15 Facts About Hendy Cowan

Hendy John Cowan was born on 25 April 1943 and is a former deputy premier of Western Australia.

Hendy Cowan had served in the Western Australian Legislative Assembly as the Member for Merredin-Yilgarn from 30 March 1974 and the Member for Merredin from 19 February 1977.

Hendy Cowan represented his electorate for a total of 27 years, including 23 years as leader of the National Party in Western Australia between 1979 and 2001.

Hendy Cowan was born in Merredin on 25 April 1943, the son of James Hendy Cowan, a farmer from Narembeen and Ruth Anderson.

Hendy Cowan is a grandnephew of Edith Cowan, the first woman elected as a representative in an Australian parliament.

Hendy Cowan was educated at Mount Walker Primary school and later at Hale School.

Hendy Cowan returned to the family farm in 1959 and married Anita Treloar on 2 January 1965.

Hendy Cowan was an active sports participant in the district, playing and coaching local football, tennis, golf and basketball clubs.

Hendy Cowan played more than 350 games for the Narembeen Football Club and in his last seven years with the club played in six grand finals, helping to win four flags.

Hendy Cowan was awarded a life membership of the club.

Hendy Cowan was the state parliamentary secretary for the NCP from 1975 until 1978 when the party divided in July of that year.

Hendy Cowan was the only non-Labor MP in the Legislative Assembly to support the bill, in opposition to the National Party national conference which had supported retention of the penalty.

Hendy Cowan refused to cooperate knowing that a small swing to the Liberals in the coming election could potentially garner the Liberals as many as nine additional seats and an absolute majority in the Assembly, thus weakening the Nationals' position.

Hendy Cowan served as Deputy Premier from 1993 to 2001, as well as holding ministerial portfolios of Commerce and Trade, Small Business and Regional Development.

Hendy Cowan was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Commerce from Edith Cowan University.