Bill Slater (politician)
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The Honourable William Slater |
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| Member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly for Dundas |
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In office 15 November 1917 – 14 May 1932 |
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| Preceded by | William Kennedy Smith |
| Succeeded by | Athol Cooper |
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In office 6 September 1932 – 8 November 1947 |
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| Preceded by | Athol Cooper |
| Succeeded by | William McDonald |
| Member of the Victorian Legislative Council for Doutta Galla Province | |
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In office 18 June 1949 – 19 June 1960 |
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| Preceded by | Percy Clarey |
| Succeeded by | John Tripovich |
| 1st Australian Minister to the Soviet Union | |
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In office January 1943 – April 1943 |
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| Succeeded by | Noël Deschamps (Chargé d'Affaires) |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
20 May 1890 (approximate) Wangaratta, Victoria |
| Died | 19 June 1960 (aged 70) South Melbourne, Victoria |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Political party | Australian Labor Party |
| Spouse(s) | Mary Gordon (1923–1960) |
| Children | 3 |
| Profession | Lawyer |
| Religion | Unitarian Church |
| Military service | |
| Service/branch | Australian Imperial Force |
| Years of service | 1915–1918 |
| Rank | Private |
| Unit | 10th Field Ambulance |
| Battles/wars | World War I |
William "Bill" Slater (c. 20 May 1890 – 19 June 1960) was an Australian lawyer, politician and diplomat.
Slater is believed to have been born around 20 May 1890 to parents of Irish background in Wangaratta, Victoria. After his father left his family when he was four years old, he and his two siblings were brought up by his mother in Prahran. After briefly attending Armadale State School, Slater left school early to sell newspapers. Being caught and fined for nude swimming in the Yarra River led him to decide to better himself. Using a free library and with support from the Try Boys' Society he was able to educate himself to the point he was able to be employed as an office boy.
In 1910 he was employed as a clerk for Percy Park, a solicitor based in Mildura. While living in Mildura, Slater saved enough money to buy two small fruit properties.
As a socialist, Slater refused to enlist with the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) at the beginning of World War I. However, spurred on by the aftermath of the Gallipoli campaign, he decided to enlist with the AIF. His first attempt to enlist was unsuccessful as he was deemed unsuitable for service due to varicose veins. After an operation to fix the ailment he enlisted in December 1915 with the 10th Field Ambulance.
Slater left Melbourne with his unit in June 1916, arriving in Plymouth, England in August of the same year. In November he was disciplined for poor conduct. In July 1917 he was wounded in action, sustaining a gunshot wound to the leg.
While recovering in an English hospital he agreed to stand for election to the Victorian Legislative Assembly. In November 1917 he was elected to the seat of Dundas.The Argus newspaper later reported that fellow patients at the hospital mistook his appointment as a Member of Parliament as being a promotion to the Military Police.
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