709:. At that election, the Liberals won 55 percent of the two-party vote on a swing of over eight percent. At the time, this was the largest two-party victory for any party since the end of the Playmander, exceeding Labor taking 54.5 percent in 1973. While this would have normally been enough for a strong majority government in the rest of Australia, the Liberals won only 13 seats in Adelaide. As a result, they only won 25 of 47 seats, just two more than needed to govern alone. Even so, it was the first time that the main non-Labor party in South Australia had won a majority of the two-party vote while also winning the most seats since its predecessor, the LCL, won 50.3 percent of the two-party vote in 1959.
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741:, Tonkin combined fiscal conservatism with implementing socially progressive reforms. In the former, Tonkin made significant cuts to the public service, earning him the enmity of the unions, while an example of the latter was the passage of the land rights bill and the return to the
712:
Already governing on a knife-edge, Tonkin's majority became even slimmer in 1980 after a court decision threw out a
Liberal victory in Dunstan's old seat Norwood, and Labor regained it in the ensuing by-election. As a result, Tonkin found himself with a bare majority of one seat.
836:
Following his death, the
Pitjantjatjara people paid tribute to Tonkin, stating that no Liberal politician had done as much for Aboriginal people. Others stated that he lost the 1982 election because he lacked the ruthlessness required of successful politicians.
802:
Subsequently, Tonkin returned to ophthalmology and served in various capacities in different government and community organisations, including chairman of the board of the State Opera from 1985 to 1986 and vice-president of
689:
Tonkin gained statewide prominence in 1974, when he successfully introduced a private member's bill to outlaw sex discrimination, the first such law in
Australia. A year later, this prominence led him to challenge
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663:(LCL), handing out how-to-vote cards at the 1939 election for the party. His prominence in Adelaide society and his community service made him an ideal LCL candidate. In 1968, he unsuccessfully challenged Premier
1679:
794:
Until the defeat of Steven
Marshall in 2022, Tonkin was the only non-Labor Premier to have served for at least a full term since the main non-Labor party in South Australia adopted the Liberal banner.
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919:
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Tonkin's dedication to aiding the wider community was manifest through his honorary service as an eye surgeon to
Adelaide public hospitals and through the initiation, through the
518:, on 20 July 1929. When he was five, his father, Oliver, died, leaving Tonkin's mother, Bertha, to raise him. Tonkin attended local public schools before gaining a scholarship to
722:
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Electorate Office is named in his honour. In addition, a
Memorial Dinner in his name is also now held each year by The South Australian Young Liberal Movement.
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As leader, Tonkin worked toward healing the internal party wounds by coaxing the
Liberal Movement back into the Liberal fold. Although the Liberals lost the
760:), extending his earlier anti-discrimination provisions to include physical disability, establishing the Ethnic Affairs Commission and introducing
475:
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for the leadership of what by then had become the South
Australia branch of the Liberal Party. Tonkin became leader after Eastick stood aside.
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833:, South Australia, on 2 October 2000 while attending a music festival. He was survived by his wife Prue, six children and 10 grandchildren.
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course in London. He established a practice in
Adelaide and was soon considered one of the city's leading eye surgeons. Tonkin was of
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701:(Dunstan's government remained fairly popular with voters, and memories of the LCL split were still vivid), they easily won the
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Returning to
Australia in 1992, Tonkin was made an Officer of the Order of Australia in 1993 and served as chairman of the
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549:. In 1962 Tonkin became executive director of the Australian Foundation for Prevention of Blindness SA Inc.
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Tonkin quickly gained a reputation as a progressive member of the LCL. He was an early supporter of the
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from 1994 to 1996. A stroke in 1996 permanently affected his speech and forced him into retirement.
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the Tonkin government was reduced to a one-seat majority. His government's policy approach combined
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Tonkin was awarded the Liberal Party's outstanding achievement award in 2000 by Prime Minister
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771:, Tonkin had support of the South Australian media. However, the economy was hit by the
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Debelle, P. (2000) "Obituaries – David Oliver Tonkin, AO – South Australian Premier",
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439:(20 July 1929 – 2 October 2000) was an Australian politician who served as the 38th
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The Australian People: An Encyclopedia of the Nation, Its People and Their Origins
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Kemp, M. (2000) "Prime Minister pays Tribute to Former Premier David Tonkin",
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783:. Tonkin resigned from parliament shortly after following a heart complaint.
