Parker Moloney

Background

He was born at Portuguese Fairy, Victoria to Maurice Moloney and Mary, née Bowe.

Education

Around this time he began to be interested in Labor politics and attended the Catholic Young Men"s Association.

Career

In 1906 he became principal of Beechworth College. However, it was his opposition to conscription which lost him the seat for good in 1917. He relocated to New South Wales and in 1919 became the first Labor representative for Hume.

Despite representing a New South Wales seat, he continued to live in Melbourne, but built up a strong support base in Hume.

He was one of only a small number of people who have represented more than one state or territory in the Parliament. Moloney was Minister for Markets and Transport from 1929 to 1931 as part of the Scullin government.

He negotiated Australia"s first trade treaty with Canada, and was rewarded with a parliamentary ovation. Despite many continuing exploits, including preparing for the Imperial Economic Conference of 1932, to be held at Ottawa, Canada, Moloney lost his seat in the conservative landslide of 1931.

There were no parliamentary pensions, which left Moloney almost destitute.

He also became active in the share market. He gradually moved away from the ALP and joined the Democratic Labor Party. Chairman of the Victorian Dried Fruits Board from 1936–1957, he was only able to retire after Prime Minister Robert Menzies ensured he would be provided with a pension.

He was closely associated with Archbishop Daniel Mannix, and was always interested in horse-racing.

Moloney died on 8 May 1961 and was given a state funeral.

Achievements

• In 1910 Moloney won the Victorian seat of Industrial for Labor. By 1939 he was president of the Australian Labor Party in Victoria, but, despite two unsuccessful Senate campaigns, he withdrew from politics in 1943, when Labor won office.

Connections

colleague:

Richard Keane