18 Facts About Campbell Carmichael

Ambrose Campbell Carmichael, MC was an Australian politician, soldier and accountant, a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for 12 years and a minister in the McGowen and Holman Labor governments.

Campbell Carmichael was educated at Hobart and then held a variety of occupations, including coaching in Brisbane and farming on the Lachlan River, where he became involved in the Farmers' and Settlers' Association of New South Wales.

In 1904 Campbell Carmichael joined Labor and worked on George Beeby's unsuccessful campaign for Leichhardt at the 1904 election.

Campbell Carmichael was the Labor candidate for Leichhardt in 1907 and he was successful, defeating the sitting Liberal Reform member Robert Booth, with a margin of 485 votes.

Campbell Carmichael was appointed an honorary minister in 1910 in the McGowen ministry, assuming the Public Instruction and Labour and Industry portfolios in 1911.

Campbell Carmichael was dropped from the ministry in November 1911, but was returned as Minister of Public Instruction from March 1912, briefly serving as Treasurer from April to May 1912 and adding Labour and Industry from December 1912 until June 1913.

Campbell Carmichael retained the portfolio of Public Instruction in the first Holman ministry, until March 1915, when he resigned over a dispute concerning seniority in the cabinet.

Campbell Carmichael enlisted as a private in January 1916, serving in the 36th Battalion.

Campbell Carmichael was awarded the Military Cross for action at Houplines in 1917, returning to the frontline, attaining the rank of captain.

Campbell Carmichael returned to Sydney in February 1918 and spoke to the Labor executive, explaining that while he was in favour of conscription it had been defeated in two referendums and was a dead issue.

Campbell Carmichael 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.

Campbell Carmichael drifted from Labor and "machine politics" and in March 1919 formed the People's Party of Soldiers and Citizens.

The party fielded 30 candidates in 10 districts at the 1920 election, with Campbell Carmichael standing as a candidate for the five-member seat of Balmain.

None of the party's candidates were elected with Campbell Carmichael coming closest, missing out by a margin of 426 votes.

Campbell Carmichael retired from public life and became a public accountant.

Campbell Carmichael wrote to his former colleague William Ashford in 1921 stating that the prosecution of Ashford in a Royal Commission was in his opinion, a "damned dirty piece of political malice" that sickened him of present-day politics.

Campbell Carmichael died at Darlinghurst on 15 January 1953.

Campbell Carmichael had no children from either marriage and his second wife, Olive, died 5 days after him.