William Hutchinson
Member of the Australian Parliament
for Indi
In office
19 December 1931 – 23 October 1937
Preceded byPaul Jones
Succeeded byJohn McEwen
Member of the Australian Parliament
for Deakin
In office
23 October 1937 – 31 October 1949
Preceded byNew seat
Succeeded byFrank Davis
Personal details
Born(1904-01-07)7 January 1904
Maindample, Victoria
Died29 September 1967(1967-09-29) (aged 63)
NationalityAustralian
Political partyUAP (1931–45)
Liberal (1945–49)
OccupationGrazier

William Joseph Hutchinson (7 January 1904 – 29 September 1967) was an Australian politician. He was a member of the Australian House of Representatives from 1931 to 1949, representing the seats of Indi (1931–1937) and Deakin (1937–1949) for the United Australia Party and its successor the Liberal Party of Australia.

Hutchinson was born in Maindample, Victoria, and educated at Bonnie Doon State School, Mansfield High School and Scotch College in Melbourne. He worked for a Melbourne motor company and as a woolclasser in Sydney for the Australian Estates Company, before returning to work as a grazier on the family farm at Bonnie Doon, ultimately taking the farm over upon his father's retirement. He was a member of the central executive of the National Federation and a leading figure in the Young Nationalists' Association, and locally was captain of the Bonnie Doon Football Club.[1][2][3][4]

In 1931, he was elected to the Australian House of Representatives as the United Australia Party member for Indi, at 28 years of age being the youngest member of that parliament.[5] Together with Labor member for Oxley Francis Baker, he was the first member of the House born after Federation.[6] He travelled widely overseas and in parliament was considered knowledgeable about international affairs; he was also a prominent voice within his party on primary producers' issues.[1]

Hutchinson held Indi until 1937, when he successfully contested the new seat of Deakin, which had consumed the southern end of the old Indi seat in an electoral redistribution.[7] He attempted to list for World War II service in 1940, but was rejected on account of defective eyesight.[8] In 1944, the United Australia Party became the Liberal Party of Australia, which Hutchinson duly joined. He held Deakin until 1949, when he retired to become a grazier. He died in 1967.

References

  1. ^ a b "Personal Details of W. J. Hutchinson, M.H.R." Kilmore Free Press. No. 4157. Victoria. 26 September 1946. p. 7. Retrieved 17 January 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  2. ^ "OBITUARY". Goulburn Valley Stock and Property Journal. No. 921. Victoria, Australia. 27 January 1937. p. 1. Retrieved 17 January 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. ^ "THE NEW MEMBER FOR INDI". The North Eastern Ensign. Victoria, Australia. 25 December 1931. p. 3 (Morning.). Retrieved 17 January 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. ^ "NEW FACES IN FEDERAL PARLIAMENT". The News. Vol. XVII, no. 2, 630 (Home ed.). Adelaide. 22 December 1931. p. 1. Retrieved 17 January 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. ^ "NEW SOUTH WALES". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 29, 317. 21 December 1931. p. 10. Retrieved 17 January 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. ^ Carr, Adam (2008). "Australian Election Archive". Psephos, Adam Carr's Election Archive. Retrieved 14 June 2008.
  7. ^ "Deakin Electorate". Kilmore Free Press. No. 3771. Victoria. 14 October 1937. p. 3. Retrieved 17 January 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. ^ "Deakin". Eltham and Whittlesea Shires Advertiser. Victoria. 13 September 1940. p. 4. Retrieved 17 January 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
Parliament of Australia Preceded byPaul Jones Member for Indi 1931–1937 Succeeded byJohn McEwen Preceded byNew seat Member for Deakin 1937–1949 Succeeded byFrank Davis
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