Thomas Price | |
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Premier of South Australia | |
In office 26 July 1905 – 31 May 1909 | |
Monarch | Edward VII |
Governor | Sir George Le Hunte Sir Day Bosanquet |
Preceded by | Richard Butler |
Succeeded by | Archibald Peake |
Leader of the Opposition in South Australia | |
In office 15 July 1904 – 26 July 1905 | |
Preceded by | John Darling |
Succeeded by | Richard Butler |
Leader of the United Labor Party | |
In office 12 December 1899 – 31 May 1909 | |
Preceded by | Lee Batchelor |
Succeeded by | John Verran |
Member of the South Australian House of Assembly | |
In office 21 April 1887 – 31 May 1909 | |
Preceded by | Josiah Symon |
Succeeded by | George Dankel |
Constituency | Sturt (1887–1902) Torrens (1902–1909) |
Personal details | |
Born | Thomas Price 19 January 1852 Brymbo, Wales, United Kingdom |
Died | 31 May 1909 Mount Lofty, South Australia | (aged 57)
Political party | United Labor Party |
Thomas Price (19 January 1852 – 31 May 1909) served as the South Australian United Labor Party's first Premier of South Australia. He formed a minority government at the 1905 election and was re-elected with increased representation at the 1906 election, serving in the premiership until his death in 1909.[1] It was the world's first stable Labor government. Shortly afterwards, John Verran led Labor to form the state's first of many majority governments at the 1910 election.
Achievements of the Price government included free state secondary schools, the formation of wages boards and a minimum wage, establishing the Municipal Tramways Trust through nationalisation, the costly administration of the Northern Territory was surrendered to the Federal government, and reform (though limited) of the upper house. The government also attained successive budget surpluses and reduced the accumulated public debt.