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John O'Shanassy

John O'Shanassy
Johnoshanassy.jpg
2nd Premier of Victoria
In office
11 March 1857 – 29 April 1857
Preceded by William Clark Haines
Succeeded by William Clark Haines
In office
10 March 1858 – 27 October 1859
Preceded by William Clark Haines
Succeeded by William Nicholson
In office
14 November 1861 – 27 June 1863
Preceded by Richard Heales
Succeeded by James McCulloch
Personal details
Born 18 February 1818
Ballinahow, Tipperary, Ireland
Died 5 May 1883(1883-05-05) (aged 65)
Boroondara, Victoria, Australia
Nationality British
Spouse(s) Margaret McDonnell
Religion Roman Catholic

Sir John O'Shanassy, KCMG (18 February 1818 – 5 May 1883), Australian colonial politician, was the 2nd Premier of Victoria. O'Shanassy was born near Thurles in County Tipperary, Ireland, the son of a surveyor, and came to the Port Phillip District (later Victoria) in 1839. He went into business in Melbourne as a draper, and by 1846 he was rich enough to be elected to the Melbourne City Council and to become the founding chairman of the Colonial Bank of Australasia. By the 1850s he was a major landowner and one of the wealthiest men in the colony. He also became a recognised leader of the large Irish Catholic community.

O'Shanassy was elected to the inaugural Victorian Legislative Council for City of Melbourne in 1851. When Victoria gained responsible government in 1856, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly for both Melbourne and Kilmore districts, he decided to represent the latter resulting in a by-election for Melbourne. In 1868 he returned to the Council as member for Central Province, then in 1877 he went back to the Assembly as member for Belfast (later known as Port Fairy), which he represented until 1883.

Although he had been regarded as a liberal in his early career, in the colonial Parliament O'Shanassy emerged as the leader of the conservative opposition to the reforming ministry of William Haines, although there was no formal party system in Victoria at this time. His alienation from the liberals was mainly as a result of the tariff issue: most colonial liberals were protectionists, but O'Shanassy was a free trader.


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