Sir George Pearce | |
|---|---|
 Pearce, c. 1915 | |
| Minister for External Affairs | |
| In office 12 October 1934 – 29 November 1937 | |
| Prime Minister | Joseph Lyons |
| Preceded by | John Latham |
| Succeeded by | Billy Hughes |
| Minister for Defence | |
| In office 6 January 1932 – 12 October 1934 | |
| Prime Minister | Joseph Lyons |
| Preceded by | Ben Chifley |
| Succeeded by | Archdale Parkhill |
| In office 17 September 1914 – 21 December 1921 | |
| Prime Minister | Andrew Fisher Billy Hughes |
| Preceded by | Edward Millen |
| Succeeded by | Walter Massy-Greene |
| In office 29 April 1910 – 24 June 1913 | |
| Prime Minister | Andrew Fisher |
| Preceded by | Joseph Cook |
| Succeeded by | Edward Millen |
| In office 13 November 1908 – 2 June 1909 | |
| Prime Minister | Andrew Fisher |
| Preceded by | Thomas Ewing |
| Succeeded by | Joseph Cook |
| Leader of the Government in the Senate | |
| In office 6 January 1932 – 29 November 1937 | |
| Preceded by | John Barnes |
| Succeeded by | Alexander McLachlan |
| In office 9 February 1923 – 19 October 1929 | |
| Preceded by | Edward Millen |
| Succeeded by | John Daly |
| In office 17 September 1914 – 17 February 1917 | |
| Preceded by | Edward Millen |
| Succeeded by | Edward Millen |
| Leader of the Opposition in the Senate | |
| In office 22 October 1929 – 6 January 1932 | |
| Preceded by | John Daly |
| Succeeded by | John Barnes |
| Minister for Home and Territories | |
| In office 21 December 1921 – 18 June 1926 | |
| Prime Minister | Billy Hughes Stanley Bruce |
| Preceded by | Alexander Poynton |
| Succeeded by | William Glasgow |
| Deputy Leader of the Labor Party | |
| In office 27 October 1915 – 14 November 1916 | |
| Leader | Billy Hughes |
| Preceded by | Billy Hughes |
| Succeeded by | Albert Gardiner |
| Senator for Western Australia | |
| In office 29 March 1901 – 30 June 1938 | |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Robert Clothier |
| Personal details | |
| Born | George Foster Pearce 14 January 1870 Mount Barker, Province of South Australia, British Empire |
| Died | 24 June 1952 (aged 82) Elwood, Victoria, Australia |
| Political party |
|
| Spouse |
Eliza Barrett
(m. 1897; died 1947) |
| Occupation | Carpenter |
| Signature |  |
Sir George Foster Pearce KCVO (14 January 1870 – 24 June 1952) was an Australian politician who served as a Senator for Western Australia from 1901 to 1938. He began his career in the Labor Party but later joined the National Labor Party, the Nationalist Party, and the United Australia Party; he served as a cabinet minister under prime ministers from all four parties.
Pearce was born in Mount Barker, South Australia. He left school at the age of 11 and trained as a carpenter, later moving to Western Australia and becoming involved in the union movement. He helped establish the Labor Party there, and in 1901 – aged 31 – was elected to the new federal parliament. Pearce was elevated to cabinet in 1908, under Andrew Fisher, and served in each of Fisher's three governments. He continued on in cabinet when Billy Hughes became prime minister in 1915, and after the Labor Party split of 1916 followed Hughes to the National Labor Party and then to the Nationalists. Pearce also served in cabinet under Stanley Bruce and, after joining the UAP in 1931, Joseph Lyons. He was Minister for Defence from 1908 to 1909, 1910 to 1913, 1914 to 1921, and 1932 to 1934. His 24 years in cabinet and 37 years as a senator are both records.