John McMahon (Australian politician) explained

Honorific-Prefix:The Honourable
John McMahon
Order:Minister for Lands
Premier:Joseph Cahill
Bob Heffron
Term Start:1 April 1959
Term End:31 May 1960
Predecessor:William Gollan
Successor:Jack Renshaw
Order1:Minister for Transport
Premier1:Bob Heffron
Jack Renshaw
Term Start1:31 May 1960
Term End1:13 May 1965
Predecessor1:George Enticknap
Successor1:Milton Morris
Order2:Alderman of the Balmain Municipal Council
Term Start2:5 December 1942
Term End2:2 December 1944
Predecessor2:Michael McMahon
Constituency2:South-West Ward
Birth Date:1914 2, df=yes
Birth Place:Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
Death Place:Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Party:Labor
Allegiance: Australia
Branch:Australian Army
Serviceyears:1943–1945
Rank:Lance Sergeant
Unit:Royal Australian Engineers
2/11 Australian Army Transport Company
Battles:Second World War

John Michael Alfred McMahon (21 February 1914 – 19 May 1975) was an Australian politician and a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1950 until 1968. He was a member of the Labor Party and held ministerial positions including Minister for Transport and Minister for Lands.[1]

Early life

McMahon was born in Hobart, Tasmania and was the son of, Michael Hubert McMahon (d. 1942), a clerk who later became the Mayor of Balmain. He was educated at the Christian Brother's, Rozelle and was employed as a store manager for Coles & Co. He served in the Second Australian Imperial Force in the Engineers' Corps from 1943 to 1945 and reached the rank of Lance Sergeant.[2] He later ran a delicatessen in Rozelle and was a member of the shop assistants' union. He was elected as an alderman on Balmain Municipal Council between 1942 and 1944, when the council was composed entirely of Labor councillors. His father was mayor before he joined the council, and McMahon filled his place on the council at a December 1942 by-election.[3] [4] [5]

Political career

McMahon entered the New South Wales Parliament at the 1950 state election as the labor member for Balmain. He defeated the sitting Labor member Mary Quirk who had lost her party endorsement. McMahon was a member of the governments of Joseph Cahill, Robert Heffron and Jack Renshaw. He was appointed as a Minister without portfolio in 1957 and became the first Minister for Lands in 1959.

In 1960 he was commissioned as the Minister for Transport and he held this position until the defeat of the Labor government at the 1965 election. He retained his seat and retired at the 1968 election. He died age 61 in 1975 and was buried at Field of Mars Cemetery, East Ryde, following a service at St Joseph's Church, Rozelle.[6]

Notes and References

  1. Yes . 5 May 2019 . 1738 . The Hon John Michael Alfred McMahon (1914-1975).
  2. Web site: MCMAHON, JOHN MICHAEL ALFRED. World War Two Nominal Roll. Australian Government. 8 April 2018. 8 April 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180408141521/http://www.ww2roll.gov.au/Veteran.aspx?serviceId=A&veteranId=278538. dead.
  3. News: MAYOR OF BALMAIN NOTED CATHOLIC, DIES SUDDENLY . Catholic Weekly . I . 38 . New South Wales, Australia . 19 November 1942 . 8 April 2018 . 6 . Trove.
  4. News: Advertising . . 32,728 . New South Wales, Australia . 18 November 1942 . 8 April 2018 . 1 . Trove.
  5. News: LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTION RESULTS . The Sydney Morning Herald . 33,368 . New South Wales, Australia . 4 December 1944 . 8 April 2018 . 6 . Trove.
  6. News: Government Gazette Notices . Government Gazette Of The State Of New South Wales. 72 . New South Wales, Australia . 21 May 1975 . 8 April 2018 . 1955 . Trove.