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Lionel Bowen

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For the English footballer, see Lionel Bowen (footballer).

The Honourable
Lionel Bowen
AC
Deputy Prime Minister of Australia
In office
11 March 1983 – 4 April 1990
Prime MinisterBob Hawke
Preceded byDoug Anthony
Succeeded byPaul Keating
Deputy Leader of the Labor Party
In office
22 December 1977 – 4 April 1990
LeaderBill Hayden
Bob Hawke
Preceded byTom Uren
Succeeded byPaul Keating
Manager of Opposition Business
In office
10 November 1980 – 11 March 1983
LeaderBill Hayden
Bob Hawke
Preceded byChris Hurford
Succeeded byIan Sinclair
Attorney-General of Australia
In office
13 December 1984 – 4 April 1990
LeaderBob Hawke
Preceded byGareth Evans
Succeeded byMichael Duffy
Vice-President of the Executive Council
In office
14 July 1983 – 24 July 1987
LeaderBob Hawke
Preceded byMick Young
Succeeded byMick Young
Minister for Trade
In office
11 March 1983 – 13 December 1984
LeaderBob Hawke
Preceded byDoug Anthony
Succeeded byJohn Dawkins
Minister for Manufacturing Industry
In office
6 June 1975 – 11 November 1975
LeaderGough Whitlam
Preceded byJim McClelland
Succeeded byBob Cotton
Special Minister of State
In office
30 November 1973 – 6 June 1975
LeaderGough Whitlam
Preceded byDon Willesee
Succeeded byDoug McClelland
Postmaster-General
In office
19 December 1972 – 12 June 1974
LeaderGough Whitlam
Preceded byLance Barnard
Succeeded byReg Bishop
Member of the Australian Parliament
for Kingsford Smith
In office
25 October 1969 – 24 March 1990
Preceded byDan Curtin
Succeeded byLaurie Brereton
Personal details
Born(1922-12-28)28 December 1922
Ultimo, New South Wales, Australia
Died1 April 2012(2012-04-01) (aged 89)
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Political partyLabor
SpouseClaire Clement
Children8
Alma materUniversity of Sydney
OccupationSolicitor
Military service
AllegianceAustralia Australia
Branch/serviceAustralian Army
Years of service1941–1945
RankCorporal

Lionel Frost Bowen AC (28 December 1922 – 1 April 2012) was an Australian politician. He was the deputy leader of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) from 1977 to 1990 and served as the sixth deputy prime minister of Australia in the Hawke government from 1983 to 1990.

Bowen was born in Sydney to a working-class family. He served in the Australian Army during World War II and subsequently studied law at the University of Sydney. He was elected mayor of Randwick in 1948 and served in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1962 to 1969. Bowen was elected to the House of Representatives at the 1969 federal election, representing the seat of Kingsford Smith. He served as Postmaster-General (1972–1974), Special Minister of State (1973–1975) and Minister for Manufacturing Industry (1975) in the Whitlam government, before being elected deputy leader to Bill Hayden in 1977. He retained the position when Bob Hawke was elected leader in 1983 and became deputy prime minister after Labor won the 1983 election. He served as Minister for Trade (1983–1984) and Attorney-General (1984–1990) until his retirement from politics in 1990, and was later chair of the National Gallery of Australia.

Early life

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Bowen was born in the Sydney suburb of Ultimo. His father left the family when Bowen was aged 10 years and Bowen's mother looked after her invalid brother and elderly mother, while working as a cleaner.[1] Bowen was educated at Cleveland Street public school, Marcellin College Randwick and Sydney University where he graduated with a LLB in 1946 and became a solicitor. He served in the Second Australian Imperial Force from 1941 to 1945, reaching the rank of corporal.[2][3]

Political career

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Bowen was elected to Randwick Council and became Mayor in 1948.[4] He served in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1962 to 1969, representing Randwick,[3] before being elected to the Parliament of Australia in 1969, to the seat of Kingsford Smith in the House of Representatives. From 1972 to 1975, he served successively as Minister for Manufacturing Industry, Special Minister of State and Postmaster-General in the Whitlam cabinet.

