Jim Donald (Australian politician)
| Jim Donald | |
|---|---|
| Leader of the Opposition of Queensland | |
|
In office 14 April 1958 – 18 August 1958 |
|
| Preceded by | Les Wood |
| Succeeded by | Jack Duggan |
| Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly for Bremer |
|
|
In office 25 May 1946 – 28 May 1960 |
|
| Preceded by | Frank Cooper |
| Succeeded by | Seat abolished |
| Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly for Ipswich East |
|
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In office 28 May 1960 – 17 May 1969 |
|
| Preceded by | New seat |
| Succeeded by | Evan Marginson |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
James Donald 1 June 1895 Redbank, Queensland, Australia |
| Died | 4 May 1976 (aged 80) Ipswich, Queensland, Australia |
| Resting place | Ipswich General Cemetery |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Political party | Australian Labor Party |
| Spouse(s) | Mary J Dobbie (m.1916 d.1955), Hilda Thomlinson (m.1960 d.1984) |
| Occupation | Union organiser, Cabinet maker |
James Donald (1 June 1895 – 4 May 1976) was a member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly.
Donald was born at Redbank, Queensland, to parents Andrew Donald and his wife Jessie (née Simpson) and was educated at Redbank State School and Ipswich State School. He then began an apprenticeship as a cabinetmaker, attending Ipswich Technical College before entering the mining industry as a winding engine driver. It was this job that led to a long association with Queensland Colliery Employees Union where he started out as a union organizer and was Vice President several times in the 1940s.
When the member for Bremer, former Premier Frank Cooper, retired from politics in March 1946, Donald was chosen by the Labor Party to be their candidate at the by-election which was held on the 25 May 1946. Donald went on to win the seat over the Queensland People's Party candidate, Harold Shapcott, by 5643 votes to 3246.
Donald held Bremer until the seat was abolished prior to the 1960 state election when he moved to the newly created seat of Ipswich East which he went on to hold from 1960 until his retirement from politics in 1969.
Although Donald was in parliament for 23 years, he was never appointed to the ministry, almost certainly due to having refused to support a bill introduced by the Labor Party concerning miners' pensions and entitlements. He was, however, secretary of the State Parliamentary Party for 21 years and when the leader of the opposition, Les Wood, expectedly died in 1958, Donald became the new opposition leader on the 14 April of that year. He stood aside from the position to make way for Jack Duggan on the 17 August 1958 after Duggan had won the seat of North Toowoomba in the by-election to replace Les Wood.
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