Goff Letts facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Goff Letts CBE, AM
Letts in 1976
1st Majority Leader of the Northern Territory
In office 19 October 1974 – 12 August 1977
Deputy	Paul Everingham (1974–1975) Bernie Kilgariff (1975) Grant Tambling (1975–1977)
Preceded by	Office created
Succeeded by	Paul Everingham
Member of the Northern Territory Parliament for Victoria River
In office 1974–1977
Preceded by	First holder
Succeeded by	Jack Doolan
Personal details
Born	Godfrey Alan Letts 18 January 1928 Donald, Victoria
Died	10 March 2023 (aged 95) Stawell, Victoria
Nationality	Australian
Political party	Country (1966–1974) CLP (1974–1981) Independent (1981–present)
Cabinet	Letts Executive

Godfrey Alan "Goff" Letts (born 18 January 1928 – died 10 March 2023) was an important Australian politician. He was the first ever Majority Leader of the Northern Territory of Australia. He held this important role from 1974 to 1977.

Goff Letts: A Leader for the Northern Territory

Goff Letts played a key role in helping the Northern Territory gain more control over its own government. He is often called the "Father of self-government" for the region. His work helped shape how the Northern Territory is run today.

Early Life and Education

Goff Letts was born in a town called Donald, Victoria in 1928. He went to Melbourne Grammar School and then studied at both Melbourne and Sydney Universities. In 1950, he finished his studies and became a qualified vet.

After university, Letts started working for the Victorian Department of Agriculture. He married Joyce Crosby on 29 November 1952. They had a large family with three sons and three daughters.

Moving to the Northern Territory

In 1957, Letts moved to the Northern Territory. He first worked in Alice Springs. Later, he moved to Darwin. There, he became the main vet for the northern part of the Territory.

By 1963, he was in charge of the Animal Industry and Agriculture Branch. This meant he looked after animal health and farming in the region. He also joined important groups like the Northern Territory Wildlife Council. In 1966, he received a special award called a Churchill Fellowship. This allowed him to travel and study.

Starting in Politics

In 1967, Goff Letts became a member of the Northern Territory Legislative Council. This was like a local parliament for the Territory. At first, he was a non-elected member. He represented the Department of Lands and Primary Industry.

Letts felt that too many decisions for the Territory were being made far away in Canberra. He wanted the Northern Territory to have more say in its own future. Because of this, he left his government jobs in 1970. He then started working as a private vet.

Letts was one of the first members of the Country Party in the Northern Territory. In 1971, he successfully ran for election to the Legislative Council. He won the seat of Victoria River. He then became the leader of the Country Party in the Council.

When it was announced that a new, more powerful parliament called the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly would be created, Letts helped bring together the Country Party and the Liberal Party. They formed a new group called the Country Liberal Party (CLP).

Leading the Northern Territory

Goff Letts led the CLP to a big win in the 1974 election. His party won 17 out of 19 seats. He was then chosen as the first Majority Leader. This role was similar to a Premier or Chief Minister in other parts of Australia.

As Majority Leader, Letts worked hard to get the Northern Territory ready for self-government. This meant the Territory would have more control over its own laws and affairs. Self-government was planned for 1978. Letts was seen as a very capable leader.

However, in the 1977 election, Letts surprisingly lost his own seat. This was very unusual for a major party leader in Australia. Even though the CLP still won the election, Letts was no longer in parliament. He thought his defeat was because he had to spend a lot of time away from his remote electorate for his duties as Majority Leader.

His deputy, Paul Everingham, took over as CLP leader and Majority Leader. Everingham then led the Northern Territory to full self-government a year later.

Life After Politics

After leaving politics, Goff Letts continued to serve the community. From 1978 to 1979, he led a group that looked into wild animals in the Northern Territory. He also advised important scientific groups like the CSIRO.

In 1981, he became a Trustee for the World Wildlife Fund. This organization works to protect nature. In 1983, Letts decided to run for parliament again. This time, he ran as an independent candidate in the Araluen seat. He disagreed with some of the CLP's ideas. However, he was not successful in this election.

After this, Letts left the Northern Territory. He went to Victoria to work in his family's newspaper business.

Legacy and Passing

Goff Letts was recognized for his important work. In 1978, he was awarded a CBE for his service to the Northern Territory. This award is given for great service to the community.

Goff Letts passed away on 10 March 2023 in Stawell, Victoria, at the age of 95.