People Australia

Fred Daly, by L. J. Dwyer, 1940s

National Library of Australia, 24171199

Frederick Michael (Fred) Daly (1912-1995) clerk, trade union official and parliamentarian 

Birth: 13 June 1912 at Currabubula, New South Wales, of Michael John Joseph Daly (1844-1923), a farmer and grazier (reputedly known as Brickhouse Mick), born at Milltown, Malbay, County Clare, Ireland, and his second wife Margaret Jane Ursula, née Howard (1873-1941), born in NSW. Marriage: 4 October 1937 at Holy Cross Church, Woollahra, Sydney, to Teresa Winifred Armstrong (1913-1975), born at Footscray, Victoria. They had one daughter and one son. Death: 2 August 1995 at Bondi Junction, Sydney; usual residence Limestone Avenue, Braddon, Australian Capital Capital Territory. Religion: Catholic. 

• Fred was the ninth of eleven children of his father’s second marriage; there had been four children born from his father’s first marriage, two of whom had died in infancy.
• On his father's death the family moved to Sydney. Fred was educated at Christian Bros College, Waverley. He was a messenger in a motor firm, and was later a clerk in the accountancy branch, Department of Navy, at Garden Island in Sydney.
• He was a member of the management committee and was later made a life member of the Federated Clerks’ Union of Australia.
• Daly joined the Waverley branch of the Australian Labor Party in 1937; he later became president of Waverley State Electoral Council. He was elected member of the Australian House of Representatives for the seats of Martin from 1943 to 1949 and of Grayndler from 1949 to 1975.
• A member of the ALP right faction, some observers expected that he might join the Democratic Labor Party after the Labor split in 1955 but his NSW branch did not divide on the issue and he remained with the ALP. Some of his friends joined the DLP but he believed that the DLP's opposition to the ALP had kept the ALP out of office for many years.
• He was minister for Services and Property and Leader of the House from 1972 to 1975; Opposition whip 1950-56; member of the parliamentary Labor party executive 1963-1972; member of the Commonwealth Immigration Advisory Committee 1970-1971; member of Opposition executive. Opposition leader Gough Whitlam dismissed him as spokesman on immigration as he opposed Whitlam's proposals for a more relaxed policy towards Asian immigration.
• Active in securing voting rights for 18-year-olds, regular distribution of electorates to reflect a closer position to the idea of one vote, one value and voting rights for the Northern Territory and the ACT in the Senate. Known for his wry wit.
• Life member of ALP, NSW branch nominated by Engadine. He retired from politics in 1975 and settled in Canberra. Appointed officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in 1978.
• Appeared on radio and wrote in newspapers. Published four books on his experiences in politics. He established a novel commercial bus tour which took visitors to sites of political intrigue in Canberra. Patron of the Canberra Raiders rugby league football team.
• Cause of death: acute myocardial infarction (minutes), ischaemic heart disease (years) and atrial fibrillation (1 year). 

Sources
Joan Rydon (ed), A biographical register of the Commonwealth Parliament 1901-1972 (ANU Press, 1975), p 56-57; ALP Year Book, 1973; Sydney Morning Herald, 3 August 1995.