Ian Bonython Cameron WilsonAM (2 May 1932 – 2 April 2013) was an Australian politician. He was a member of the Liberal Party and represented the Division of Sturt in federal parliament (1966–1969, 1972–1993). He held ministerial office in the Fraser government from 1981 to 1983.
In 1966, Wilson was elected to the House of Representatives for the Adelaide seat of Sturt, which his father had held with one break since 1949. It was considered a fairly safe Liberal seat, but at the 1969 election there was a strong swing to Labor in South Australia, and Wilson was unexpectedly defeated by Norm Foster. In the 1972 election, Wilson regained the seat even as Labor won government. He held it without difficulty for the next 20 years.
Wilson was relatively moderate on most issues, and joined the Liberal Movement in 1972 while it was an internal faction of the Liberal Party. He was a serious Anglican and active in many charitable and social welfare groups. This did not make him popular with the more conservative wing of the party. When the Liberals came to power under Malcolm Fraser in 1975, he was initially passed over for ministerial preferment in favour of the more conservative John McLeay Jr.
In 1981, McLeay was dropped from cabinet and Wilson was appointed Minister for Home Affairs and the Environment. In 1982 he was shifted to Aboriginal Affairs, a notoriously unpopular portfolio in Coalition governments. He held this position until the defeat of the Liberal government in 1983. He was not included in the Opposition Shadow Ministry after the elections, and remained as a backbencher. He lost Liberal pre-selection ahead of the 1993 election to Christopher Pyne, 35 years his junior, and retired after the election.[1]
Personal life
Wilson died from cancer in Adelaide on 2 April 2013, aged 80.[2]
References
^"Costello backer gets his reward". The Age. 19 March 2007. Retrieved 12 December 2007.
^"Former Federal Minister Ian Wilson dies". abc.net.au. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 2 April 2013. Retrieved 4 April 2013.
wilson, politician, bonython, cameron, wilson, 1932, april, 2013, australian, politician, member, liberal, party, represented, division, sturt, federal, parliament, 1966, 1969, 1972, 1993, held, ministerial, office, fraser, government, from, 1981, 1983, honour. Ian Bonython Cameron Wilson AM 2 May 1932 2 April 2013 was an Australian politician He was a member of the Liberal Party and represented the Division of Sturt in federal parliament 1966 1969 1972 1993 He held ministerial office in the Fraser government from 1981 to 1983 The HonourableIan WilsonMinister for Aboriginal AffairsIn office 7 May 1982 11 March 1983Prime MinisterMalcolm FraserPreceded byPeter BaumeSucceeded byClyde HoldingMinister for Home Affairs and the EnvironmentIn office 19 March 1981 7 May 1982Prime MinisterMalcolm FraserPreceded byMichael MacKellarSucceeded byTom McVeighMember of the Australian Parliament for SturtIn office 2 December 1972 8 February 1993Preceded byNorm FosterSucceeded byChristopher PyneIn office 26 November 1966 25 October 1969Preceded byKeith WilsonSucceeded byNorm FosterPersonal detailsBorn 1932 05 02 2 May 1932Adelaide South AustraliaDied2 April 2013 2013 04 02 aged 80 Adelaide South AustraliaPolitical partyLiberalSpouseMary WilsonParent s Keith Wilson Elizabeth BonythonAlma materUniversity of AdelaideOccupationSolicitor Contents 1 Early life 2 Politics 3 Personal life 4 References 5 External linksEarly life EditWilson was born in Adelaide South Australia the son of Sir Keith Wilson a prominent United Australia Party and Liberal Party politician His mother Elizabeth Lady Betty Wilson CBE was a granddaughter of Sir John Langdon Bonython owner of The Advertiser and a member of the first federal House of Representatives and a great granddaughter of Sir John Cox Bray South Australia s first native born premier Wilson was educated at St Peter s College and Adelaide University where he graduated in law and at Magdalen College Oxford S A Rhodes Scholar 1955 where he did a higher law degree He was a solicitor and company director before entering politics Politics EditIn 1966 Wilson was elected to the House of Representatives for the Adelaide seat of Sturt which his father had held with one break since 1949 It was considered a fairly safe Liberal seat but at the 1969 election there was a strong swing to Labor in South Australia and Wilson was unexpectedly defeated by Norm Foster In the 1972 election Wilson regained the seat even as Labor won government He held it without difficulty for the next 20 years Wilson was relatively moderate on most issues and joined the Liberal Movement in 1972 while it was an internal faction of the Liberal Party He was a serious Anglican and active in many charitable and social welfare groups This did not make him popular with the more conservative wing of the party When the Liberals came to power under Malcolm Fraser in 1975 he was initially passed over for ministerial preferment in favour of the more conservative John McLeay Jr In 1981 McLeay was dropped from cabinet and Wilson was appointed Minister for Home Affairs and the Environment In 1982 he was shifted to Aboriginal Affairs a notoriously unpopular portfolio in Coalition governments He held this position until the defeat of the Liberal government in 1983 He was not included in the Opposition Shadow Ministry after the elections and remained as a backbencher He lost Liberal pre selection ahead of the 1993 election to Christopher Pyne 35 years his junior and retired after the election 1 Personal life EditWilson died from cancer in Adelaide on 2 April 2013 aged 80 2 References Edit Costello backer gets his reward The Age 19 March 2007 Retrieved 12 December 2007 Former Federal Minister Ian Wilson dies abc net au Australian Broadcasting Corporation 2 April 2013 Retrieved 4 April 2013 External links EditCondolence motion in Hansard Documentation create purge Documentation create purge Political officesPreceded byMichael MacKellar Minister for Home Affairs and the Environment1981 1982 Succeeded byTom McVeighPreceded byFred Chaney Minister for Aboriginal Affairs1982 1983 Succeeded byClyde HoldingParliament of AustraliaPreceded byKeith Wilson Member for Sturt1966 1969 Succeeded byNorm FosterPreceded byNorm Foster Member for Sturt1972 1993 Succeeded byChristopher Pyne Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ian Wilson politician amp oldid 1151031341, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