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before narrowly losing the state election two months later to Labor led by
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Liberal Party of Australia members of the Parliament of South Australia
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587: in this section. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
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920:"Alexander Downer endorses cleanskin Steven Marshall | The Australian"
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Other significant actions include the development of the copper and
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498:. The Tonkin Liberal government was defeated after one term at the
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from 18 September 1979 to 10 November 1982. He was elected to the
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Jory, R. (2000) "Gentleman politician with music in his soul",
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South Australian Division of the Liberal Party of Australia
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before becoming the first member for the adjacent seat of
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Liberal Party of Australia (South Australian Division)
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Liberal Party of Australia (South Australian Division)
545:, of Australia's first public screening programme for
733:1979 Cabinet of South Australian Tonkin Government
1715:Members of the South Australian House of Assembly
787:easily retained the seat for the Liberals at the
745:people of 10 per cent of South Australia's area.
1666:
974:Laidlaw, D. (2000) "Premier fostered progress",
659:From a young age, Tonkin was a supporter of the
1705:People educated at St Peter's College, Adelaide
1174:
775:. The government suffered a large swing at the
467:. Initially leading the party to defeat at the
960:Kemp, M. (2000) "A reformer and a gentleman",
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250:18 September 1979 – 10 November 1982
68:18 September 1979 – 10 November 1982
1720:Leaders of the Opposition in South Australia
1690:University of Adelaide Medical School alumni
1032:Leader of the Opposition of South Australia
132:Leader of the Opposition in South Australia
1573:previously Liberal and Country League (SA)
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41:
647:Learn how and when to remove this message
144:24 July 1975 – 18 September 1979
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198:24 July 1975 – 10 November 1982
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1730:Liberal and Country League politicians
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809:Commonwealth Parliamentary Association
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1710:Australian people of Cornish descent
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873:. Adelaide. 25 July 1929. p. 39
854:
585:adding citations to reliable sources
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302:30 May 1970 – 10 April 1983
1735:20th-century Australian politicians
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682:faction created by former premier
530:before undertaking a postgraduate
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816:South Australian Film Corporation
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522:. Accepted into Medicine at the
486:Labor government. Following the
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767:Bidding for re-election at the
572:needs additional citations for
419:Oliver Athelstone Prisk Tonkin
410:Liberal Party of Australia (SA)
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898:. Cambridge University Press.
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705:against Labor, briefly led by
478:government, his party won the
459:. He became the leader of the
184:Leader of the South Australian
1:
1725:Treasurers of South Australia
1567:Parliamentary Leaders of the
1080:Parliament of South Australia
996:Parliament of South Australia
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777:1982 Florey state by-election
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1070:Treasurer of South Australia
892:Jupp, James (October 2001).
238:Treasurer of South Australia
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1685:Australian ophthalmologists
1675:Premiers of South Australia
1176:Premiers of South Australia
1131:1975 – 1982
1074:1979 – 1982
1063:1979 – 1982
1036:1975 – 1979
10:
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1059:Premier of South Australia
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441:Premier of South Australia
421:Bertha Ida Louisa Kennett
56:Premier of South Australia
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737:Also serving as his own
488:1980 Norwood by-election
1740:Australian taxi drivers
971:, p 5, 12 October 2000.
964:, p 76, 7 October 2000.
994:Former members of the
840:The Board Room in the
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675:at the 1970 election.
524:University of Adelaide
516:Unley, South Australia
773:early 1980s recession
762:random breath testing
732:
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667:in Dunstan's seat of
492:economic conservatism
16:Australian politician
581:improve this article
528:General Practitioner
496:social progressivism
969:Adelaide Advertiser
962:Adelaide Advertiser
938:Adelaide Advertiser
926:on 2 February 2013.
805:Sturt Football Club
789:ensuing by-election
463:in 1975, replacing
432:David Oliver Tonkin
344:David Oliver Tonkin
1017:Political offices
881:– via Trove.
