Bill Grayden

Who is Bill Grayden?

William Leonard "Bill" Grayden AM was an Australian politician. Born in Perth, Western Australia, he was educated at state schools and then at Perth Technical College, becoming a mechanical engineer. He served in the military from 1940-1946. In 1947, he was elected to the Western Australian Legislative Assembly as the Liberal member for Middle Swan, where he remained until 1949. In that year, he transferred to the Australian House of Representatives, winning the seat of Swan for the Liberals. He held the seat until his defeat in 1954. In 1956 he returned to the Legislative Assembly, winning the seat of South Perth. He served in as a minister in a number of capacities: Labour and Industry 1974-1978; Consumer Affairs 1974-1978; Immigration and Tourism 1974-1975; and Education, Cultural Affairs and Recreation 1978-1982. Grayden left the Assembly in 1993. He is the maternal grandson of Western Australian businessman and politician Nat Harper.