Lance Barnard


Lance Herbert Barnard AO was an Australian politician and diplomat. He was a member of the House of Representatives from 1954 to 1975, representing the Labor Party, and served as the party's deputy leader from 1967 to 1974. In the Whitlam Government, he was deputy prime minister from 1972 to 1974. After leaving politics he served as Ambassador to Norway, Finland, and Sweden from 1975 to 1978.

Early life

Barnard was born in Launceston, Tasmania, one of four children born to Herbert Claude Barnard and the former Martha Melva McKenzie. His father, a trade unionist and locomotive driver, was elected to parliament in 1934, and was a minister in the Chifley Government.
Barnard left school during the Great Depression and worked in a timberyard for a few years. He began training as a schoolteacher by attending night school. In 1940, Barnard enlisted in the Australian Army. He fought with the 9th Division in the Middle East and Africa, including in the Battle of El Alamein. His military service left him with a permanent hearing impairment. After returning to Australia in 1945, Barnard qualified as a schoolteacher and subsequently taught mathematics in various Tasmanian schools.

Political career

At the 1954 federal election, Barnard was elected to the Division of Bass for the Labor Party. He defeated the sitting Liberal member Bruce Kekwick, who had defeated Claude Barnard for the seat in 1949.
In 1967, Barnard became Deputy Leader of the Labor Party and when it won office under Whitlam in 1972 Barnard was Deputy Prime Minister. As Minister for Defence, Barnard personally ensured the recommendations of the Jess Committee and new Defense Force Retirements Benefits Scheme was implemented in 1972.
For the first two weeks of Whitlam's government, before the full electoral result was known, Whitlam and Barnard formed a two-man ministry, known as a duumvirate, to govern until a full ministry could be announced. Barnard held 14 portfolios including Defence and Immigration. Following the announcement of a complete ministry, Barnard served as Minister for Defence.
Following the 1974 election, Barnard lost the Labor Deputy Leadership to Dr. Jim Cairns. He remained Defence Minister until resigning from parliament a year later.

Later years

Whitlam appointed Barnard Ambassador to Norway, Finland, and Sweden in 1975. Bass was resoundingly lost to the Liberals at the ensuing by-election, in which Labor lost 17 per cent of its primary vote. This shock result was seen by many as the beginning of the end for the Whitlam government, which was dismissed five months later.
From 1981 to 1985, Barnard was director of the Office of Australian War Graves.

Personal life

Barnard married Doris Burston on 6 March 1943. They had two daughters together, Patricia and Suzanne. He remarried on 11 September 1962 to Jill Cant, the daughter of Senator Harry Cant of Western Australia. They had a son together, Nicholas, and also adopted two Vietnamese orphan girls, Amanda and Jacqueline; Amanda died as an infant.