David Evans (Australian politician)

The Honourable David Evans AM

Member of the Legislative Assembly of Western Australia
In office 23 March 1968 – 4 February 1989
Preceded by	Joseph Rowberry
Succeeded by	Paul Omodei
Constituency	Warren

Personal details
Born	(1924-12-20) 20 December 1924 (age 92) Penygraig, Glamorgan, Wales
Political party	Labor
Alma mater	University of Western Australia

Hywel David Evans AM (born 20 December 1924) is a former Australian politician who was a Labor Party member of the Legislative Assembly of Western Australia from 1968 to 1989, representing the seat of Warren. He was a deputy leader of the party on two occasions, and was a minister in the governments of John Tonkin and Brian Burke.

Evans was born in Penygraig, Glamorgan, Wales, and came to Australia as a child. His family settled in Pemberton, a small town in the South West, and he went on to attend Bunbury High School. Evans enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) in January 1943, and saw service as a warrant officer in New Guinea and the South-West Pacific. After the war's end, he studied teaching at Claremont Teachers College and the University of Western Australia, and returned to the South West to work.

A long-time member of the Labor Party, Evans resigned his teaching job to contest the 1968 state election, winning the seat of Warren. After Labor's victory at the 1971 election, he was appointed Minister for Lands, Minister for Agriculture, and Minister for Immigration in the new Tonkin ministry. After a reshuffle in October 1971, he was also made Minister for Forests. With the exception of the immigration portfolio, which was taken over by Don Taylor in February 1973, he retained his titles until Labor's defeat at the 1974 election. He was Shadow Minister for Agriculture in the Tonkin shadow ministry. When Colin Jamieson replaced John Tonkin as Labor leader in 1976, Evans was elected as his deputy. He was replaced as deputy leader by Mal Bryce in 1977, but remained in the shadow ministry.