David Wordsworth

David John Wordsworth (born 9 June 1930) is a former Australian politician who was a Liberal Party member of the Western Australian Legislative Council from 1971 to 1993. He served as a minister in the government of Sir Charles Court.


David Wordsworth
Member of the Legislative Council
of Western Australia
In office
22 May 1971  21 May 1989
Preceded byEdward House
Succeeded byNone (seat abolished)
ConstituencySouth Province
In office
22 May 1989  21 May 1993
ConstituencyAgricultural
Personal details
Born (1930-06-09) 9 June 1930
Kashmir, India
Political partyLiberal

Wordsworth was born in Kashmir, India, to Margaret Joan (née Reynolds) and Robert Wordsworth. His Australian-born father was a British Indian Army general, and settled in Tasmania after World War II, eventually being elected to the Australian Senate. Wordsworth was educated at Launceston Grammar School and Geelong Grammar School (the latter in Victoria), and went on to study agriculture at New Zealand's Lincoln College. He initially farmed at Hagley, Tasmania, but left for Western Australia in 1961, buying a property near Esperance.[1] In 1958, he had married Marie Louise Johnston, a daughter of Bertie Johnston (a former senator). The couple had three children.[1][2]

Wordsworth was elected to the Shire of Esperance council in 1969, and at the 1971 state election was elected to the Legislative Council's South Province. After the 1977 election, he was named Minister for Transport in the Court government.[3] Following a ministerial reshuffle in August 1978, he was instead appointed Minister for Lands and Minister for Forests, titles which he would hold until Court resigned as premier in January 1982. The Legislative Council was reformed prior to the 1989 state election, and Wordsworth transferred to the new Agricultural region. He served only a single four-year term before leaving parliament. Wordsworth retired to Perth, and was a member of the senate of Murdoch University from 1994 to 1998.[1]

References

  1. David John Wordsworth – Biographical Register of Members of the Parliament of Western Australia. Retrieved 22 May 2016.
  2. Melenie Ambrose (17 April 2007). "Discovering Bertie"PerthNow. Retrieved 22 May 2016.
  3. New Transport Minister Electric Traction April 1977 page 62
Political offices
Preceded by
Ray O'Connor
Minister for Transport
1977–1978
Succeeded by
Cyril Rushton
Preceded by
June Craig
Minister for Lands
1978–1982
Succeeded by
Ian Laurance
Preceded by
June Craig
Minister for Forests
1978–1982
Succeeded by
Ian Laurance
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