14 Facts About Bob Semple

Robert Semple was a union leader and later Minister of Public Works for the first Labour Government of New Zealand.

Bob Semple is known for creating the Bob Semple tank.

Bob Semple was born in Sofala, New South Wales, Australia.

Bob Semple started working at an early age as gold miner in Australia.

The strike was defeated and Bob Semple ended up being blacklisted.

Bob Semple was jailed in 1913 for supporting the general strike and again in 1916 after fighting conscription for overseas service during World War I Semple served as the President of the Labour Party from 1926 to 1928.

Bob Semple was a member of the Wellington City Council for a decade between 1925 and 1935.

Bob Semple's wife Margaret was a Wellington City Councillor from 1938 to 1941.

Bob Semple was elected to the seat of Wellington South Parliament for Labour in a 1918 by-election, but lost the seat in the 1919 general election.

Bob Semple then held Miramar until 1954, when he retired.

Bob Semple was a prolific user of "unparliamentary language" during his time as an MP, and was fond of insulting colleagues by calling or comparing them to Australian animals such as kookaburras, kangaroos and dingoes.

Bob Semple was seen by many as the public face of the first Labour government's infrastructure investment.

Bob Semple reshaped the Public Works Department by resuming its original function as the development arm of the government by phasing out its focus on relief work from the Great Depression.

Bob Semple did not seek re-election in the 1954 election, and died in New Plymouth in January 1955.