William Forgan Smith
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The Hon William Forgan Smith LL.D. |
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| 24th Premier of Queensland | |
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In office 17 June 1932 – 16 September 1942 |
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| Preceded by | Arthur Edward Moore |
| Succeeded by | Frank Cooper |
| Constituency | Mackay |
| 28th Treasurer of Queensland | |
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In office 17 June 1932 – 12 April 1938 |
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| Preceded by | Walter Barnes |
| Succeeded by | Frank Cooper |
| Constituency | Mackay |
| Leader of the Opposition of Queensland | |
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In office 27 May 1929 – 11 June 1932 |
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| Preceded by | A.E. Moore |
| Succeeded by | A.E. Moore |
| Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly for Mackay |
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In office 22 May 1915 – 9 December 1942 |
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| Preceded by | Walter Paget |
| Succeeded by | Fred Graham |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
William Forgan Smith 15 April 1887 Invergowrie, Scotland, UK |
| Died | 25 September 1953 (aged 66) Sydney, Australia |
| Resting place | Toowong Cemetery |
| Nationality | Scottish |
| Political party | Australian Labor Party |
| Spouse(s) | Euphemia (Effie) Margaret Wilson (m.1913 d.1958) |
| Occupation | Painter and decorator, Trade union official |
| Religion | Presbyterian |
William Forgan Smith LL.D. (15 April 1887 – 25 September 1953) was an Australian politician. He served as Premier of the state of Queensland from 1932 to 1942. He came to dominate politics in the state during the 1930s, and his populism, firm leadership, defence of states' rights and interest in state development make him something of an archetypal Queensland Premier. He represented the Australian Labor Party (ALP).
Born in Scotland, he apprenticed himself to a painter and decorator in Glasgow. He took an early interest in politics, and his Labor sympathies were probably influenced by his observations of the poor conditions in the Clydeside shipyards and other working-class areas in Glasgow. He emigrated to Queensland in 1912, where he had an aunt. He settled in Mackay and became involved in trade unionism and Labor politics. Mackay is the centre of the sugar industry in Queensland and sugar remained a major priority for Forgan Smith throughout his career. Despite the fact that he was only 28 and had been in Queensland only three years, he was pre-selected to run for the seat of Mackay in the 1915 election as the Labor candidate. The election saw a decisive victory for Labor under T. J. Ryan, and Forgan Smith won the seat and entered Parliament.
Despite his youth and inexperience, it did not take Forgan Smith too long to adjust. When Prime Minister Hughes called for conscription to be introduced, Forgan Smith joined Premier Ryan in opposing it. This gave him recognition in the Queensland Labor Party, but made him a lifelong enemy in Hughes. Hughes misnamed him as "Hogan Smith, an Irishman from Glasgow" and accused him of speaking "Gaelic treason"
Forgan Smith read heavily on Parliamentary procedure, and as such was made a temporary Chairman of Committees in 1917, a position which became permanent in 1920. Soon after, he entered Cabinet as a Minister without portfolio assisting the Premier. Both roles gave him ample opportunity to build a profile in Parliament and the party. In 1922 he became Minister for Public Works, where he administered a new system of unemployment relief and earned the respect of the Unions. In 1923 he was elected to the Queensland Central Executive of the Labor Party, a position which gave him considerable power. In 1925 he became Minister for Agriculture and Stock under Premier Gillies. By the end of 1925 he was Deputy Premier after only ten years in Parliament.
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