George Elmslie (Australian politician)
| George Alexander Elmslie | |
|---|---|
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| 25th Premier of Victoria | |
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In office 9 December 1913 – 22 December 1913 |
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| Preceded by | William Watt |
| Succeeded by | William Watt |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 21 February 1861 Lethbridge, Victoria, Australia |
| Died | 11 May 1918 (aged 57) Albert Park, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Spouse(s) | Clara Ellen Williams |
George Alexander Elmslie (21 February 1861 – 11 May 1918), Australian politician, was the 25th Premier of Victoria, and the first Labor Premier.
Elmslie was born in Lethbridge, near Geelong, and although he had a secondary education, he followed his father's trade as a stonemason. He was employed on the first Wilson Hall at Melbourne University and on St Patrick's Cathedral. From 1888 he was an official of the Operative Stonemason's Society, and a delegate to the Melbourne Trades Hall. He was also President of the South Melbourne Football Club, ancestor of the Sydney Swans.
In 1898, Elmslie was one of the founders of the Victorian Labour Federation, which had as its object "the unification of the workers in one all-comprehensive and extensive union." In 1902 he was elected to the Victorian Legislative Assembly as Labor member for Albert Park. Labor in Victoria in the early federal period was much weaker than in the other states, partly because of the continuing attraction of Deakinite liberalism for many voters, partly because Victoria did not have the huge pastoral and mining areas that the other mainland states had. The Parliamentary Labor Party remained small and contained limited talent. Elmslie became deputy leader in 1912 and leader in 1913.
At the 1911 election, Labor won only 20 seats to the various factions of the Liberal Party's 43. But in December 1913 the Liberal Premier, William Watt resigned after a dispute with the rural faction of his own party. The acting Governor, Sir John Madden, surprised the Liberals by sending for Elmslie, who on 9 December formed Victoria's first Labor government.
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