James Mitchell (Australian politician)

Sir James Mitchell GCMG
20th Governor of Western Australia
In office 5 October 1948 – 30 June 1951 Acting governor: 11 July 1933 – 5 October 1948
Monarch	George VI
Premier	Sir Ross McLarty
Preceded by	Sir William Campion
Succeeded by	Sir Charles Gairdner
13th Premier of Western Australia
In office 17 May 1919 – 16 April 1924
Monarch	George V
Governor	Sir William Ellison-Macartney Sir Francis Newdegate
Preceded by	Sir Hal Colebatch
Succeeded by	Philip Collier
In office 24 April 1930 – 24 April 1933
Monarch	George V
Governor	Sir William Campion None
Preceded by	Philip Collier
Succeeded by	Philip Collier
Constituency	Northam
Personal details
Born	(1866-04-27)27 April 1866 Dardanup, Western Australia, Australia
Died	26 July 1951(1951-07-26) (aged 85) Glen Mervyn, Western Australia, Australia
Political party	Nationalist
Spouse	Clara Robinson Spencer (m.1888–1949; her death)

Sir James Mitchell, GCMG (27 April 1866 – 26 July 1951) was an Australian politician. He served as premier of Western Australia from 1919 to 1924 and from 1930 to 1933, as leader of the Nationalist Party. He then held viceregal office from 1933 to 1951, as acting governor from 1933 to 1948 and governor of Western Australia from 1948 until his death in 1951.

Mitchell was born to a farming family in Dardanup, Western Australia. He became manager of the Western Australian Bank's Northam branch. He was first elected to the Parliament of Western Australia in 1905 and held the seat of Northam for nearly three decades. Mitchell rose quickly to ministerial office where he was a keen advocate of agricultural development. He favoured government support of primary industry and sought to use assisted migration and soldier settlement to supply the necessary labour.

Mitchell first became premier in 1919 after a period of instability in state politics, governing in coalition with the Country Party despite earlier conflict. His first term saw minor social reforms and development initiatives, but was primarily known for the Group Settlement Scheme which established the South West dairy industry. Mitchell won the 1921 state election but was defeated in 1924. He returned as premier in 1930 at the height of the Great Depression, but suffered a landslide defeat three years later and lost his own seat. He notably authorised a secession referendum in 1933.

After losing office, Mitchell was appointed lieutenant-governor by his successor Philip Collier. The office of governor was left vacant during the Great Depression as a cost-saving measure, with Mitchell serving as acting governor until being formally commissioned in the role in 1948. He died in office in 1951.