Percy Spender

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Sir Percy Claude Spender, KCVO, KBE, KC (5 October 1897 - 3 May 1985), was an Australian diplomat, politician and jurist.

Spender was born in Sydney, Australia and educated at the University of Sydney, he joined the Commonwealth Public Service in 1915. He was admitted to the New South Wales Bar in 1923 and was made a King's Counsel in 1935.

Spender entered politics at the 1937 election when he was elected to the House of Representatives as member for Warringah. He ran as an independent, defeating the sitting member, Sir Archdale Parkhill. Soon after his election, he joined the government party, the United Australia Party, and held the seat until his resignation from federal politics in 1951. From 1944 was a member of the Liberal Party.

Spender held a number of ministries in the Menzies wartime government. He was Minister without portfolio assisting the Treasurer from April 1939 until November 1939, Vice-President of the Executive Council from January 1940 until March 1940, then Treasurer until October 1940 and then Minister for the Army until the fall of the Fadden government in October 1941. He was also a member of the Economic Cabinet (1939-1940), War Cabinet (1939-1941) and the Advisory War Council (1940-1945).

Upon Menzies return to power in 1949 Spender was made Minister for External Affairs (19 December 1949 - 26 April 1951) and Minister for External Territories. Spender's greatest influence on Australian politics occurred during this period. He led Australian delegations to the British Commonwealth Conference in Colombo, Sri Lanka and to the Fifth Session of the United Nations General Assembly (of which he was the Vice-President).

At the conference in Colombo, Spender was instrumental in the development of the Colombo Plan (which had originally been known as the Spender Plan). He also played a large part in the signing of the ANZUS Pact^[1] and the Japanese Peace Treaty (1951).

On leaving politics Spender was appointed Australia's second Ambassador to the United States (1951-1958). He was the first Australian appointed to the International Court of Justice in The Hague (1958-1964) and was the Court's President from 1964 to 1967.

Spender was internationally well respected, receiving a variety of recognitions. He was conferred the Grande Ufficiale Order of Merit by the Repulic of Italy in 1976. He also received ten honorary doctorates. However, a personal rift between himself and Menzies prevented him from receiving the honour which he most desired, appointment to the Privy Council. Spender died in May 1985, aged 87 years.

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Political offices
Preceded by James Fairbairn	Vice-President of the Executive Council 1940	Succeeded by Henry Gullett
Preceded by Robert Menzies	Treasurer 1940	Succeeded by Arthur Fadden
Preceded by Philip McBride	Minister for the Army 1940 – 1941	Succeeded by Frank Forde
Preceded by H.V. Evatt	Minister for External Affairs 1949 - 1951	Succeeded by Richard Casey
Preceded by Eddie Ward	Minister for External Territories 1949 - 1951
Parliament of Australia
Preceded by Archdale Parkhill	Member for Warringah 1937 – 1951	Succeeded by Francis Bland
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by Norman Makin	Australian Ambassador to the United States 1951 – 1958	Succeeded by Howard Beale