Albert Lind

Background

Lind was born in 1878 in East Charlton, Victoria, the son of Oliver Nicholas Lind, a farmer from Denmark, and his Welsh wife Mary Ann Clay.

Education

In 1882, drought forced the family to move to East Gippsland where Lind was educated at Lucknow, and then to Bairnsdale in 1884 where he attended Bairnsdale state school.

Career

By the age of 12, he was a builder"s apprentice and worked in several trades. In October 1920, he was elected to the Victorian Legislative Assembly for the seat of Gippsland East for the Victorian Farmers" Union (VFU). On 2 April, Lind was made Minister of Forests, President of the Board of Land and Works and Commissioner of Crown Lands and Survey in Albert Dunstan"s cabinet.

Lind was knighted in the 1951 King"s Birthday honours for his service in the Victorian Legislative Assembly.

Lind married Flora Catherine Arthur on 31 August 1904 at Bairnsdale.

Achievements

• When John McDonald won government in 1950, Lind resumed his portfolios of lands and forests, as well as the additional portfolio of soldier settlement.

Politics

Lind entered politics as a councillor for the Shire of Bairnsdale from 1914 to 1925. On 13 October 1937, Lind was voted deputy leader of the United Country Party in an unexpected ballot at the party"s pre-sessional meeting, and therefore became Deputy Premier of Victoria.

Membership

Lind was the uncle of Alan Lind, who was also a Member of the Legislative Assembly for the Australian Labor Party, representing the districts of Mildura (1952–1955) and Dandenong (1969–1979).