Harry Gayfer Explained

Honorific-Prefix:The Honourable
Harry Gayfer
Honorific-Suffix:AM
Office:Member of the Legislative Assembly
of Western Australia
Constituency:Avon
Term Start:13 March 1962
Term End:30 March 1974
Predecessor:None
Successor:Ken McIver
Office2:Member of the Legislative Council
of Western Australia
Constituency2:Central Province
Term Start2:22 May 1974
Term End2:21 May 1989
Predecessor2:Leslie Diver
Successor2:None
Birth Date:12 August 1925
Birth Place:Kensington, London, England
Death Place:Corrigin, Western Australia
Party:National

Harry Walter Gayfer (12 August 1925 – 15 July 2021) was an Australian politician who served in both houses of the Parliament of Western Australia. He was a member of the Legislative Assembly from 1962 to 1974, and then a member of the Legislative Council from 1974 to 1989.

Gayfer was born in London, England, but moved to Western Australia as an infant. He attended Scotch College, Perth, and was the school's head prefect in 1942. After leaving school, Gayfer began farming at Corrigin, in Western Australia's Wheatbelt region. He was elected to the Corrigin Shire Council in 1955, and in 1959 was made a director of Cooperative Bulk Handling (CBH), eventually becoming chairman.[1] Standing for the Country Party, Gayfer entered parliament at the 1962 state election, winning the seat of Avon.[2] He was appointed Country Party whip in 1969, but at the 1974 state election left the Legislative Assembly to transfer to the Legislative Council, winning election to Central Province. Gayfer was re-elected twice (in 1980 and 1986), and eventually left parliament at the 1989 election.[1] He was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in 1991, and then upgraded to a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 1997, with both awards being "in recognition of service to primary industry".[3]

Notes and References

  1. http://www.parliament.wa.gov.au/parliament/library/MPHistoricalData.nsf/(Lookup)/A6D771F8400CB22A482577E50028A5FD?OpenDocument Harry Walter Gayfer
  2. Book: Black, David. David Black (historian)

    . David Black (historian). Prescott. Valerie. Election statistics : Legislative Assembly of Western Australia, 1890-1996. 1997. Western Australian Parliamentary History Project and Western Australian Electoral Commission. Perth, [W.A.]. 0730984095.

  3. https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/884871 Medal of the Order of Australia