Kevin Lyons
Kevin Lyons | |
---|---|
3rdDeputy Premier of Tasmania | |
In office 26 May 1969 – 14 March 1972 | |
Premier | Angus Bethune |
Preceded by | Roy Fagan |
Succeeded by | Merv Everett |
18thSpeaker of the Tasmanian House of Assembly | |
In office 29 October 1956 – 1 June 1959 | |
Preceded by | Horace Strutt |
Succeeded by | Charley Aylett |
Member of theTasmanian House of Assembly forBraddon (Darwin until 1956) | |
In office 21 August 1948 – 22 April 1972 | |
Personal details | |
Born | Kevin Orchard Lyons 7 February 1923 Hobart,Tasmania,Australia |
Died | 24 May 2000 Melbourne,Victoria,Australia | (aged 77)
Political party | Centre Party(1969–1972) |
Other political affiliations | Liberal Party(1948–1966) Independent (1966–1969) |
Relations | Joseph Lyons(father) Enid Lyons(mother) Brendan Lyons(brother) Kevin Lyons Jr.(son) |
Kevin Orchard Lyons(7 February 1923 – 24 May 2000) was an Australian politician and member of theTasmanian House of Assemblyrepresenting the seat of Darwin (later renamedBraddon).
Biography
[edit]Early life
[edit]Born in 1923 inHobart,he was the son ofJoseph Lyons(who would go on to becomePremier of Tasmaniaand laterPrime Minister of Australia) andEnid Lyons(who would become the first woman elected to theAustralian House of Representatives), and brother of Tasmanian politicianBrendan Lyons.
Political career
[edit]Lyons was elected to the House of Assembly for theLiberal Partyon 21 August 1948, and from 29 October 1956 to 1 June 1959 wasSpeaker of the House.[1]
On 7 September 1966, Lyons resigned from the Liberal Party after a dispute arose over preselection for the upcoming election. He sat as an independent until 1969, when he pulled together the remains of theTasmania divisionof theCountry Partyunder the new name of theCentre Party,with himself as leader. He then ran for election under the Centre Party banner, retaining his seat ofBraddon.[2]The1969 electionresulted in ahung parliament,with Lyons' Centre Party holding thebalance of power.Lyons agreed to form acoalition governmentwith the Liberals, and was appointed Deputy Premier underAngus BethuneasPremier.Lyons dissolved the coalition in 1972, and was subsequently critical of Bethune, who lost the1972 electionto Labor'sEric Reece.[3]
Death
[edit]Lyons died in Melbourne on 24 May 2000. A condolence motion was read in the House the next day.[1]
His sonKevin Lyons Jr.was appointed to theSupreme Court of Victoriain 2018.[4]
Role in gambling in Tasmania
[edit]In his book,Losing Streak,published in 2017, historianJames Boycealleges that Lyons accepted the position of Deputy Premier in order to ensure his vote on the establishment of the casino at Wrest Point.[5]
He then quit parliament, triggering a new election, which was won by the Labor Party. After quitting he was offered a huge amount ($250,000 in today's money) byFederal HotelsandBritish Tobaccoas an advance for a book that was never written. He also set up a public relations company, even though he had no experience in it, and his first and primary client was Federal Hotels.[5]In Federal Hotels' case, the motive is suggested to have been the protection of its casino monopoly in Tasmania.[6]
The outcome of the election that was triggered in 1972 ultimately led to the creation of the second casino in Launceston, and the introduction of poker machines into the casinos, and then the spreading of pokies into pubs and clubs. It also had a hand in handing the monopoly of these machines to the Federal Group.[7]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ab"Lyons, Kevin Orchard".Members of theParliament of Tasmania.Retrieved24 July2022.
- ^On This Day: A Tasmanian Political Almanac,Parliament of Tasmania.
- ^Pearce, Garney:Bethune Memorial,Stateline(Australian Broadcasting Corporation), 27 August 2004.
- ^"Appointment - Kevin Lyons QC".Victorian Bar. 22 May 2018.Retrieved31 January2019.
- ^ab"Tasmania got gamed".The Monthly.1 March 2017.Retrieved28 January2018.
- ^Markham, Francis; Kinder, Barbara; Young, Martin (5 April 2017)."Pokies, politics and profits: How Federal Hotels monopolised Tasmania's one-armed bandits".ABC News.Australian Broadcasting Corporation.Retrieved5 April2017.
- ^Boyce, James (14 March 2017).Losing Streak: How Tasmania Was Gamed By The Gambling Industry.Black Inc.ISBN9781863959100.
- 1923 births
- 2000 deaths
- Deputy Premiers of Tasmania
- Members of the Tasmanian House of Assembly
- Speakers of the Tasmanian House of Assembly
- Liberal Party of Australia members of the Parliament of Tasmania
- Independent members of the Parliament of Tasmania
- National Party of Australia members of the Parliament of Tasmania
- Politicians from Hobart
- 20th-century Australian politicians
- Children of prime ministers of Australia