People Australia

Abram Landa, n.d.

Abram (Abe) Landa (1902-1989) solicitor and parliamentarian

Birth  10 November 1902 at Belfast, Ireland, and named Abraham, son of David Landow (1858-1912) gas fitter, born in Lodz, Poland, and Annie Lewis, née Shuvalk (1862-1948), born in Russia. His parents were Jews who had fled persecution. Marriage: 10 April 1930 at the Great Synagogue, Sydney, to Perla Hannah (1909-1976, daughter of Lionel Levy. They had one daughter and one son. Death: 10 July 1989 at Hunter’s Hill, Sydney. Religion: Jewish. 

• Arriving in NSW about 1910 with his widowed mother and three younger siblings, he was educated at Darlinghurst Junior Technical School.
• After school Abe held a variety of odd-jobs to help with the family financial situation such as selling prawns, oysters, peanuts and Australian flags. Sold newspapers while at college. A friend of his family introduced him to the principal of Christian Brothers’ College, Waverley, who allowed him to study there for a nominal fee.
• He participated in anti-conscription campaigns carrying soap boxes around for Labor Party speakers against the measure, 1916. Joined the Australian Labor Party in 1919 and became president of the Paddington branch,
• Landa won a bursary to the University of Sydney. Graduated LLB in 1927, admitted as solicitor that year. He was a partner in Landa and Lamaro 1934, Abram Landa and Co. 1935-1939, Abram Landa, Barton and Co. 1939-1950 and Abram Landa and Co. from 1950. His practice was mainly in workers’ compensation. He was a notary public.
• Executive member of the Federated Clerks’ Union before his election to parliament. Landa was member of the NSW Legislative Assembly for Bondi from 1930 to 1932, when he was defeated, and from 1941 until he resigned in 1965.
• Expelled from the ALP in 1965 for resigning his seat without permission to become NSW Agent General in London from 1965 to 1970.
• He was a member of the central executive of the ALP in 1944-1945, minister for labour and industry and for Social Welfare 1953-1956; minister for housing 1956-1965; minister for co-operative societies 1959-1965 and advisor to HV Evatt at Lake Success, United Nations, in 1947.
• He was a member Australian Jewish Historical Society 1949; president of the Young Men’s Hebrew Association. Government nominee on Senate of the University of Sydney 1943-1966; trustee Public Library of NSW 1942-1966; director Eastern Suburbs Hospital. He was appointed CMG in 1968
• Returning to Australia from London in 1970, he ceased public life. In about 1984 he retired from legal practice, David Landa Stewart and Co.
• Cause of death: acute myocardial infarction (minutes) and ischaemic heart disease (years). 

Sources
Heather Radi, Peter Spearritt & Elizabeth Hinton Hinton (eds), Biographical Register of the NSW Parliament 1901-1970 (Canberra, 1979); The Labor Daily Year Book, 1933 p171, Sydney Morning Herald, 1 June 1985.