Harry Jenkins Sr.

The Honourable Dr Harry Jenkins AM
Member of the Australian Parliament for Scullin
In office 25 October 1969 – 20 December 1985
Preceded by	New seat
Succeeded by	Harry Jenkins
18th Speaker of the Australian House of Representatives
In office 22 April 1983 – 11 February 1986
Preceded by	Sir Billy Sneddon
Succeeded by	Joan Child
Personal details
Born	24 September 1925 Melbourne, Victoria
Died	27 July 2004 (aged 78)
Nationality	Australian
Political party	Australian Labor Party
Children	Harry Jenkins
Alma mater	University of Melbourne, Deakin University
Occupation	General practitioner

Henry Alfred Jenkins, AM (24 September 1925 – 27 July 2004), Australian Labor politician, was Speaker of the Australian House of Representatives during the term of the Labor government of Bob Hawke.

Born and educated in Melbourne, Jenkins graduated in science and medicine from the University of Melbourne, and in arts from Deakin University. He worked as a general practitioner until 1961, when he was elected as a Labor member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly for the seat of Reservoir, where he served until 1969. In the Victorian Parliament he was Shadow Minister for Health.

Jenkins then moved to the Federal Parliament. He was elected to the House of Representatives for the Division of Scullin at the 1969 election. After the dismissal of the Whitlam government, Jenkins came under pressure to stand aside from Scullin to allow the President of the ACTU, Bob Hawke, an entry into Parliament at the 1975 election; but he resisted this and Hawke was not to enter politics until 1980.^[1] In May 1983, on the election of the Hawke government, Jenkins was elected Speaker of the House, a position he held until his retirement in 1985. He was succeeded as member for Scullin by his son, Harry Jenkins Jr.

After leaving politics, Jenkins was appointed Australian Ambassador to Spain, a post he held until 1988.^[2][3][4] In 1991 he was made a Member of the Order of Australia.

References

1. Obituary "Labor stalwart who would not stand aside for Bob Hawke", The Age, 6 August 2004, p.9
2. "Jenkins' job in Spain confirmed". The Canberra Times. 17 March 1986. p. 1.
3. "Opposition query on Jenkins's job". The Canberra Times. 8 January 1986. p. 7.
4. "New new man in Madrid: Harry Jenkins — taking control of a new house". The Canberra Times. 6 July 1986. p. 2.

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