20 Facts About Lindsay Thompson

Lindsay Hamilton Simpson Thompson AO, CMG was an Australian politician and army officer who served as the 40th premier of Victoria from 1981 to 1982.

Lindsay Thompson previously served as the 19th deputy premier of Victoria from 1972 to 1981.

Lindsay Thompson had held the housing, education, police and treasury portfolios throughout his parliamentary career, and was notable for his actions in the Faraday School kidnapping as education minister.

Lindsay Thompson was born in Warburton, a town north-east of Melbourne.

Lindsay Thompson's father died when he was two and so he was raised by his mother in difficult circumstances.

Lindsay Thompson became a school teacher, teaching at Malvern Central Primary School and later at Melbourne High School.

In 1958, Lindsay Thompson was appointed Assistant Chief Secretary in the government of Henry Bolte.

Lindsay Thompson would serve as a minister without interruption until 1982, making him the longest-serving minister in Victoria's history.

Lindsay Thompson then served as Minister for Housing from 1961 to 1967, when many of Melbourne's controversial public housing towers were built.

Lindsay Thompson presided over the major expansion of state education in Victoria.

Lindsay Thompson received a bravery award for his actions during the kidnapping.

On 5 June 1981, Hamer resigned under pressure from the conservative faction of his own party, and Lindsay Thompson won a Liberal Party ballot to succeed him as Premier.

Lindsay Thompson was made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George on 14 June 1975 for serving as a minister.

Lindsay Thompson was made an Officer of the Order of Australia on Australia Day in 1990 "for service to government and politics and to the Victorian Parliament" and received a Centenary Medal in 2001.

Lindsay Thompson received a Bronze Medal for Bravery from the Royal Humane Society for his actions in the Farraday kidnappings.

Lindsay Thompson was a Number One ticket holder of the club and was awarded life membership in 1993.

Lindsay Thompson had a long association with the Melbourne Cricket Ground and was a member of the MCG trust for 32 years from 1967 to 1999, taking on the role of chairman between 1987 and 1998.

Lindsay Thompson laid the first stone to mark the construction of the Great Southern Stand at the ground.

In 1950, Lindsay Thompson married Joan Poynder, and they had three children; Murray, David and Heather.

Lindsay Thompson's son Murray was a member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly from 1992 until 2018.