Bill Neilson

For other uses, seeWilliam Neilson (disambiguation).

The Honourable Bill Neilson AC
Neilson in 1961
34thPremier of Tasmania
In office 31 March 1975 – 1 December 1977
Preceded by	Eric Reece
Succeeded by	Doug Lowe
Constituency	Franklin
Personal details
Born	(1925-08-27)27 August 1925 Hobart,Tasmania,Australia
Died	9 November 1989(1989-11-09)(aged 64) Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
Nationality	Australian
Political party	Labor Party
Spouse	Jill Benjamin
Occupation	Post delivery man

William Arthur NeilsonAC(27 August 1925 – 9 November 1989) wasPremier of Tasmaniafrom 1975 to 1977.

Born inHobart,and educated atOgilvie High School,Neilson became a postman before entering politics. He married Jill Benjamin, daughter ofPhyllis Benjamin,inMelbournein 1948. They had one son Andrew and three daughters, Christine, Carol and Robin.

Neilson was elected to theTasmanian House of Assemblyon 23 November 1946 at the age of 21, representing theLabor Party(ALP). For many years he was not only the youngest MHA in Tasmania,but also the youngest person to be elected to any Australian parliament.

He held various cabinet offices, including those of Minister for Tourism and Attorney-General. For over a decade (1958–1969), and again 1972–1974, he was Minister for Education. He was made Attorney-General again on 12 April 1974, and five days later was also made Deputy Premier, Police Minister and Environment Minister.

When the PremierEric Reecewas required to retire due to his age, Neilson was elected Tasmanian Leader of the ALP and Premier of Tasmania, on 31 March 1975. The following year Neilson's government was re-elected, narrowly defeating (by just one seat) the Liberal Party led by SirMax Bingham;but towards the end of his tenure, he suffered from nervous exhaustion.He resigned as Premier, and from Parliament, on 1 December 1977.

After his term as premier, Neilson accepted the position as Agent-General for Tasmania inLondon,but soon his successor in the premiership,Douglas Lowe,abolished the post on cost-cutting grounds. In the 1980s, Nielson wrote as a theatre critic forThe Mercurynewspaper in Hobart. He died of cancer in November 1989.