Don Barker (politician)

Charles William Donald Barker (14 August 1904 – 18 July 1956) was an Australian politician who was a Labor Party member of the Legislative Council of Western Australia from 1952 until his death, representing North Province.

This article is about the English-born Australian politician. For others, see Don Barker (disambiguation).

The Honourable

Don Barker
Member of the Legislative Council
of Western Australia
In office
22 May 1951 – 18 July 1956
Preceded byMervyn Forrest
Succeeded byFrank Wise
ConstituencyNorth Province
Personal details
Born(1904-08-14)14 August 1904
York, Yorkshire, England
Died18 July 1956(1956-07-18) (aged 51)
near Broome, Western Australia
Political partyLabor

Barker was born in York, England, and came to Western Australia at the age of 17, working as a station hand in the North-West. He served with the Royal Australian Navy during World War II. On his return to Australia, he ran a café in Broome for a period, and then worked in Derby as a stock inspector. Barker entered parliament at the 1952 Legislative Council elections, defeating the sitting Liberal member, Mervyn Forrest, by just five votes. He died in office in July 1956, aged 51.[1] In parliament, he was known for his concern for Aboriginal welfare, and he and his wife (who had no children of their own) often put up visiting Aboriginal students from the North-West at their home in Perth.[2]

References
  1. Charles William (Donald) Barker – Biographical Register of Members of the Parliament of Western Australia. Retrieved 21 July 2016.
  2. Late Hon. C. W. D. Barker, M.L.C. (condolence motion), Hansard (Legislative Council of Western Australia), 7 August 1956.
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