William McMahon
Sir William McMahon (23 February 1908 – 31 March 1988) was the 20th Prime Minister of Australia. He was elected to the Australian parliament in 1949, and stayed as Member for Lowe, in Sydney, for 33 years. He challenged John Gorton for the leadership of the Liberal Party of Australia in 1971 and won. He was 63 years old. He lost the next election in December 1972 to Gough Whitlam of the Australian Labor Party. This made him the first Prime Minister not to win an election since Labor's Ben Chifley (who lost in 1949). McMahon was married to (Lady) Sonia McMahon from 1965 until his death from cancer. Actor Julian McMahon is their son.[1]
Rt Hon Sir William McMahon | |
|---|---|
 William McMahon in 1966 | |
| 20th Prime Minister of Australia | |
| In office 10 March 1971 – 5 December 1972 | |
| Preceded by | John Gorton |
| Succeeded by | Gough Whitlam |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 23 February 1908 Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
| Died | 31 March 1988 (aged 80) Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
| Political party | Liberal |
| Spouse(s) | Sonia McMahon (m. 1965-1988, his death) |
| Children | Melinda, Julian, Deborah |
The Liberal party had won lots of elections since 1949, but had some popularity problems by 1971. Australian soldiers were still in the Vietnam War. McMahon replaced John Gorton, then made him defence minister, but soon after made him resign for talking about problems in the Liberal Party. McMahon's government was the first to have a Minister for Aboriginal Affairs. Aboriginal land rights were an important topic of debate at this time. On foreign affairs, McMahon said the Opposition leader, Gough Whitlam, was wrong to visit communist China in 1972 - but soon after U.S. President Richard Nixon visited China and McMahon was embarrassed. The economy was not looking too good when the government went to the 1972 election.[2]
William McMahon Media
McMahon in 1950, as a newly elected backbencher
A 1963 black and white portrait of William McMahon, MHR for Lowe
McMahon with Prime Minister John Gorton shortly after McMahon's unsuccessful leadership challenge in 1969
The Right Honourable William McMahon, Prime Minister of Australia
McMahon visiting US President Richard Nixon at the White House in 1971
Bust of McMahon by sculptor Victor Greenhalgh located in the Prime Minister's Avenue in the Ballarat Botanical Gardens
References
- ↑ corporateName=National Archives of Australia; address=Queen Victoria Terrace, Parkes. "About - William McMahon (10 March 1971 – 5 December 1972) and Sonia McMahon". primeministers.naa.gov.au. Archived from the original on 22 June 2013. Retrieved 10 January 2011.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ↑ corporateName=National Archives of Australia; address=Queen Victoria Terrace, Parkes. "In office - William McMahon (10 March 1971 – 5 December 1972) and Sonia McMahon". primeministers.naa.gov.au. Archived from the original on 15 March 2011. Retrieved 10 January 2011.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
| Prime Ministers of Australia | 
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|---|---|
| Barton | Deakin | Watson | Reid | Fisher | Cook | Hughes | Bruce | Scullin | Lyons | Page | Menzies | Fadden | Curtin | Forde | Chifley | Holt | McEwen | Gorton | McMahon | Whitlam | Fraser | Hawke | Keating | Howard | Rudd | Gillard | Abbott | |