47:
402:, even though the CLP was returned with a comfortable majority. Letts' ousting was particularly surprising given that it is almost unheard of for major-party leaders at the federal, state or territory level in Australia to lose their own seat. Letts blamed his defeat on his long absences from his remote electorate on Majority Leader business. His original Deputy Majority Leader,
354:
as the
District Veterinary Officer for the Northern Region of the Northern Territory. He was appointed Director of the Animal Industry and Agriculture Branch of the Northern Territory in 1963, Chair of the Northern Territory Wildlife Council and to the Northern Territory Lands Board in 1964. Awarded
397:
As
Majority Leader, Letts prepared the Territory for self-government, which was to be granted in 1978, and administered the day-to-day running of Territory affairs. Although his powers were limited, he was generally considered a capable leader. It was therefore surprising when he lost his seat at
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Universities, graduating with a
Bachelor of Veterinary Science in 1950. Letts gained employment with the Victorian Department of Agriculture and married Joyce Crosby on 29 November 1952. Together they had three sons and three daughters.
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in 1967 as an official (non-elected) member representing the
Department of Lands and Primary Industry. His growing disillusionment with the bureaucratic control of the Territory from
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732:
417:
Following his departure from politics, Letts served as Chair of the Board of
Inquiry into Feral Animals in the Northern Territory from 1978–79, on the Advisory Council to the
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for the
Country Party at the 1971 elections, and subsequently become leader of the Country Party in the Council. Following the announcement of the creation of the
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455:, achieving 20% of the vote to Robertson's 61.7%. Following this defeat, Letts left the Territory to work in his family's newspaper business in Victoria.
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in 1981, Letts resigned from his position at the
Conservation Commission in 1983 to stand as an independent for the Alice Springs-based seat of
406:, was elected CLP leader and Majority Leader in his place, and thus presided over the final transition to self-government a year later. At the
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29:
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Known as the "father of self-government", Letts was appointed a CBE in 1978 for his services to the
Territory and public administration.
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859:
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574:
448:
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394:, winning 17 of 19 seats. He was elected Majority Leader—the equivalent of a first minister in the federal and state governments.
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451:, in opposition to the CLP's attitudes towards the Commonwealth and Indigenous people. Letts was defeated by the CLP candidate
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in 1966, Letts' high political profile in the
Territory led him to successfully contest the Legislative Council seat of
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but withdrew to accept the position of CEO of the
Northern Territory Conservation Commission. Letts's former deputy,
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followed Letts in becoming only the second sitting Chief Minister/Majority Leader to lose their seat.
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550:"A tribute to Donald's Goff Letts: renowned veterinarian and NT "Father of Self Government""
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led him to resign from those positions in 1970 to enter private industry as a vet.
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186:
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436:, was then pre-selected as the new candidate and was successful at that election.
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773:
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Country Liberal Party members of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly
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to replace the Council, Letts helped merge the Territory's Country and
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Letts moved to the Northern Territory in 1957, initially working in
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492:, vol. 3. Ed. Carment, D. & Wilson, H. NTU Press: Casuarina.
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from 1979–83, and on the Uranium Advisory Council from 1979–83.
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Heatley, A. (1996) "Letts, Godfrey Alan (Goff)", pp 192 – 194,
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A founding member of the Northern Territory branch of the
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Australian Commanders of the Order of the British Empire
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Members of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly
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Far Country: A Short History of the Northern Territory
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424:He was pre-selected by the CLP to contest the
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490:Northern Territory Dictionary of Biography
260:(18 January 1928 – 10 March 2023) was the
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624:Chief ministers of the Northern Territory
575:Majority Leader of the Northern Territory
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72:19 October 1974 – 12 August 1977
60:Majority Leader of the Northern Territory
505:, Melbourne University Press, Carlton.
380:Northern Territory Legislative Assembly
274:Northern Territory Legislative Assembly
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361:Northern Territory Legislative Council
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390:, and led the CLP to victory at the
359:in 1966, Letts was appointed to the
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881:
860:Members of the Order of Australia
16:Australian politician (1928–2023)
268:of Australia from 1974 to 1977.
461:Letts died on 10 March 2023 in
855:University of Melbourne alumni
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426:Division of Northern Territory
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123:Northern Territory Parliament
870:People from Donald, Victoria
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7:
850:University of Sydney alumni
530:. Commonwealth of Australia
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449:1983 Territory election
350:before transferring to
220:Independent (1981–2023)
197:10 March 2023 (aged 95)
439:Made a Trustee of the
743:Country Liberal Party
524:"LETTS, Godfrey Alan"
430:1980 federal election
388:Country Liberal Party
202:, Victoria, Australia
465:, at the age of 95.
357:Churchill Fellowship
441:World Wildlife Fund
287:Electoral division
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563:Political offices
501:Powell, A. (1988)
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266:Northern Territory
181:Godfrey Alan Letts
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582:Succeeded by
463:Stawell, Victoria
386:parties into the
332:Melbourne Grammar
330:, Letts attended
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187:Donald, Victoria
172:Personal details
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86:Bernie Kilgariff
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404:Paul Everingham
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314:Country Liberal
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262:Majority Leader
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229:Letts Executive
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207:Political party
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184:18 January 1928
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114:Paul Everingham
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528:It's An Honour
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434:Grant Tambling
376:Victoria River
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120:Member of the
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91:Grant Tambling
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408:2016 election
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400:1977 election
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392:1974 election
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372:Country Party
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532:. Retrieved
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298:–1977
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241:Godfrey Alan
240:
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157:Succeeded by
151:First holder
136:
109:Succeeded by
67:
18:
835:2023 deaths
830:1928 births
809:Finocchiaro
218:(1974–1981)
213:(1966–1974)
189:, Australia
162:Jack Doolan
147:Preceded by
99:Preceded by
93:(1975–1977)
83:(1974–1975)
824:Categories
759:Everingham
640:Everingham
579:1974–1977
534:10 October
511:0522843778
469:References
412:Adam Giles
25:Goff Letts
675:Henderson
569:New title
336:Melbourne
322:Biography
141:1974–1977
137:In office
68:In office
764:Tuxworth
645:Tuxworth
365:Canberra
326:Born in
804:Higgins
447:at the
445:Araluen
428:at the
384:Liberal
264:of the
225:Cabinet
211:Country
200:Stawell
789:Carney
774:Perron
769:Hatton
700:Lawler
690:Gunner
670:Martin
655:Perron
650:Hatton
509:
352:Darwin
340:Sydney
290:Party
281:Years
88:(1975)
77:Deputy
799:Giles
794:Mills
784:Burke
779:Stone
754:Letts
695:Fyles
685:Giles
680:Mills
665:Burke
660:Stone
635:Letts
419:CSIRO
284:Term
255:
249:Letts
35:
33:,
536:2007
507:ISBN
398:the
338:and
334:and
296:1974
245:Goff
194:Died
177:Born
127:for
58:1st
302:1st
253:CBE
216:CLP
30:CBE
826::
526:.
477:^
410:,
355:a
257:AM
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37:AM
734:e
727:t
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243:"
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