Career
Educated on the farm, private schools and at the University of Sydney, Fleming worked on the family farm while also employed as a journalist for various local newspapers. Elected as an independent member for the electoral district of Robertson as a 27-year-old in 1901, Fleming transferred to the seat of Upper Hunter upon the abolishing of Robertson in 1904. Fleming moved to Federal parliament in 1913 as the member for the Division of Robertson, initially as a representative of the Commonwealth Liberal Party, then the Nationalist Party and later the Country Party.
He returned to parliament and served until his retirement from politics in 1922.
Fleming became an orchardist in Terrigal, New South Wales, where he died in 1961. He was the last surviving Member of Parliament who served when Joseph Cook was Prime Minister, as well as the last who served during Andrew Fisher"s third tenure as Prime Minister. In addition to his parliamentary career, William Fleming wrote poetry, novels and books for children through his lifetime.