John McPhee (politician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir John McPhee
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McPhee in 1930
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| 27th Premier of Tasmania | |
| In office 15 June 1928 – 15 March 1934 |
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| Preceded by | Joseph Lyons |
| Succeeded by | Sir Walter Lee |
| Constituency | Denison (1919–1934) Franklin (1941–1946) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 4 July 1878 Yan Yean, Victoria |
| Died | 14 September 1952 (aged 74) Hobart, Tasmania, Australia |
| Nationality |  Australian |
| Political party | Nationalist Party of Australia |
| Spouse | Alice Bealey Compton Dean |
Sir John Cameron McPhee (born 4 July 1878, died 14 September 1952) was an important Australian politician. He was a member of the Tasmanian House of Assembly, which is like a state parliament. Sir John McPhee served as the Premier of Tasmania from 15 June 1928 to 15 March 1934. Being a Premier is similar to being the leader of a state government. He was also given a special honour called a KCMG, which means he was made a Knight.
John McPhee's Early Life
John McPhee was born in a place called Yan Yean in Victoria in 1878. His father, Donald McPhee, was a shopkeeper from Scotland, and his mother, Elizabeth McLaughlin, was born in Victoria.
John went to state schools until he was 14 years old. After that, he spent some time working on his family's farm. Later, he learned how to be a printer. He worked at a newspaper in Bairnsdale, where he learned many skills like reporting news and setting up pages for printing.
In 1908, John McPhee moved to Hobart, Tasmania. There, he ran a business college for several years, teaching people about business. He also started his own company, J. C. McPhee Pty Ltd, which sold stationery and business equipment. He even helped run a newspaper called the Huon Times and was involved in other Tasmanian businesses.
His Time in Politics
John McPhee strongly supported the temperance movement. This was a group of people who believed that alcohol should be limited or even banned. With their support, he tried to get elected to the Tasmanian House of Assembly in 1916 and again in 1918, but he didn't win those times.
However, in the 1919 election, he was successful! He won a seat in the Division of Denison for the Nationalist Party of Australia. In 1922, McPhee became a minister in the government, serving as Chief Secretary and Minister for Railways. But he left these jobs a year later because of his business commitments.
In 1923, the Premier at the time, Walter Lee, had to resign. Joseph Lyons then formed a new government. John McPhee supported Lyons' government in a "no-confidence vote." This is a vote to see if politicians still trust their leader. From 1925, McPhee became the Leader of the Opposition. This meant he was the main leader of the party that was not in power. He was known for working well with Joseph Lyons.
In the 1928 election, McPhee led the Nationalist Party to victory. They won by just one seat over the Labor party. On 15 June, he became the Premier of Tasmania. He also took on other important roles, like being in charge of the state's money (Treasurer) and looking after forestry and the Hydro-Electric Department.
The Nationalist Party won a huge victory in the 1931 election. They won 19 out of 30 seats, which was a big lead! Before the 1934 election, John McPhee had some heart problems. He decided to step down as Premier. He handed over the leadership to Sir Walter Lee on 15 March and then retired from politics. In June of that year, he was made a Knight, receiving the KCMG honour.
John McPhee tried to return to politics in 1937, running for a federal election seat, but he wasn't successful. However, in the 1941 state election, he won a seat in Franklin. The Labor party, led by Robert Cosgrove, won that election. John McPhee retired from politics for good on 23 November 1946. He wanted to focus on his businesses and helping others. He passed away peacefully in his sleep in 1952, at the age of 74, due to heart problems.
