Charles Perkins (politician)

Charles Perkins
Charles Perkins
Member of the Legislative Assembly; of Western Australia
	In office; 21 November 1942 – 25 March 1950
Preceded by	Charles Latham
Succeeded by	None (abolished)
Constituency	York
	In office; 25 March 1950 – 7 November 1961
Preceded by	None (new seat)
Succeeded by	Tom Hart
Constituency	Roe
Personal details
Born	8 August 1906; Moonee Ponds, Victoria, Australia
Died	7 November 1961 (aged 55); Wembley, Western Australia, Australia
Political party	Country

Charles Collier Perkins (8 August 1906 – 7 November 1961) was an Australian politician who was a Country Party member of the Legislative Assembly of Western Australia from 1942 until his death. He served as a minister in the government of Sir David Brand.

Perkins was born in Melbourne to Gwendoline (née Collier) and Charles Henry Perkins. Educated at Geelong Grammar School, he arrived in Western Australia in 1929 and purchased a farm at Belka, which he owned for the rest of his life. Perkins became prominent in agricultural circles, serving on the executive of the Primary Producers' Association and as a director of Westralian Farmers Ltd, a co-operative.^[1] He entered parliament at the 1942 York by-election, which had been caused by the resignation of Charles Latham (a former Country Party leader).^[2]

After the 1947 state election, Perkins was appointed chairman of the committees in the Legislative Assembly, a position which held until the McLarty government's defeat at the 1953 election.^[1] At the 1950 election, he had transferred to the new seat of Roe.^[2] After the 1959 election, Perkins was included in the new ministry formed by David Brand, as Minister for Police, Minister for Transport, Minister for Labour, and Minister for Native Welfare. His four portfolios required large amounts of travel, including to interstate conferences and remote Aboriginal communities.^[3]

Perkins died of a heart attack in November 1961, at his home in Wembley, and was given a state funeral at St George's Cathedral.^[3] He had married Kathleen Jennings Laffar in 1938, with whom he had four children.^[1]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c Charles Collier Perkins – Biographical Register of Members of the Parliament of Western Australia. Retrieved 23 May 2016.
^ ^a ^b Black, David; Prescott, Valerie (1997). Election statistics : Legislative Assembly of Western Australia, 1890-1996. Perth, [W.A.]: Western Australian Parliamentary History Project and Western Australian Electoral Commission. ISBN 0730984095.
^ ^a ^b Birman, Wendy (2005). "Perkins, Charles Collier (1906–1961)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Vol. Supplementary. Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. ISBN 978-0-522-84459-7. ISSN 1833-7538. OCLC 70677943.

Parliament of Western Australia
Preceded by Charles Latham	Member for York 1942–1950	Abolished
New seat	Member for Roe 1950–1961	Succeeded by Tom Hart
Political offices
Preceded by Herb Graham	Minister for Transport 1959–1961	Succeeded by George Cornell
Preceded by John Brady	Minister for Police 1959–1961	Succeeded by George Cornell
Preceded by Bill Hegney	Minister for Labour 1959–1961	Succeeded by Stewart Bovell
Preceded by John Brady	Minister for Native Welfare 1959–1961	Succeeded by George Cornell

[bio-1] Charles Collier Perkins – Biographical Register of Members of the Parliament of Western Australia. Retrieved 23 May 2016.

[res-2] Black, David; Prescott, Valerie (1997). Election statistics : Legislative Assembly of Western Australia, 1890-1996. Perth, [W.A.]: Western Australian Parliamentary History Project and Western Australian Electoral Commission. ISBN 0730984095.

[adb-3] Birman, Wendy (2005). "Perkins, Charles Collier (1906–1961)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Vol. Supplementary. Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. ISBN 978-0-522-84459-7. ISSN 1833-7538. OCLC 70677943.

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