australian politician, was Deputy Prime Minister of Australia for most of the Labor government of Gough Whitlam.

A Tasmanian by birth, raised in Launceston, Barnard was the son of Claude Barnard, who was a Labor MP from Tasmania 1934-49 and a Minister in the Chifley government. He was a teacher before being elected to the House of Representatives for the Division of Bass, his father's old seat in 1954. In 1967 he became Deputy Leader of the Labor Party and when it won office under Whitlam in 1972 Barnard was Deputy Prime Minister.

For the first two weeks of Whitlam's government, before the full electoral result was known, Whitlam and Barnard formed a two-man ministry, known as a duumvirate, to govern until a full ministry could be announced. Barnard held 14 portfolios including Defence and Immigration. Following the announcement of a complete ministry, Barnard served as Minister for Defence.

Following the 1974 election Barnard lost the Labor Deputy Leadership to Dr. Jim Cairns and shortly thereafter he retired from politics. He became Ambassador to Norway, Finland, and Sweden. The loss of Barnard's seat of Bass to the Liberals at the by-election caused by Barnard's resignation was seen by many as the beginning of the end for the Whitlam government.

After his retirement, Barnard was a director of the Office of Australian War Graves.

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Political offices
Preceded by
Doug Anthony
Deputy Prime Minister of Australia
1972 – 1974
Succeeded by
Jim Cairns
Preceded by
David Fairbairn
Minister for Defence
1972 – 1975
Succeeded by
Bill Morrison
Preceded by
Thomas Drake-Brockman
Minister for Air
1972 – 1973
Abolished
Preceded by
Bob Katter
Minister for the Army
1972 – 1973
Preceded by
Malcolm Mackay
Minister for the Navy
1972 – 1973
Preceded by
Victor Garland
Minister for Supply
1972 – 1973
Succeeded by
Kep Enderby
Parliament of Australia
Preceded by
Bruce Kekwick
Member for Bass
1954 – 1975
Succeeded by
Kevin Newman
Party political offices
Preceded by
Gough Whitlam
Deputy Leader of the Australian Labor Party
1967 – 1974
Succeeded by
Jim Cairns