Harry Holgate

The Honourable
Harry Holgate
AO
36th Premier of Tasmania
In office
11 November 1981  26 May 1982
Deputy Michael Barnard
Preceded by Doug Lowe
Succeeded by Robin Gray
Constituency Bass
Personal details
Born (1933-12-05)5 December 1933
Maitland, NSW, Australia
Died 16 March 1997(1997-03-16) (aged 63)
Launceston, Tasmania, Australia
Nationality Australian
Political party Australian Labor Party
Spouse(s) Rosalind Wesley[1]
Katharine West
Occupation Journalist

Harold Norman "Harry" Holgate AO (5 December 1933 – 16 March 1997) was an Australian Labor Party politician and Premier of Tasmania from 11 November 1981 to 26 May 1982.

Born in Maitland, New South Wales in 1933, Holgate was a television producer and journalist prior to entering politics, arriving in Tasmania to work for The Examiner newspaper in 1963.[2] He first stood for election in 1972 but was unable to meet the required quota of 4,707 votes.[3] From 1973 to 1974, he worked as a press secretary for Deputy Prime Minister Lance Barnard.[2]

In 1974, he stood for election again and was the second candidate elected in the Division of Bass (following Liberal member Neil Robson). He held his seat from 26 July 1974 until 1992, and was Speaker of the Tasmanian House of Assembly from May 1975 to December 1976. Holgate became Premier in 1981 after a motion of no confidence was raised against Doug Lowe, who subsequently resigned from the party. Holgate only stayed in office for seven months, before being defeated by Robin Gray's Liberals at the 1982 election—only the second time in 48 years that Labor had been consigned to opposition in Tasmania.[4]

Holgate died of cancer in Launceston on 16 March 1997.

References

  1. Reynolds, Margaret (2008). Living politics. Brisbane: University of Queensland. p. 27. ISBN 0-7022-3438-9.
  2. 1 2 Lennon, Paul (2 December 2006). "Address at the State Dinner to Mark the Sesquicentenary of the Tasmanian Parliament". Premier of Tasmania. Archived from the original on 2007-09-27.
  3. 1972 House of Assembly Election Results, Parliament of Tasmania, 22 April 1972.
  4. Angle, Maura: The Franklin Dam dispute, Stateline (Tasmanian edition) (ABC TV), 27 June 2003.
Tasmanian House of Assembly
Preceded by
Eric Barnard
Speaker of the Tasmanian House of Assembly
1975–1976
Succeeded by
Glen Davies
Political offices
Preceded by
Eric Barnard
Minister for Police and Emergency Services
1979–1981
Succeeded by
Bob Graham
Preceded by
Julian Amos
Minister for Water Resources
1981
Minister for the Environment
1981
Preceded by
Michael Field
Minister for Local Government
1981
Preceded by
Doug Lowe
Treasurer of Tasmania
1981–1982
Succeeded by
Robin Gray
Premier of Tasmania
1981–1982
Party political offices
Preceded by
Doug Lowe
Leader of the Labor Party in Tasmania
1981–1982
Succeeded by
Ken Wriedt
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