Des Corcoran

James Desmond "Des" Corcoran AO (8 November 1928 – 3 January 2004) was an Australian politician. He was the 37th Premier of South Australia, serving between 15 February 1979 and 18 September 1979.

Born in Millicent, South Australia, Corcoran joined the Australian Labor Party (ALP) in 1941. He enlisted in the Australian Army and fought in the Korean War (where he was mentioned in dispatches), as well as serving in Japan, Malaya and New Guinea. Corcoran left the Army in 1961 and in 1962 was elected to the South Australian House of Assembly Electoral district of Millicent, the seat previously held by his father, Jim Corcoran.

Corcoran quickly impressed many within the Labor Party with his talent for administration and when the Labor Party won government in South Australia in 1965 for the first time in 32 years, new Premier Frank Walsh attempted to groom Corcoran as his successor as a foil to Deputy Leader Don Dunstan, whom Walsh personally disliked. Following Walsh's retirement in 1967, Corcoran challenged Dunstan for the Premiership but lost by three votes and instead became Deputy Premier.

Labor lost the 1968 election but Corcoran held the seat of Millicent by one vote over his LCL rival Martin Cameron. Cameron protested and a by-election was held, with Corcoran winning more comfortably, leaving the new Steele Hall LCL government to rely on the casting vote of Independent Speaker Tom Stott. Following the election, Corcoran became Deputy Opposition Leader under Don Dunstan and upon Labor's victory at the 1970 election, he returned to the Deputy Premiership and assumed the Marine and Harbours and Public Works portfolios.

Dunstan and Corcoran made an odd but effective team. While Corcoran, a devout Catholic, privately opposed many of the social reforms Dunstan was implementing, such as liberalising abortion and homosexuality laws, as well as personally disliking Dunstan's lifestyle and his fondness for the arts, theatre and relaxed dress fashions, they managed to maintain a working relationship. Dunstan used Corcoran's plain speaking to deal with any rogue party elements while Dunstan remained the public face of the Labor government.

After eleven years as Deputy Premier, Corcoran became Premier on 15 February 1979 after Dunstan's shock resignation due to ill health and assumed the positions of Treasurer and Minister for Ethnic Affairs. Spurred by positive opinion polls and seeking to escape the shadow of Dunstan, Corcoran called a snap election (without pre-informing the party apparatus) in order to gain a mandate of his own. The election campaign was plagued by problems, The Advertiser was biased toward the Liberal campaign, and the Labor Party suffered an 11% swing against it. Corcoran was bitter in defeat, believing sections of the ALP had undermined him during the campaign.

Corcoran retired from politics in 1982 and died from cancer at age 75 in 2004. He was survived by his wife, Carmel, their eight children and twelve grandchildren.

References

• Doherty, E., Heggen, B. & Pippos, C. "Former premier Corcoran dies", Sunday Mail, p 2, 4 January 2004.
• Jory, R. "SA premier put his own mark on office", The Courier-Mail, p. 22, 2 February 2004.
• Kelton, G. "Pragmatic man of the people not forgotten", The Advertiser, p. 18, 5 January 2004.