33 Facts About David Brand

Sir David Brand KCMG was an Australian politician.

David Brand was the longest-serving premier of Western Australia, in office from 1959 to 1971, and was state leader of the Liberal Party from 1957 to 1972.

David Brand was raised on farms in the Mid West and left school at the age of 14.

David Brand moved to the Eastern Goldfields in 1935 and worked as a miner for several years, later serving in the Australian Army during World War II where he was wounded on the Greek campaign.

David Brand served as a cabinet minister under Ross McLarty from 1949 to 1953 and replaced McLarty as leader of the Liberal Party in 1957.

David Brand led the Liberal Party to victory at the 1959 state election and won three subsequent terms governing in coalition with the Country Party.

David Brand's government was defeated at the 1971 state election and he resigned as Liberal leader in 1972 and from parliament in 1975.

David Brand was born on 1 August 1912 in Dongara, Western Australia.

David Brand was the first of four children born to Hilda and Albert John Brand.

David Brand's maternal grandfather was Samuel Mitchell, a Cornish immigrant who was a pioneer of the mining industry in Western Australia and served in both houses of state parliament.

David Brand's parents acquired a farm at Northampton shortly after his birth.

David Brand left school at 14 to work on the farm, and at Mullewa became secretary of the local branch of the Primary Producers' Association.

In 1935, David Brand moved to Kalgoorlie and worked at the Golden Horseshoe Mine, as a truck driver, treatment hand, filter specialist and shift boss.

David Brand subsequently gave evidence at the inquest into Veitch's death.

David Brand was eventually sent back to Australia for further treatment, arriving in August, and was discharged as medically unfit in April 1942.

David Brand was re-mobilised in September, as an instructor with the 7th Battalion, Volunteer Defence Corps, in Geraldton and was promoted to Warrant Officer in January 1943.

David Brand won the seat for the Liberal Party in a by-election that year, defeating Newton's brother by a narrow margin.

In October 1949, Ross McLarty became Premier and David Brand entered the Ministry as Minister for Housing, Forests and Local Government.

David Brand was involved in the creation of other major industrial projects.

The Coalition was returned to power in 1959, and David Brand was sworn in as Premier on 2 April.

David Brand's administration retained office at the elections of 1962,1965, and 1968.

In 1962, David Brand's government granted voting rights to Indigenous Australians for state elections, making Queensland the last state to deny Indigenous people the right to vote.

The measure enjoyed bipartisan support and David Brand stated that "by and large the percentage of responsible youth is much the same as it was in our day or anyone's day".

David Brand prevented this by dropping the proposal, and agreeing to allow the National Trust to restore the Arch.

However, the strains this had caused within the government became evident when David Brand collapsed while speaking publicly in 1971.

David Brand recovered, but the Coalition lost the election to Labor by one seat, and Tonkin became Premier.

David Brand led the Liberals in opposition until his resignation in 1973; Sir Charles Court succeeded him as the party's leader.

The Sir David Brand Award is the highest award of the West Australian Tourism Awards, in recognition of his work to advance the tourism industry.

In 1944, David Brand married Doris Elspeth McNeill, with whom he had three children.

David Brand was a long-serving patron of the Spastic Welfare Association.

David Brand suffered several strokes in his final years, attributed to hypertensive heart disease.

David Brand died in his sleep at his home in Carnamah on 15 April 1979, aged 66.

David Brand made a guest appearance in the film Nickel Queen while Premier of Western Australia.