Lionel Bowen

Lionel Frost Bowen AC (born 28 December 1922), Australian politician, was a senior Labor figure, serving in the ministries of Gough Whitlam and Bob Hawke. He was Deputy Prime Minister of Australia from 1983 to 1990.

Early life

Bowen was born in Sydney suburb of Ultimo and educated at Cleveland Street public school, Marcellin College Randwick and Sydney University, receiving an LLB in 1946, and becoming a solicitor. He served in the Second Australian Imperial Force from 1942 to 1945 and was awarded a British Empire Medal. [cite web
title =Mr Lionel Frost Bowen, The Order of the British Empire - Medal (Military) / British Empire Medal (Military)
work =It's an Honour
publisher =Government of Australia
url =http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au/honours/honour_roll/search.cfm?aus_award_id=1064019&search_type=quick&showInd=true
accessdate = 2008-01-22] He was an alderman on Randwick Council from 1948 until 1962 and Mayor in 1951 and 1955. He married Claire Clement in 1953 and had three daughters and five sons.cite web
title =Mr Lionel Frost Bowen (1922 - )
work =Members of Parliament
publisher =Parliament of New South Wales
url =http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/members.nsf/1fb6ebed995667c2ca256ea100825164/694f2926a2654212ca256e20007d56f4!OpenDocument
accessdate = 2007-04-20]

Political career

He served in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly 1962-69, representing Randwick before being elected to the seat of Kingsford Smith in the Australian House of Representatives in 1969. From 1972 to 1975 he served successively as Minister for Manufacturing Industry, Special Minister of State and Postmaster-General in the Whitlam cabinet, gaining a reputation as a reliable if unspectacular minister.

When Whitlam resigned as Labor leader after his defeat at the 1977 elections, Bowen contested the party leadership but was defeated by Bill Hayden and became Deputy Leader. He retained this position when Bob Hawke became Leader in 1983. When Hawke won the March 1983 elections, Bowen became Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade in the first Hawke Ministry. In July 1983, he gained Vice-President of the Executive Council and in the December 1984 ministry, he became Attorney-General, losing the trade portfolio.

In 1988 Bowen sponsored four referendums to reform the Australian Constitution, but all were defeated. At the March 1990 election, he retired from federal politics and was succeeded as Deputy Prime Minister by Paul Keating. In 1991, he was made a Companion Order of Australia "in recognition of service to the community and politics." [cite web
title =Mr Lionel Frost Bowen, Companion of the Order of Australia
work =It's an Honour
publisher =Government of Australia
url =http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au/honours/honour_roll/search.cfm?aus_award_id=884442&search_type=quick&showInd=true
accessdate = 2008-01-22]

References

Persondata
NAME=Bowen, Lionel
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Australian politician
DATE OF BIRTH= 28 December 1922
PLACE OF BIRTH= Ultimo, New South Wales
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=