MP Biographical Register

		Harry Walter Gayfer


Principal Honours		Awarded Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) 1991 Appointed Member of the Order of Australia (AM) 1997 Awarded Queen’s Silver Jubilee Medal 1977 Awarded Centenary of Federation Medal 2003

Birth		Date: 12 August 1925 Place: Kensington, London, England, United Kingdom

Arrival in WA		To Western Australia as an infant

Parents		Harry Walter Gayfer, farmer, housing developer and horse trader, and Sophia Edith Lydia Reading

Marriage and Family		Married 17 January 1948, St Matthew’s Church, Corrigin to Alice Mary Hewett, daughter of Charles Robert and Mary Ellen Smith Children: one son and two daughters

Religion		Church of England

Education		Educated at Claremont Practising and Central School, and Scotch College (1939–1942) Scotch College head prefect and captain 1942 Represented Scotch College in cricket, football and rowing and Lieutenant in cadets

Occupation		Farmer

Employment History		Wheat and sheep farmer Farmer at Corrigin 1943 on Coongan Downs, property originally selected by his father in 1906 and subsequently enlarged Company Director, grazier and shareholder, real estate in city Chairman Cooperative Bulk Handling Limited 1971 (director from 15 May 1959)–31 October 1996 Chairman Directors CBH Superannuation Fund 1971–1996 Chairman Bulk Handling Authorities of Australia 1988–1993 Part station owner Meekatharra Director of H W Gayfer Limited, Mami Development Company and Coongan Downs Pty Ltd Director National Safety Council (Road Division) 1962–1971

House		MLA MLC

Local Government Service		Corrigin Shire Council 16 March 1955–26 May 1962 Deputy president 1961–1962 Past chairman Great Eastern Ward Road Board Association

Party		Country Party Life member National Party

Date Elected		13 March 1962

Inaugural Speech


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Year Retired/Resigned		1989

Electorate		Avon

Parliamentary Service		Electorates MLA Avon 13 March 1962–30 March 1974 MLC Central Province 22 May 1974–21 May 1989 Office Country Party Whip 1969–1974 Leader National Party in Legislative Council 1988–1989 Committees Member Printing Committee 1974–1986 Member Standing Orders Committee 1967–1971 Member Joint House Committee 1971–1974, 1986–1988 Member Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation 1987–1988 Member Select Committee inquiring into City Club (Private) Bill 1965 Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Represented Western Australian branch Commonwealth Parliamentary Association at General Conference, New Delhi, 1975 Also participated in Study Tour 1967 Member Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Branch Executive


Background/Membership		In post parliamentary life spends time between ‘Dobroyd’ in Corrigin and in South Perth Chaired International Grain Conference and fellow Australian Grains Institute, patron and awarded Fellowship in 1997 Justice of the Peace 1984 Member Western Australian Farmers Federation Paul Harris Fellow, Rotary Freeman of the Shire of Corrigin Fellow Australian Institute of Company Directors Active Freemason, 23rd Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Western Australia 1993–1996 Chairman Matso’s Art Gallery and Broome Brewery 1997 Member Board of Governors Fairbridge Western Australia Inc. and Chairman of Fundraising Campaign Life member (and president) Corrigin Golf Club, Royal Perth Golf Club Patron many agricultural societies Office bearer also in Corrigin sporting clubs including tennis (secretary), football (president and committee member), cricket (secretary) and golf (president 1958–1967 and then life member) President Western Australian Goland Rowing Club Patron South Perth Bowling Club Member Country Shire Councils Association 1961–1962 Freeman of Municipality of Corrigin 1990

References		David Black, and Geoffrey Bolton. Biographical register of members of the Parliament of Western Australia volume two, 1930-2010, Perth, Western Australian Parliamentary History Project, 2011, p. 95-96.

Members’ biographical register

Harry Walter Gayfer