Sir John Robertson | |
|---|---|
&sq=Facebook&lang=en&file=File:Studio_Portrait_of_Sir_John_Robertson,_ca._1890_PXA_1023.jpg) Portrait of Sir John Robertson, c. 1890 | |
| 5th Premier of New South Wales | |
| In office 9 March 1860 – 9 January 1861 | |
| Preceded by | William Forster |
| Succeeded by | Charles Cowper |
| In office 27 October 1868 – 12 January 1870 | |
| Preceded by | James Martin |
| Succeeded by | Charles Cowper |
| In office 9 February 1875 – 21 March 1877 | |
| Preceded by | Henry Parkes |
| Succeeded by | Henry Parkes |
| In office 17 August – 17 December 1877 | |
| Preceded by | Henry Parkes |
| Succeeded by | James Farnell |
| In office 22 December 1885 – 22 February 1886 | |
| Preceded by | George Dibbs |
| Succeeded by | Sir Patrick Jennings |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 15 October 1816 Bow, Middlesex, England |
| Died | 8 May 1891 (aged 74) Watsons Bay, Sydney, Australia |
| Spouse | Margaret Emma "Madge" Davies |
| Children | 9 |
Sir John Robertson KCMG (15 October 1816 – 8 May 1891) was a London-born Australian politician and Premier of New South Wales on five occasions. Robertson is best remembered for land reform and in particular the Robertson Land Acts of 1861, which sought to open up the selection of Crown land and break the monopoly of the squatters.
Robertson was elected to Parliament in 1856 supporting manhood suffrage, secret ballot, electorates based on equal populations, abolition of state aid to religion, government non-denominational schools, free trade, and land reform. He saw free selection of crown land before survey as the key to social reform with poor settlers being able to occupy agricultural and pastoral land, even that occupied by lease-holding squatters. This insight enabled him to dominate the politics of 1856–61.[1]
- ^ Nairn, Bede. "Robertson, Sir John (1816–1891)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. ISBN 978-0-522-84459-7. ISSN 1833-7538. OCLC 70677943. Retrieved 10 October 2019.