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520:St Peter's College
91:Sir Donald Dunstan
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500:1982 election
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480:1979 election
477:
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469:1977 election
466:
465:Bruce Eastick
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453:1970 election
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186:Liberal Party
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1437:R. L. Butler
1422:R. L. Butler
1124:
1091:
1087:New division
1086:
1068:
1057:
1052:Des Corcoran
1030:
1010:
1000:. Retrieved
993:
975:
968:
961:
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932:
924:the original
914:
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875:. Retrieved
868:
839:
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827:Mengler Hill
820:
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793:
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707:Des Corcoran
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637:October 2021
634:
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591:
579:Please help
574:verification
571:
540:
513:
484:Des Corcoran
482:against the
471:against the
431:
430:
381:Mengler Hill
376:(2000-10-02)
354:20 July 1929
320:Succeeded by
312:
297:
278:Succeeded by
271:Des Corcoran
258:
245:
226:Succeeded by
193:
172:Succeeded by
139:
120:Succeeded by
113:Des Corcoran
77:Elizabeth II
63:
18:
1700:2000 deaths
1695:1929 births
1589:Playford IV
1517:Malinauskas
1442:Playford IV
1337:Playford II
1327:Playford II
1092:Member for
1042:John Bannon
823:John Howard
781:John Bannon
758:Roxby Downs
754:Olympic Dam
684:Steele Hall
665:Don Dunstan
504:John Bannon
473:Don Dunstan
394:Australian
391:Nationality
308:Preceded by
283:John Bannon
266:Preceded by
214:Preceded by
177:John Bannon
160:Preceded by
125:John Bannon
108:Preceded by
1669:Categories
1507:Weatherill
1267:Strangways
1212:Waterhouse
1137:John Olsen
1098:1970–1983
948:References
877:18 January
607:newspapers
543:Lions Club
538:ancestry.
510:Early life
350:1929-07-20
231:John Olsen
1372:R. Butler
1002:19 August
416:Parent(s)
365:Australia
298:In office
246:In office
194:In office
140:In office
64:In office
1649:Marshall
1512:Marshall
1467:Corcoran
1432:Richards
1352:Kingston
1332:Cockburn
1207:Reynolds
752:mine at
547:glaucoma
447:seat of
83:Governor
1644:Redmond
1599:Eastick
1462:Dunstan
1452:Dunstan
1407:Barwell
1397:Vaughan
1367:Jenkins
1357:Solomon
1302:Boucaut
1292:Boucaut
1247:Boucaut
1197:Torrens
1187:Finniss
1011:
955:The Age
764:(RBT).
750:uranium
717:Premier
669:Norwood
621:scholar
536:Cornish
451:at the
259:Himself
255:Premier
73:Monarch
1654:Speirs
1604:Tonkin
1584:Butler
1482:Arnold
1477:Bannon
1472:Tonkin
1387:Verran
1362:Holder
1347:Downer
1342:Holder
1322:Downer
1317:Colton
1307:Morgan
1297:Colton
1232:Dutton
1217:Dutton
1202:Hanson
902:
623:
616:
609:
602:
594:
553:Career
203:Deputy
149:Deputy
97:Deputy
1634:Evans
1629:Kerin
1624:Olsen
1619:Brown
1614:Baker
1609:Olsen
1497:Kerin
1492:Olsen
1487:Brown
1447:Walsh
1402:Peake
1392:Peake
1382:Peake
1377:Price
1287:Blyth
1282:Ayers
1277:Blyth
1262:Ayers
1252:Ayers
1237:Ayers
1227:Blyth
1222:Ayers
1192:Baker
1094:Bragg
848:Notes
842:Bragg
673:Bragg
628:JSTOR
614:books
494:with
476:Labor
449:Bragg
357:Unley
54:38th
1594:Hall
1502:Rann
1457:Hall
1427:Hill
1417:Hill
1412:Gunn
1312:Bray
1272:Hart
1257:Hart
1242:Hart
1004:2022
900:ISBN
879:2016
600:news
457:1983
371:Died
340:Born
583:by
1671::
992:.
867:.
856:^
829:,
811:.
791:.
506:.
436:AO
383:,
363:,
359:,
34:AO
1560:e
1553:t
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1168:e
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1006:.
908:.
756:(
650:)
644:(
639:)
635:(
625:·
618:·
611:·
604:·
577:.
352:)
348:(
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