22 Facts About Shane Paltridge

Sir Shane Dunne Paltridge KBE was an Australian politician.

Shane Paltridge was a member of the Liberal Party and served in the Menzies Government as Minister for Shipping and Transport, Civil Aviation, and Defence.

Shane Paltridge was a Senator for Western Australia from 1951 until his death in 1966.

Shane Paltridge was the son of Florence Marjory and Archer Dunn Paltridge.

Shane Paltridge's father worked as a banker and the family lived for periods in Western Australia, Queensland, and New South Wales.

Shane Paltridge attended primary school in Moora, Western Australia, Ipswich, Queensland, and Enmore, New South Wales, before completing his education to the age of 16 with an Intermediate Certificate from Fort Street Boys' High School in Sydney.

In 1927 Shane Paltridge began working for the National Bank of Australasia in Sydney.

Shane Paltridge's parents separated the following year and he returned to Perth with his mother and sister, living at the Broken Hill Hotel in Victoria Park that was managed by his uncle by marriage.

Shane Paltridge continued to work for the NBA until 1936, when he took over as manager and licensee of the hotel, a "large and busy working man's pub".

Shane Paltridge's aunt had inherited the lease in 1931 following her husband's death.

Shane Paltridge enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force in February 1940, but failed flying training.

Shane Paltridge was assigned as a stores clerk, but was discharged in December 1941 and joined the Australian Imperial Force in February 1942.

Shane Paltridge returned to Australia in September 1945 following his mother's death.

In 1946, Shane Paltridge became a founding member of the Victoria Park branch of the Liberal Party.

Shane Paltridge was elected to the party's state executive in 1947.

Shane Paltridge "contributed substantially to local causes and to party funds" and in 1949 was involved in the rebranding of the party as the Liberal and Country League of Western Australia, an attempt to absorb the Country Party.

Shane Paltridge was the campaign manager for Bill Grayden in the seat of Swan at the 1949 federal election.

Shane Paltridge was elected to a three-year Senate term at the 1951 federal election which followed a double dissolution, narrowly winning Western Australia's tenth seat as the final senator declared elected.

Shane Paltridge was re-elected at the 1953 election, filling the casual vacancy caused by the death of Senator Edmund Piesse, and then elected to full six-year terms at the 1955 and 1961 elections.

Shane Paltridge became Minister for Shipping and Transport and Minister for Civil Aviation under Prime Minister Robert Menzies.

Shane Paltridge was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire on 1 January 1966 and died at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital on 21 January 1966, having resigned as Minister for Defence two days earlier.

Shane Paltridge married Molly McEncroe on 21 January 1947, with whom he had two daughters.