John Rhatigan

John Joseph "Jack" Rhatigan (18 June 1907 – 9 November 1970) was an Australian politician who was a Labor Party member of the Legislative Assembly of Western Australia from 1953 to 1968, representing the seat of Kimberley.

John Rhatigan
Member of the Legislative Assembly of Western Australia
In office 16 May 1953 – 23 March 1968
Preceded by	Aubrey Coverley
Succeeded by	Alan Ridge
Constituency	Kimberley
Personal details
Born	18 June 1907 Turkey Creek, Western Australia
Died	9 November 1970 (aged 63) Subiaco, Western Australia
Political party	Labor

Rhatigan was born in Turkey Creek (now known as Warmun), a small inland community in Western Australia's Kimberley region. His father was Michael Rhatigan, a stockman. Rhatigan was sent away to be educated, boarding at Christian Brothers' College, Perth, but returned to the Kimberley after leaving school. He joined the Department of Native Affairs in 1946, having earlier worked as a stockman, linesman, drover, and cattle station manager. From 1949, Rhatigan served as the district officer for the entire East Kimberley region, and was based in Broome.[1] He resigned to contest the 1953 Kimberley by-election, which had been caused by the death of the sitting Labor member, Aubrey Coverley. Rhatigan was successful, becoming the first member for Kimberley born in the region, and went on to hold the seat until his defeat at the 1968 state election.[2] He died just over two years later.[1]

References

1. John Joseph Rhatigan – Biographical Register of Members of the Parliament of Western Australia. Retrieved 15 May 2016.
2. Black, David; Prescott, Valerie (1997). Election statistics : Legislative Assembly of Western Australia, 1890-1996. Perth, [W.A.]: Western Australian Parliamentary History Project and Western Australian Electoral Commission. ISBN 0730984095.