19 Facts About Doug McClelland

Douglas McClelland was born on 5 August 1926 and is an Australian former politician who served as a Senator for New South Wales from 1962 to 1987, representing the Australian Labor Party.

Doug McClelland was Minister for the Media and Special Minister of State in the Whitlam government, and ended his political career as President of the Senate.

Doug McClelland resigned from the Senate to become High Commissioner to the United Kingdom.

Doug McClelland's father was a farmer, union organiser, and ALP politician who served two terms in the Parliament of New South Wales.

Doug McClelland attended Wentworthville Public School before going on to Parramatta High School and the Metropolitan Business College in Parramatta.

In 1944, five days after his 18th birthday, Doug McClelland enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force.

Doug McClelland was stationed for periods in New South Wales, Queensland, and the Northern Territory before being discharged in January 1947 with the rank of corporal.

Doug McClelland joined the ALP in 1947 and was elected to the state executive in 1956.

Evatt transferred to a different electorate in 1958, and Doug McClelland lost the Barton preselection ballot to Len Reynolds by just two votes.

Doug McClelland was elected to the Senate at the 1961 federal election, aged 35, to a term starting on 1 July 1962.

Doug McClelland was Minister for the Media from 19 December 1972 to 6 June 1975, Manager of Government Business in the Senate from 9 July 1974, and then Special Minister of State.

Doug McClelland served as President of the Senate from 21 April 1983 until his resignation on 23 January 1987.

Doug McClelland defeated National Country Party senator Douglas Scott by one vote with the aid of the Democrats, marking the start of the convention that the position is held by the opposition.

Doug McClelland subsequently introduced what became the Parliamentary Privileges Act 1987, which defined and codified certain aspects of parliamentary privilege.

Doug McClelland retired from the Senate in January 1987, the year before the opening of the new Parliament House.

Doug McClelland had served as chairman of the Joint Standing Committee on the New Parliament House from 1983.

Doug McClelland served as Australian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom from 1987 to 1991.

Doug McClelland was made a Companion of the Order of Australia in June 1987.

The accolade was presented after Doug McClelland introduced a points system for television programming.