Lindsay Thompson
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| Lindsay Hamilton Simpson Thompson | |
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40th Premier of Victoria
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| In office 5 June 1981 – 8 April 1982 |
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| Preceded by | Rupert Hamer |
| Succeeded by | John Cain II |
| Constituency | Malvern |
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| Born | 15 October 1923 Warburton, Victoria, Australia |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Political party | Liberal Party of Australia |
| Spouse | Joan Margaret Poynder |
| Religion | Uniting Church |
Lindsay Hamilton Simpson Thompson AO CMG (born 15 October 1923), Australian Liberal Party politician, was the 40th Premier of Victoria from June 1981 to April 1982. Apart from being most famous as Victoria's 40th Premier, he also most famous for his actions in the Faraday School Kidnapping.
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[edit] Early history and family
Thompson was born in Warburton, a town north-east of Melbourne, and was educated at Caulfield Grammar School. After service in the Australian Army in World War II, he graduated from the University of Melbourne with degrees in arts and education, and became a school teacher.
In 1950 Thompson married Joan Poynder, and they had three children. Thompson's son Murray Thompson has been a member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly since 1992.
[edit] Member for Malvern
In 1955 he was elected to the Victorian Legislative Council in the Monash and Higginbotham Provinces as a Liberal, where he served until 1970, when he transferred to the Legislative Assembly as MP for Malvern.
In 1958 Thompson was appointed Assistant Chief Secretary in the government of Henry Bolte, and held office continuously until 1982, making him the longest-serving minister in the history of the Victorian Parliament. Thompson served as Minister for Housing from 1961-1967, during which time many of Melbourne's controversial public housing towers were built. In 1967 he was appointed Minister for Education, and held this post until 1979, a record term. He presided over the major expansion of state education in Victoria during this period. In 1971 he became Deputy Premier.
In 1972, a teacher and six school children were kidnapped at a school in the country town of Faraday by a man demanding a $1 million ransom. Thompson went to the site and was ready to personally deliver the ransom, but the teacher and children escaped from the van they were locked in before this was necessary. Thompson received a bravery award for his actions during the kidnapping.
[edit] 40th Premier of Victoria
During the premiership of Rupert Hamer Thompson was Chief Secretary, then Treasurer and Minister for Police and Emergency Services. On June 5, 1981, Premier Hamer resigned and Thompson won a Liberal Party ballot to succeed him as Premier. But the Liberals had been in power for 27 years and the new Labor leader, John Cain, was mounting a strong challenge to the government. At the March 1982 election the Liberals were heavily defeated and Thompson resigned as Liberal leader and from Parliament.
[edit] Awards
Thompson was made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George on June 14, 1975 for serving as a minister.[1] He was made an Officer of the Order of Australia on Australia Day in 1990 "for service to government and politics and to the Victorian Parliament".[2] He also received a Centenary Medal in 2001.
In 1981 he was awarded the Douglas Wilkie Medal by the Anti-Football League for his efforts to ban football games on Sunday.
He is a former Number One ticket holder of the Richmond Football Club and was awarded life membership of the club in 1993.
[edit] References
- ^ Australian Honours (2006). THOMPSON, Lindsay Hamilton Simpson CMG. Retrieved June 12, 2006.
- ^ Australian Honours (2006). THOMPSON, Lindsay Hamilton Simpson AO. Retrieved June 12, 2006.
| Preceded by Rupert Hamer |
Premier of Victoria 1981-1982 |
Succeeded by John Cain |
| Preceded by Rupert Hamer |
Leader of the Liberal Party of Australia in Victoria 1981-1982 |
Succeeded by Jeff Kennett |
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