Bowen played a relatively quiet role in politics, preferring to work behind the scenes.[1][5][4] A significant achievement came when he served as acting education minister in the Whitlam government (during the illness and hospitalization of incumbent education minister Kim Beazley Senior), when he managed to split the opposition and win National Party support in the Senate for needs-based funding for non-government schools.[6]

When Whitlam resigned as Labor leader after his defeat at the 1977 election, Bowen contested the party leadership but was defeated by Bill Hayden and became Deputy Leader. He retained this position when Bob Hawke became Leader in February 1983. When Hawke won the March 1983 election, Bowen became Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade in the first Hawke Ministry. In July 1983, he was appointed Vice-President of the Executive Council and in the second Hawke ministry, he became Attorney-General, losing the Trade portfolio.

In 1988, Bowen sponsored four referendums to reform the Australian Constitution (see 1988 Australian referendum), but all were defeated. He retired from federal politics prior to the March 1990 election, and was succeeded as Deputy Prime Minister by Paul Keating.

Post political career

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Bowen served as Chairman of the National Gallery of Australia between 1990 and 1995 and shared a strong interest in horseracing.[5]

In 1990, he was awarded the New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal,[7] and in 1991, he was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia "in recognition of service to the community and politics."[8] In 2001, he received a Centenary Medal.[9]

Personal life

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Bowen and his wife, Claire, married in 1953 and had three daughters and five sons. He lived in the same home in Kensington for 73 years.[5] His son, Tony, was a mayor of the City of Randwick.[10]

Bowen died from pneumonia on 1 April 2012.[11] after years afflicted with Alzheimer's disease.[5] He was given a state funeral on 11 April 2012.[12]

Legacy

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The Family Court of Australia and the Federal Magistrates Court are located in the Lionel Bowen Building in Goulburn Street, Sydney.[citation needed] The City of Randwick main library is known as the Lionel Bowen Library.[13] Lionel Bowen Park is situated in the suburb of Mascot.[14]

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Lionel Bowen: the model deputy". ABC News. Australia. AAP. 1 April 2012. Retrieved 5 April 2012.
  2. ^ "Bowen, Lionel Frost". World War II Nominal Roll. Commonwealth of Australia. Retrieved 25 February 2010.
  3. ^ a b "Mr Lionel Frost Bowen (1922–2012)". Former members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 16 June 2019.
  4. ^ a b Benson, Simon (2 April 2012). "Vale Lionel Bowen: a true working class hero". The Daily Telegraph. Australia. Retrieved 5 April 2012.
  5. ^ a b c d Humphries, David (3 April 2012). "Labor's anchor through turbulent era". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 5 April 2012.
  6. ^ Steketee, Mike (2 April 2012). "Legend of Labor Lionel Bowen never lost the touch". The Australian. Retrieved 5 April 2012.
  7. ^ Taylor, Alister; Coddington, Deborah (1994). Honoured by the Queen – New Zealand. Auckland: New Zealand Who's Who Aotearoa. p. 73. ISBN 0-908578-34-2.
  8. ^ "Mr Lionel Frost Bowen, Companion of the Order of Australia". It's an Honour. Commonwealth of Australia. Retrieved 22 January 2008.
  9. ^ "Mr Lionel Frost Bowen, Centenary Medal". It's an Honour. Commonwealth of Australia. Retrieved 1 April 2012.
  10. ^ Herbertson, Lisa (26 September 2012). "Tony Bowen elected as new mayor of Randwick Council". Southern Courier. Retrieved 26 September 2012.
  11. ^ Wroe, David (2 April 2012). "Death of Labor elder Bowen, who remained an everyday bloke". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2 April 2012.
  12. ^ "'Unique' Bowen farewelled at Sydney funeral". The Sydney Morning Herald. AAP. 11 April 2012. Retrieved 11 April 2012.
  13. ^ "Lionel Bowen Library and Community Centre, Maroubra". www.randwick.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 16 July 2017.
  14. ^ Hoenig, Ron (2 September 2013). "Ron Hoenig Member for Heffron: Lionel Bowen Park dedication". ronhoenig.blogspot.com.au. Retrieved 16 July 2017.
Civic offices
Preceded by Mayor of Randwick
1951 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Mayor of Randwick
1955 		Succeeded by
Parliament of Australia
Preceded by Member for Kingsford Smith
1969–1990 		Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by Postmaster-General
1972–1974 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Deputy Prime Minister of Australia
1983–1990 		Succeeded by
Minister for Trade
1983–1984 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Attorney-General
1984–1990 		Succeeded by
Party political offices
Preceded by Deputy Leader of the Labor Party
1977–1990 		Succeeded by
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