Bill Neilson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bill Neilson
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Neilson in 1961
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| 34th Premier of Tasmania | |
| In office 31 March 1975 – 1 December 1977 |
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| Preceded by | Eric Reece |
| Succeeded by | Doug Lowe |
| Constituency | Franklin |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 27 August 1925 Hobart, Tasmania, Australia |
| Died | 9 November 1989 (aged 64) Hobart, Tasmania, Australia |
| Nationality |  Australian |
| Political party | Labor Party |
| Spouse | Jill Benjamin |
| Occupation | Post delivery man |
William Arthur Neilson (born August 27, 1925 – died November 9, 1989) was an important Australian politician. He served as the Premier of Tasmania from 1975 to 1977. A Premier is like the leader of a state government in Australia.
Contents
Early Life and Family
Bill Neilson was born in Hobart, which is the capital city of Tasmania. He went to Ogilvie High School. Before he became a politician, he worked as a postman, delivering mail.
In 1948, he married Jill Benjamin in Melbourne. Jill's mother, Phyllis Benjamin, was also a well-known politician. Bill and Jill had four children: one son named Andrew, and three daughters named Christine, Carol, and Robin.
Starting in Politics
Bill Neilson began his political career at a very young age. On November 23, 1946, he was elected to the Tasmanian House of Assembly. He was only 21 years old at the time.
He represented the Labor Party (ALP). For many years, he was the youngest Member of the House of Assembly (MHA) in Tasmania. He was also the youngest person ever elected to any parliament in Australia.
Important Jobs in Government
Over the years, Bill Neilson held many different important jobs in the Tasmanian government. These jobs are called "cabinet offices."
He was the Minister for Tourism, which means he helped promote Tasmania as a place for visitors. He also served as the Attorney-General, a top legal advisor for the government.
For more than ten years, from 1958 to 1969, and again from 1972 to 1974, he was the Minister for Education. In this role, he was in charge of schools and learning across Tasmania.
In 1974, he became the Attorney-General again. Soon after, he was also made the Deputy Premier. This meant he was the second-in-command to the Premier. He also took on roles as the Police Minister and the Environment Minister.
Becoming Premier of Tasmania
On March 31, 1975, Bill Neilson became the Premier of Tasmania. This happened after the previous Premier, Eric Reece, retired. Bill Neilson was chosen to lead the Labor Party in Tasmania.
The next year, his government was re-elected. They won by a very small margin against the Liberal Party.
Towards the end of his time as Premier, Bill Neilson needed to take a break for health reasons. He decided to resign from his position as Premier and from Parliament on December 1, 1977.
After Being Premier
After leaving his role as Premier, Bill Neilson took on a new job. He became the Agent-General for Tasmania in London. This job involved representing Tasmania's interests in the United Kingdom.
However, the new Premier, Douglas Lowe, decided to end this position to save money. Later, in the 1980s, Bill Neilson became a theatre critic. He wrote reviews about plays for The Mercury newspaper in Hobart.
Bill Neilson passed away in November 1989.
Images for kids
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Neilson in 1961
