John O'Shanassy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir John O'Shanassy
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| 2nd Premier of Victoria | |
| In office 11 March 1857 – 29 April 1857 |
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| Preceded by | William Clark Haines |
| Succeeded by | William Clark Haines |
| In office 10 March 1858 – 27 October 1859 |
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| Preceded by | William Clark Haines |
| Succeeded by | William Nicholson |
| In office 14 November 1861 – 27 June 1863 |
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| Preceded by | Richard Heales |
| Succeeded by | James McCulloch |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 18 February 1818 Ballinahow, Tipperary, Ireland |
| Died | 5 May 1883 (aged 65) Boroondara, Victoria, Australia |
| Nationality | British |
| Spouse | Margaret McDonnell |
| Relations | Mary Marlowe, granddaughter |
Sir John O'Shanassy (born February 18, 1818 – died May 5, 1883) was an important Irish-Australian politician. He served three times as the Premier of Victoria, which is like being the leader of the government for the state of Victoria in Australia.
O'Shanassy was born in Ireland near a town called Thurles. His father was a surveyor. In 1839, John moved to the Port Phillip District, which later became Victoria. He started a business in Melbourne selling fabric, like a draper.
By 1846, he was successful and wealthy. He was elected to the Melbourne City Council. He also helped start the Colonial Bank of Australasia as its first chairman. By the 1850s, he owned a lot of land and was one of the richest people in the colony. He was also seen as a leader for the many Irish Catholic people living there.
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Sir John O'Shanassy's Political Journey
O'Shanassy began his political career in 1851. He was elected to the first Victorian Legislative Council for City of Melbourne. This council was an early form of government in Victoria.
When Victoria gained "responsible government" in 1856, it meant the local government could make more of its own decisions. O'Shanassy was then elected to the Victorian Legislative Assembly, which is like a parliament. He chose to represent the Kilmore area.
Later, in 1868, he returned to the Legislative Council. Then, in 1877, he went back to the Assembly. He represented the Belfast area until 1883.
Leading the Government
Early in his career, O'Shanassy was seen as a "liberal" politician. This usually meant he supported new ideas and changes. However, in the colonial Parliament, he became a leader of the "conservative" group. This group generally preferred to keep things more traditional.
At that time, there weren't formal political parties like today. O'Shanassy's main disagreement with the liberals was about "tariffs." Tariffs are taxes on goods brought into a country. Most liberals wanted "protectionism," meaning high tariffs to protect local businesses. But O'Shanassy believed in "free trade," which meant fewer tariffs to allow goods to move freely.
Serving as Premier
O'Shanassy became Premier for the first time in March 1857. But his government only lasted a short time, falling in April of the same year. He became Premier again from March 1858 to October 1859. During this time, Charles Gavan Duffy was his deputy.
O'Shanassy was Premier for a third time starting in November 1861. By the 1860s, he was clearly a strong conservative. His government faced strong opposition from a liberal newspaper called The Age. The newspaper's owner, David Syme, was very critical of O'Shanassy. In response, O'Shanassy stopped government advertisements from appearing in the paper.
His government was finally defeated in June 1863. This happened because of disagreements over land reform, which was about how land should be owned and used. After this, he never held a government office again.
Later Life and Recognition
Sir John O'Shanassy received several special honors during his life. In 1859, he was given a special knighthood from the Pope. He also received the CMG honor in 1869. In 1874, he was given an even higher honor, the KCMG.
He retired from Parliament in February 1883. He passed away shortly after, in May 1883, in Boroondara, Victoria, Australia.
