Bernie Kilgariff facts for kids

Bernard Francis Kilgariff AM (born September 30, 1923 – died April 13, 2010) was an important Australian politician. He helped start the Country Liberal Party. He was a member of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly. He even served as the Deputy Majority Leader there.

In 1975, he was chosen to be a Senator for the Northern Territory. He first joined the National Country Party. Later, in 1979, he became part of the Liberal Party. He stayed with the Liberal Party for the rest of his time in federal politics.

Growing Up

Bernie Kilgariff was born in Adelaide, South Australia. In 1929, when he was six, his family moved to Alice Springs. Back then, Alice Springs was called Stuart. They traveled on one of the very first Ghan trains from Adelaide.

In the early 1930s, his father and uncles built and ran hotels. These hotels were in places like Barrow Creek and Tennant Creek.

Bernie went to Hartley Street School. Later, in 1938, he attended the local Catholic school. His first job was building runways for a new airline called Connellan Airways. On June 17, 1943, Bernie joined the Australian Army. He served overseas during World War II. When he left the army on September 11, 1946, he was a Sergeant. He was part of the 2/5th Australian Infantry Battalion.

His Time in Politics

After World War II, Bernie Kilgariff became very involved in his community. For thirteen years, he was a member of the Northern Territory Housing Commission. This group helped people find homes.

In 1960, the leader of the Northern Territory asked him to join the Northern Territory Legislative Council. This was a group that helped make laws for the Northern Territory. Bernie agreed and was elected. This was the start of his long political career.

Starting the Country Liberal Party

Bernie Kilgariff was one of the people who created the Country Liberal Party. This was a new political party in the Northern Territory. It brought together members from the Country Party and the Liberal Party. Their goal was to have candidates run in the 1974 elections for the Legislative Council.

Moving to the Legislative Assembly

In 1974, the Legislative Council became the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly. This new Assembly had more power. Bernie Kilgariff was elected to represent Alice Springs. He became the very first Speaker of the Assembly. The Speaker is like the referee in a debate, making sure rules are followed.

On July 16, 1975, he stepped down as Speaker. He then became the Deputy Majority Leader. This role is similar to a deputy premier in other states. Soon after, in November 1975, he left the Assembly. He wanted to run for a new position in the Australian Senate.

Becoming a Senator

In the 1975 federal election, two new seats were created in the Australian Senate for the Northern Territory. Bernie Kilgariff and Ted Robertson were elected as the Northern Territory's first Senators.

Bernie first joined the National Country Party in the Senate. In 1979, the Country Liberal Party also became linked with the Liberal Party. This meant their federal politicians could choose which party room to sit with in Canberra. Bernie chose to sit with the Liberal Party from March 8, 1979. This way, the Country Liberal Party had a voice in both the Liberal Party and the National Country Party.

Family Life

Bernie's daughter, Fran, later became the mayor of Alice Springs. She also ran for election with the Labor Party in 2005. Bernie Kilgariff passed away on April 13, 2010, after being ill for some time. He was given a special public funeral on April 22.

Awards and Honours

Bernie Kilgariff received several important awards for his service:

• In 1989, he was given the Order of Australia Medal (OAM). This was for his ongoing work for the Northern Territory. He helped groups like the Landcare Council, the Anti-Rabbit Research Foundation, and St John Ambulance.
• In 1996, he was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM). This is a higher level of the same award.
• In 2001, he received the Centenary Medal. This award recognized his important work for Australian society through his time in parliament.