Ron Maunsell

politician member of the Australian Senate

March 8, 1922 (age 88)

Cairns, Queensland

He returned to become a grazier at Longreach. In 1967, he was elected to the Australian Senate as a Country Party Senator for Queensland. He held the seat until his defeat at the 1980 election, taking effect in 1981. One of his most notable moments was his involvement in what became known as "The Night of the Long Prawns", in April 1974. The timing was crucial, as the non-Labor forces were aware that the Queensland Premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen was that very night arranging to issue writs for 5 Queensland senators for the forthcoming half-Senate election, but if Gair had resigned first, writs for 6 senators would have been required, thus improving Labor"s chances. In the end, Whitlam decided to call a double dissolution instead of the half-Senate election he had previously announced. All seats in the parliament were up for re-election, and the Gair Affair became irrelevant.

Ron Maunsell

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Education

Born in Cairns, Queensland, he was educated at state schools before serving in the military 1942-1947.

Career

He returned to become a grazier at Longreach. In 1967, he was elected to the Australian Senate as a Country Party Senator for Queensland. He held the seat until his defeat at the 1980 election, taking effect in 1981.

One of his most notable moments was his involvement in what became known as "The Night of the Long Prawns", in April 1974.

The timing was crucial, as the non-Labor forces were aware that the Queensland Premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen was that very night arranging to issue writs for 5 Queensland senators for the forthcoming half-Senate election, but if Gair had resigned first, writs for 6 senators would have been required, thus improving Labor"s chances. In the end, Whitlam decided to call a double dissolution instead of the half-Senate election he had previously announced.

All seats in the parliament were up for re-election, and the Gair Affair became irrelevant.

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Ron Maunsell

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