Alan Hulme

The Honourable
Sir Alan Hulme
KBE
Member of the Australian Parliament
for Petrie
In office
10 December 1949  9 December 1961
Preceded by New seat
Succeeded by Reginald O'Brien
In office
30 November 1963  2 November 1972
Preceded by Reginald O'Brien
Succeeded by Marshall Cooke
Personal details
Born (1907-02-14)14 February 1907
Mosman, New South Wales
Died 9 October 1989(1989-10-09) (aged 82)
Nambour
Nationality Australian
Political party Liberal Party of Australia
Occupation Accountant

Sir Alan Shallcross Hulme KBE (14 February 1907  9 October 1989) was an Australian politician, accountant and cattle breeder.[1] He was born in the Sydney suburb of Mosman and moved to Queensland before World War II, where he practised as an accountant. He was a founding member of the Queensland People's Party and was its president in 1949, when it merged with the Liberal Party.

Hulme won the House of Representatives seat of Petrie at its creation at the 1949 election for the Liberal Party. He was Minister for Supply from 1958 to his defeat in the 1961 election by Reginald O'Brien. He won Petrie back at the 1963 election and became Postmaster-General until his retirement at the 1972 election. He was also Vice-President of the Executive Council from 1966 to 1972. As Postmaster-General, he was responsible for the introduction of an Australian-owned satellite system in 1970, Aussat, which was later privatised as Optus. In 1972 he was involved in the decision to impose health warnings on cigarette advertising. He was also responsible for the controversial decision to build Black Mountain Tower in Canberra. In 1972 he announced that colour television would be introduced in Australia from 1 March 1975,[2] by which time he had retired from politics and his party was out of office.

Hulme was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire in January 1971.[3] He died in 1989, survived by two sons and a daughter.

Notes

  1. Coleman, Peter, "Hulme, Sir Alan Shallcross (1907–1989)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University
  2. Trans-Tasman spur to colour TV, The Age, 1 January 2003
  3. It's an Honour: KBE
Political offices
Preceded by
Athol Townley
Minister for Supply
1958–1961
Succeeded by
Allen Fairhall
Preceded by
Charles Davidson
Postmaster-General
1963–1972
Succeeded by
Lionel Bowen
Preceded by
William McMahon
Vice-President of the Executive Council
1966–1972
Succeeded by
Don Willesee
Parliament of Australia
New division Member for Petrie
1949–1961
Succeeded by
Reginald O'Brien
Preceded by
Reginald O'Brien
Member for Petrie
1963–1972
Succeeded by
Marshall Cooke
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