Thomas Playford IV

Sir Thomas Playford KCMG ( born July 5, 1896 in Norton Summit, South Australia, † June 16, 1981 in Adelaide, South Australia ) was an Australian politician of the Liberal and Country League ( LCL) and long-time Prime Minister of South Australia.

Life

Playford was the grandson of the same politician Thomas Playford, who also was the prime minister of South Australia between 1887 and 1889 and from 1890 to 1892. During the First World War he served as a lieutenant in his World War II and took part in the 1915 Battle of Gallipoli and then in battles in France, where he was severely wounded.

His political career in South Australia began in 1933 when he was elected Member of Parliament, where he served until his mandate waiver in 1967.

On November 5, 1938, he became Prime Minister of South Australia, succeeding his party colleague Richard Layton Butler. He was also a 1938-1966 Butlers successor as chairman of the Liberal and Country League.

In 1957, he received the Knight Slapped and led as a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George henceforth the additional name sir. After his Liberal and Country League 1965 electoral defeat suffered in elections to the Parliament of South Australia, he lost on 10 March 1965, the Office of the Prime Minister to the candidates of the Australian Labor Party, Frank Walsh. With a tenure of over 26 years, he was the Prime Minister of this state with the longest reign. At the same time he was during his tenure also Chancellor of the Exchequer ( Treasurer of South Australia ).