Sir David Eric Fairbairn, (3 March 1917 – 1 June 1994) was an Australian politician. He was a member of the

Liberal Party The Liberal Party is any of many political parties around the world. The meaning of ''liberal'' varies around the world, ranging from liberal conservatism on the right to social liberalism on the left. For example, while the political systems ...

and served in the

House of Representatives House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entities. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often ...

from 1949 to 1975. He held ministerial office as Minister for Air (1962–1964), National Development (1964–1969), Education and Science (1971), and Defence (1971–1972).

Early life

Fairbairn was born on 3 March 1917 in

Claygate Claygate is an affluent suburban village in Surrey, England, southwest of central London. It is the only civil parishes in England, civil parish in the borough of Elmbridge. Adjoining Esher and Hinchley Wood to the west and north respectively, ...

Surrey Surrey () is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Greater London to the northeast, Kent to the east, East Sussex, East and West Sussex to the south, and Hampshire and Berkshire to the wes ...

, England. He was the son of Australian parents Marjorie Rosa (née Jowett) and Clive Prell Fairbairn. His father, a journalist from a prominent pastoral family, was serving with the Scots Guard at the time of his birth. Fairbairn had political ties on both sides of his family. His grandfathers George Fairbairn and Edmund Jowett were federal MPs, while his father's cousin James Fairbairn was a federal government minister until his death in the 1940 Canberra air disaster. Fairbairn's parents returned to Australia in 1918 and he spent his early years at his father's grazing property at Woomargama, New South Wales. He received his early education from governesses, then attended

Geelong Grammar School Geelong Grammar School is a private Anglican co-educational boarding and day school. The school's main campus is located in Corio on the northern outskirts of Geelong, Victoria, Australia, overlooking Corio Bay and Limeburners Bay. Establ ...

as a boarder from 1927 to 1934. He matriculated to

Jesus College, Cambridge Jesus College is a Colleges of the University of Cambridge, constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Jesus College was established in 1496 on the site of the twelfth-century Benedictine nunnery of St Radegund's Priory, Cambridge, St ...

, previously attended by his father and grandfather, graduating

Bachelor of Arts A Bachelor of Arts (abbreviated B.A., BA, A.B. or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is the holder of a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the liberal arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts deg ...

in 1938 and proceeding to Master of Arts by seniority in 1944. He rowed in the first eight of the Jesus College Boat Club and "just missed selection for the Cambridge first crew" in 1938. In 1939, Fairbairn returned to Australia and assumed management of "Dunraven", the property at Woomargama. Over the following decades he "raised the carrying capacity from less than one sheep to more than four sheep per acre".

World War II

Fairbairn was a member of the

Citizen Military Forces The Australian Army Reserve is a collective name given to the military reserve force, reserve units of the Australian Army. Since the Federation of Australia in 1901, the reserve military force has been known by many names, including the Citize ...

as part of the 21st Light Horse Regiment (Riverina Horse) from 1939 to 1941. He enlisted in the

Royal Australian Air Force The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) is the principal Air force, aerial warfare force of Australia, a part of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Australian Army. Constitutionally the Governor-Gener ...

(RAAF) as an

aircrew Aircrew are personnel who operate an aircraft while in flight. The composition of a flight's crew depends on the type of aircraft, plus the flight's duration and purpose. Commercial aviation Flight deck positions In commercial aviatio ...

member in February 1941. He subsequently trained as a pilot and was commissioned as a

pilot officer Pilot officer (Plt Off or P/O) is a junior officer rank used by some air forces, with origins from the Royal Air Force. The rank is used by air forces of many countries that have historical British influence. Pilot officer is the lowest ran ...

in September 1941. In March 1942, Fairbairn was sent to Britain and attached to the No. 4 Squadron RAF, flying Mustangs on low-level reconnaissance missions over Europe. He was reassigned to No. 140 Squadron RAF in October 1942 where he "completed high-level mapping preparatory to D-Day, and was one of the first to photograph a

V-2 rocket The V2 (), with the technical name ''Aggregat (rocket family), Aggregat-4'' (A4), was the world's first long-range missile guidance, guided ballistic missile. The missile, powered by a liquid-propellant rocket engine, was developed during the S ...

site". In January 1944 he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, with the citation describing him as "an extremely keen and able deputy flight commander" and crediting him with having destroyed "five locomotives, one ship and attacked many troop concentrations". Fairbairn was promoted to flight lieutenant in September 1943 and returned to Australia in January 1944. In June 1944 he was posted to No. 79 Squadron RAAF and assigned to Momote Airport, supporting the Manus Naval Base and actions on the

New Guinea campaign The New Guinea campaign of the Pacific War lasted from January 1942 until the end of the war in August 1945. During the initial phase in early 1942, the Empire of Japan invaded the Territory of New Guinea on 23 January and Territory of Papua on ...

