Campbell Carmichael | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Minister of Public Instruction | |
| In office 1 March 1912 – 5 March 1915 | |
| Preceded by | Frederick Flowers |
| Succeeded by | William Holman |
| In office 11 September – 26 November 1911 | |
| Preceded by | George Beeby |
| Succeeded by | Frederick Flowers |
| Minister for Labour and Industry | |
| In office 10 December 1912 – 29 June 1913 | |
| Preceded by | George Beeby |
| Succeeded by | James McGowen |
| In office 11 September – 26 November 1911 | |
| Preceded by | George Beeby |
| Succeeded by | George Beeby |
| Treasurer of New South Wales | |
| In office 17 April – 5 May 1912 | |
| Preceded by | John Dacey |
| Succeeded by | John Cann |
| Member of theNew South Wales Legislative Assembly forLeichhardt | |
| In office 10 September 1907 – 18 February 1920 | |
| Preceded by | Robert Booth |
| Succeeded by | District abolished |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1871-09-19)19 September 1871 Hobart, Tasmania |
| Died | 15 January 1953(1953-01-15) (aged 81) |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Political party | Nationalist Party (after 1922) |
| Other political affiliations | Labor (to 1919) Soldiers and Citizens Party (1919–22) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | Australia |
| Branch/service | Australian Imperial Force |
| Years of service | 1915–1919 |
| Rank | Captain |
| Unit | 36th Battalion |
| Battles/wars | First World War |
| Awards | Military Cross |
Ambrose Campbell Carmichael,MC (19 September 1871 – 15 January 1953) was an Australian politician, soldier and accountant, a member of theNew South Wales Legislative Assembly for 12 years and a minister in theMcGowen andHolmanLabor governments.
Carmichael was born inHobart, Tasmania, to shipping agent William Carmichael and Emma Willson, both Scottish-born. He was educated at Hobart and then held a variety of occupations, including coaching inBrisbane and farming on theLachlan River, where he became involved in theFarmers' and Settlers' Association of New South Wales. Around 1893 he married Mabel Pillinger atLake Cargelligo. In around 1900 he established a business inSydney.[1]
In 1904 Carmichael joinedLabor and worked onGeorge Beeby's unsuccessful campaign forLeichhardt at the1904 election.[1] He was the Labor candidate for Leichhardt in 1907 and he was successful, defeating the sittingLiberal Reform memberRobert Booth, with a margin of 485 votes (6.1%).[2] He was appointed an honorary minister in 1910 in theMcGowen ministry, assuming thePublic Instruction andLabour and Industry portfolios in 1911. He was dropped from the ministry in November 1911, but was returned as Minister of Public Instruction from March 1912, briefly also serving asTreasurer from April to May 1912 and adding Labour and Industry from December 1912 until June 1913. He retained the portfolio of Public Instruction in thefirst Holman ministry, until March 1915, when he resigned over a dispute concerning seniority in the cabinet.[3][4]
In November 1915 he started a successful recruiting campaign for 1,000 recruits to join him in theAustralian Imperial Force for theFirst World War, referred to as "Carmichael's thousand".[1] He enlisted as a private in January 1916, serving in the36th Battalion.[5] He was awarded theMilitary Cross for action atHouplines in 1917,[6] returning to the frontline, attaining the rank ofcaptain. He returned to Sydney in February 1918 and spoke to the Labor executive, explaining that while he was in favour ofconscription it had been defeated in two referendums and was a dead issue. He ran another recruitment campaign to raise a second "Carmichael's thousand", which left Sydney in June 1918, arriving in France in late September when the war was ending.[1]
He drifted from Labor and "machine politics" and in March 1919 formed the People's Party of Soldiers and Citizens.[1] The party fielded 30 candidates in 10 districts at the1920 election, with Carmichael standing as a candidate for the five-member seat ofBalmain. None of the party's candidates were elected with Carmichael coming closest, missing out by a margin of 426 votes (1.4%).[7]
Carmichael retired from public life and became a public accountant. He wrote to his former colleagueWilliam Ashford in 1921 stating that the prosecution of Ashford in aRoyal Commission was in his opinion, a "damned dirty piece of political malice" that sickened him of present-day politics.[8] After the failure of his party he joined theNationalist Party in 1922 but did not stand for election again. His wife Mabel died in 1931,[1] and his second marriage, which took place in 1934 in Sydney, was to Olive Thorngatenée Weston. He died atDarlinghurst on 15 January 1953(1953-01-15) (aged 81).[3] He had no children from either marriage and his second wife, Olive, died 5 days after him.[1]
| New South Wales Legislative Assembly | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member forLeichhardt 1907–1920 | District abolished |
