Harry Holgate

Who was Harry Holgate?

Harold Norman "Harry" Holgate AO was an Australian Labor Party politician and Premier of Tasmania from 11 November 1981 to 26 May 1982.

Born in Maitland, New South Wales in 1933, Holgate was a television producer and journalist prior to entering politics, arriving in Tasmania to work for The Examiner newspaper in 1963. He first stood for election in 1972 but was unable to meet the required quota of 4,707 votes. From 1973 to 1974, he worked as a press secretary for Deputy Prime Minister Lance Barnard.

In 1974, he stood for election again and was the second candidate elected in the Division of Bass. He held his seat from 26 July 1974 until 1992, and was Speaker of the Tasmanian House of Assembly from May 1975 to December 1976. Holgate became Premier in 1981 after a motion of no confidence was raised against Doug Lowe, who subsequently resigned from the party. Holgate was Premier for nearly seven months, until he was defeated by Robin Gray's Liberal government at the 1982 election

Holgate died of cancer in Launceston on 16 March 1997.