Career
During that period, he was chairman of the Council from 1880 to 1884 and again in 1890. Deane was elected to the Queensland Legislative Assembly in the electoral district of Townsville in the 1878 election on 28 November 1878 as a supporter of Thomas McIlwraith. On 31 July 1889, Deane was appointed to the Queensland Legislative Council.
A lifetime appointment, he held it until his death on 27 October 1913.
Dean died on 27 October 1913 and was buried in Townsville"s West End Cemetery.