Clyde Holding facts for kids

Allan Clyde Holding (27 April 1931 – 31 July 2011) was an Australian politician. He was the Leader of the Opposition in Victoria for ten years. Later, he became a federal minister in the Hawke Government.

Early Life and Political Beginnings

Clyde Holding was born in Melbourne, Australia. He went to Trinity Grammar School, Victoria and then studied law at the University of Melbourne.

Joining the Labor Party

As a student, Holding joined the Labor Party. During a big disagreement within the Labor Party in the mid-1950s, he supported the party's federal leader, Dr H.V. Evatt. Holding was the Secretary of the Young Labor group in Victoria.

As a young lawyer, he strongly spoke out against the death penalty. He also worked to support the rights of indigenous Australians. His law firm, Holding, Ryan and Redlich, became well-known for its work in industrial law in Melbourne.

Time in State Politics

In 1962, Clyde Holding was elected to the Victorian Legislative Assembly. He represented the area of Richmond. This area had often been represented by conservative Labor members.

Becoming Opposition Leader

After the Labor Party lost the 1967 state election, Holding became the party leader. This meant he was the Leader of the Opposition in Victoria. He took over from Clive Stoneham.

Holding supported government help for non-government schools, including Catholic schools. This was a new idea for some in the Labor Party. He also worked closely with Gough Whitlam, who later became Prime Minister. Holding was also a good friend of Bob Hawke, who was the head of the ACTU at the time. Hawke later became Prime Minister too.

Challenges and Changes

During the 1970 state election, Holding supported a new policy to help non-government schools. However, some other Labor leaders in Victoria disagreed. This caused problems, and the Labor Party lost the election again.

This disagreement led to big changes within the Victorian Labor Party. In 1971, new leaders took control. They were allies of Whitlam, Hawke, and Holding.

In 1972, the long-serving Premier, Sir Henry Bolte, retired. He was replaced by Dick Hamer, a more modern leader. Holding found it hard to win against Hamer. The Labor Party lost the state elections in 1973 and 1976.

Moving to Federal Politics

After the 1976 election, Clyde Holding decided to move into federal politics. He left the Victorian Parliament in November 1977. A month later, he was elected to the House of Representatives. He represented the area of Melbourne Ports.

Becoming a Minister

When Bob Hawke became Prime Minister after the 1983 election, he made sure Holding was part of his team of ministers. Holding was given the important job of Minister for Aboriginal Affairs.

Holding strongly supported land rights for Indigenous Australians. He wanted to create a national law for land rights. However, the Labor Premier of Western Australia, Brian Burke, disagreed. Burke worried about how this would affect mining and farming in his state. After Burke spoke to Hawke, Holding had to drop his plan for a national land rights law.

In 1987, Holding's job changed. He became Minister for Employment Services and Youth Affairs. In 1988, he was promoted to Minister for Transport and Communications Support. Later that year, he became Minister for Immigration, Local Government and Ethnic Affairs. He then held the Arts and Territories job until 1990, when he left the ministry.

Later Years in Parliament

After 1990, Clyde Holding continued to serve in the House of Representatives as a regular Member of Parliament. He retired from politics in 1998.