. He secured early demobilisation in January 1945.

Political career

Fairbairn joined the Country Party after the war's end, but later switched to the

. He was encouraged to stand for parliament by party officials and at the 1949 federal election was elected to the newly created seat of Farrer in the

. In 1962, Fairbairn was elevated to the ministry as Minister for Air in the Menzies government. He was promoted to cabinet in June 1964 as Minister for National Development, a portfolio covering energy, forestry, minerals, and water. He took an interest in the development of the Ord River Scheme in Western Australia. Fairbairn remained in the national development portfolio under

Harold Holt Harold Edward Holt (5 August 190817 December 1967) was an Australian politician and lawyer who served as the 17th prime minister of Australia from 1966 until Disappearance of Harold Holt, his disappearance and presumed death in 1967. He held o ...

and

John Gorton Sir John Grey Gorton (9 September 1911 – 19 May 2002) was an Australian politician, farmer and airman who served as the 19th Prime Minister of Australia, prime minister of Australia from 1968 to 1971. He held office as the leader of the leade ...

. He initially supported Gorton's election as party leader, but later became "disillusioned by the prime minister's maverick style". After the 1969 election, he unsuccessfully challenged Gorton for the leadership (along with William McMahon), and then resigned from the ministry, saying: "I have given deep thought and consideration to this decision. I have made it reluctantly. My sole concern in coming to it is the future of the Liberal Party, the Government and the Nation." According to

Ian Sinclair Ian McCahon Sinclair (born 10 June 1929) is an Australian former politician who served as a Member of Parliament for 35 years, and was leader of the National Party from 1984 to 1989. He served as either a minister or opposition frontbencher ...

, he was opposed to Gorton's centralism and in particular, his attempt to claim of sovereignty over Australia's territorial waters and continental shelf for the Commonwealth. Fairbairn became Minister for Education and Science in March 1971 in the McMahon Ministry and Minister for Defence from August 1971 to the government's defeat in 1972 election. He retired from Parliament at the 1975 election.

Ambassador to the Netherlands

From 1977 to 1980, Fairbairn was Australia's Ambassador to the Netherlands. Media reported that the posting "deeply perturbed" staff of the Department of Foreign Affairs, which came at a time when the department was being forced to reduce its overseas representation significantly.

Personal life

In 1945, Fairbairn married Ruth Harrison (). She had one daughter with her first husband, who had been killed in World War II. They had two another daughters together. Fairbairn died in Woden Valley Hospital in

Canberra Canberra ( ; ) is the capital city of Australia. Founded following the Federation of Australia, federation of the colonies of Australia as the seat of government for the new nation, it is Australia's list of cities in Australia, largest in ...

on 1 June 1994, aged 77.

Honours

Fairbairn was awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross in 1944, and made a

Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...

in 1977.

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fairbairn, David Eric Liberal Party of Australia members of the Parliament of Australia Members of the Australian House of Representatives for Farrer Members of the Australian House of Representatives Leaders of the Australian House of Representatives 1917 births 1994 deaths Australian Knights Commander of the Order of the British Empire Australian Army personnel of World War II Australian recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom) Members of the Cabinet of Australia Alumni of Jesus College, Cambridge Ambassadors of Australia to the Netherlands Ministers for defence of Australia People educated at Geelong Grammar School Royal Australian Air Force personnel of World War II Royal Australian Air Force officers Australian MPs 1949–1951 Australian MPs 1951–1954 Australian MPs 1954–1955 Australian MPs 1955–1958 Australian MPs 1958–1961 Australian MPs 1961–1963 Australian MPs 1963–1966 Australian MPs 1966–1969 Australian MPs 1969–1972 Australian MPs 1972–1974 Australian MPs 1974–1975