Harry Jenkins, Sr.

Who was Harry Jenkins, Sr.?

Henry Alfred Jenkins AM, Australian Labor politician, was Speaker of the Australian House of Representatives during the term of the Labor government of Bob Hawke.

Jenkins was born and educated in Melbourne. He graduated in science and medicine from the University of Melbourne. He worked as a general practitioner until 1961, when he was elected as a Labor member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly for the seat of Reservoir, where he served until 1969. In the Victorian Parliament he was Shadow Minister for Health.

Jenkins then moved to the Federal Parliament. He was elected to the House of Representatives for the Division of Scullin at the 1969 election. After the dismissal of the Whitlam government, Jenkins came under pressure to stand aside from Scullin to allow the President of the ACTU, Bob Hawke, an entry into Parliament at the 1975 election; but he resisted this and Hawke was not to enter politics until 1980. In May 1983, on the election of the Hawke government, Jenkins was elected Speaker of the House, a position he held until his retirement in 1985. He was succeeded as member for Scullin by his son, Harry Jenkins, Jr.