Des Corcoran
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The Honourable Des Corcoran AO |
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| 37th Premier of South Australia Elections: 1979 |
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In office 15 February 1979 – 18 September 1979 |
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| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Governor | Sir Keith Seaman |
| Deputy | Hugh Hudson |
| Preceded by | Don Dunstan |
| Succeeded by | David Tonkin |
| 31st Leader of the Opposition (SA) | |
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In office 18 September 1979 – 2 October 1979 |
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| Preceded by | David Tonkin |
| Succeeded by | John Bannon |
| 15th Australian Labor Party (SA) leader | |
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In office 1979–1979 |
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| Preceded by | Don Dunstan |
| Succeeded by | John Bannon |
| Treasurer of South Australia | |
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In office 15 February 1979 – 18 September 1979 |
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| Premier | Des Corcoran |
| Preceded by | Don Dunstan |
| Succeeded by | John Bannon |
| Member of the South Australian Parliament for Hartley |
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In office 17 September 1977 – 6 November 1982 |
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| Preceded by | New district |
| Succeeded by | Terry Groom |
| Member of the South Australian Parliament for Coles |
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In office 12 July 1975 – 17 September 1977 |
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| Preceded by | Len King |
| Succeeded by | Jennifer Cashmore |
| Member of the South Australian Parliament for Millicent |
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In office 3 March 1962 – 12 July 1975 |
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| Preceded by | Jim Corcoran |
| Succeeded by | Murray Vandepeer |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
James Desmond Corcoran 8 November 1928 Millicent, South Australia |
| Died | 3 January 2004 (aged 75) Adelaide, South Australia |
| Political party | Australian Labor Party (SA) |
James Desmond "Des" Corcoran AO (8 November 1928 – 3 January 2004) was an Australian politician, representing the South Australian Branch of the Australian Labor Party. He was the 37th Premier of South Australia, serving between 15 February 1979 and 18 September 1979. He also served as the 1st Deputy Premier of South Australia in 1968 and again from 1970 to 1979.
Born in Millicent, South Australia, Corcoran joined Labor in 1941. He enlisted in the Australian Army and fought in the Korean War (where he was mentioned in dispatches), as well as serving in Japan, Malaya and New Guinea.
Corcoran left the Army in 1961 and in 1962 was elected to the South Australian House of Assembly Electoral district of Millicent, succeeding his father, Jim Corcoran. Corcoran quickly impressed many within the Labor Party with his vigorous approach and his talent for administration. When the ALP won government in South Australia in 1965 for the first time in 32 years, Corcoran became Minister of Irrigation, Minister of Lands, and Minister of Repatriation. The new Premier, Frank Walsh, made Corcoran his chief political confidant. Like Walsh, Corcoran was a firm anti-communist and a devout Catholic. In fact, Walsh attempted to groom Corcoran as his successor, hoping to foil the ambitions of Deputy Leader Don Dunstan, whom Walsh resented and distrusted. Following the septuagenarian Walsh's retirement in 1967, Corcoran challenged Dunstan for the leadership, but lost by three votes. As a concession to Corcoran, Dunstan named him Deputy Leader. Dunstan also created the post of Deputy Premier of South Australia for Corcoran. In Dunstan's 1967-68 Cabinet, Corcoran dropped the Repatriation portfolio in favor of Immigration.
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