Alexander Henry Dennett (6 January 1903 – 4 December 1956) was an Australian politician. He was born in

Melbourne Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...

to John Dennett and Dorothy Neale and became an Anglican lay preacher in

Gippsland Gippsland () is a rural region in the southeastern part of Victoria, Australia, mostly comprising the coastal plains south of the Victorian Alps (the southernmost section of the Great Dividing Range). It covers an elongated area of east of th ...

before serving in

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

. On his return he became a journalist, working first for the ''Star'' and then for the '' Argus''. On 4 November 1922 he married Henrietta Jean Mathieson, with whom he had two children. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

he served in the Middle East and the Pacific, and received the rank of lieutenant-colonel. In 1945 he was elected to the

Victorian Legislative Assembly The Victorian Legislative Assembly is the states and territories of Australia, state lower house of the bicameral Parliament of Victoria in Australia; the state upper house being the Victorian Legislative Council. Both houses sit at Parliament H ...

as the

Liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * Generally, a supporter of the political philosophy liberalism. Liberals may be politically left or right but tend to be centrist. * An adherent of a Liberal Party (See also Liberal parties by country ...

member for Caulfield. He was party whip from 1945 to 1947, when he became

Minister of Agriculture An agriculture ministry (also called an agriculture department, agriculture board, agriculture council, or agriculture agency, or ministry of rural development) is a ministry charged with agriculture. The ministry is often headed by a minister f ...

and

Forests A forest is an ecosystem characterized by a dense community of trees. Hundreds of definitions of forest are used throughout the world, incorporating factors such as tree density, tree height, land use, legal standing, and ecological functio ...

. He briefly held the Labour and Decentralisation portfolios in December 1948, and remained on the front bench until 1950. A supporter of

Thomas Hollway Thomas Tuke Hollway (2 October 1906 – 30 July 1971) was the 36th Premier of Victoria, and the first to be born in the 20th century. He held office from 1947 to 1950, and again for a short period in 1952. He was originally a member and the lea ...

, he was the deputy of the Liberal rebels who broke away from the

Liberal and Country Party The Victorian Liberal Party, officially known as the Liberal Party of Australia (Victorian Division), and branded as Liberal Victoria, is the state division of the Liberal Party of Australia in Victoria (Australia), Victoria. It was formed in ...

in 1952 to vote against the McDonald Country Party government. He was

Deputy Premier A deputy prime minister or vice prime minister is, in some countries, a government minister who can take the position of acting prime minister when the prime minister is temporarily absent. The position is often likened to that of a vice president, ...

and

Minister of Forests The Minister of Forests was a ministry portfolio within the Executive Council of Victoria. Ministers Reference list {{Victorian ministries Forests A forest is an ecosystem characterized by a dense community of trees. Hundreds ...

Conservation Conservation is the preservation or efficient use of resources, or the conservation of various quantities under physical laws. Conservation may also refer to: Environment and natural resources * Nature conservation, the protection and manage ...

and

Immigration Immigration is the international movement of people to a destination country of which they are not usual residents or where they do not possess nationality in order to settle as Permanent residency, permanent residents. Commuting, Commuter ...

in the seventy-hour Hollway ministry that followed that action, and served as deputy of the group that became the

Victorian Liberal Party The Victorian Liberal Party, officially known as the Liberal Party of Australia (Victorian Division), and branded as Liberal Victoria, is the state division of the Liberal Party of Australia in Victoria. It was formed in 1949 as the Liberal a ...

until 1955, when he lost his seat. Dennett died at

Heidelberg Heidelberg (; ; ) is the List of cities in Baden-Württemberg by population, fifth-largest city in the States of Germany, German state of Baden-Württemberg, and with a population of about 163,000, of which roughly a quarter consists of studen ...

the following year.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dennett, Alexander 1903 births 1956 deaths Liberal Party of Australia members of the Parliament of Victoria Victorian Liberal Party members of the Parliament of Victoria Members of the Victorian Legislative Assembly Vice-presidents of the Board of Land and Works Chief secretaries of Victoria Ministers for conservation (Victoria) 20th-century Australian politicians Ministers for agriculture (Victoria) Ministers for forests (Victoria) Ministers for labour (Victoria) Ministers of immigration (Victoria)