Ernest Francis Bridge

Who was Ernest Francis Bridge?

Ernest Francis "Ernie" Bridge, AM was an Australian parliamentarian and country music singer. He was a member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly from 1980 to 2001, representing the electorate of Kimberley, first as an Australian Labor Party representative and then as a Labor Independent MP. He was the first indigenous Australian to be a Cabinet minister in any Australian government. He was married to Mavis Bridge from 1960 until her death in March 2009 and had two daughters and two sons.

Bridge was born in Halls Creek. He was a pastoralist and businessman prior to entering politics, and was also a founding member of the Aboriginal Lands Trust in 1972. He served on the Halls Creek council from 1962 to 1979. He contested the marginal seat of Kimberley for the Labor Party at the 1980 state election and won, defeating incumbent Liberal Alan Ridge becoming the first Aboriginal member of the WA parliament. He was a backbencher for his first two terms, being re-elected at the 1983 election and 1986 election.