Rupert Kentish facts for kids
Rupert James Kentish (born June 26, 1914 – died December 20, 1978) was an Australian politician. He was a member of the Country Party in the Northern Territory Legislative Council from 1968 to 1974. Later, he joined the Country Liberal Party and served in the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly from 1974 to 1977. These groups are like local parliaments that help make rules for the Northern Territory.
| Years | Term | Electoral division | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974–1977 | 1st | Arnhem | Country Liberal Party | |
Contents
Who Was Rupert Kentish?
Rupert Kentish was born in a place called The Gums, Queensland. He went to school there until he was 14 years old. After leaving school, he started working. He cut timber and sugar cane in North Queensland. He also worked on a dairy farm in Ipswich.
Helping Communities as a Missionary
In 1938, Rupert Kentish moved to the Northern Territory. He became a missionary with the Methodist Overseas Mission. Missionaries are people who travel to different places to help communities and share their beliefs.
He worked in several remote areas. These included Goulburn Island, Yirrkala, Milingimbi Island, and Croker Island. During World War II, he was evacuated to Gosford, New South Wales for a time.
Farming in the Northern Territory
In 1950, Rupert moved to the Darwin area. He helped a friend set up an experimental farm. After that, he started his own dairy and cattle farm. He was very keen on helping the farming industry grow in the Northern Territory. In his later years, he also managed a caravan park.
Rupert was also involved in community activities. He was part of the Darwin Hospital Advisory Board. He was an important member of the Rotary Club of Darwin. He also helped organize the Darwin Rotary Rodeo and the Darwin Show.
A Career in Politics
Rupert Kentish became a politician to help the people of the Northern Territory. He served in two important political groups.
Serving in the Legislative Council
In 1968, Rupert was elected to the Northern Territory Legislative Council. He was a member of the Country Party. He won his election by a small number of votes. He served on the Legislative Council until it was closed down in 1974.
Joining the Legislative Assembly
When the Northern Territory gained more self-governance, a new group was formed. This was the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly. In 1974, Rupert was elected to this new Assembly. He represented the area of Arnhem. He was a member of the Country Liberal Party. He served in this role until 1977. In that election, he was defeated by Bob Collins, who later became a well-known Labor leader.
His Impact and Legacy
Rupert Kentish was known for his strong opinions. His wife, Maluda, was a Torres Strait Islander woman. This is a group of Indigenous Australians.
After his death, another politician named Les MacFarlane spoke about Rupert. He said that Rupert found it amusing when people called him racist. Rupert would say, "Look at me... a racist and yet happily married to an Aborigine."
Hyacinth Tungutalum, who was the first Indigenous Australian politician in the Assembly and a colleague of Rupert, also spoke about him. He said that "Aborigines in particular should honour Rupert Kentish... he did a lot for us." This shows that many people believed Rupert made positive contributions.
Rupert Kentish passed away in 1978.
