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Anderson Dawson
	Anderson Dawson
	;
14th Premier of Queensland
	In office; 1 December 1899 – 7 December 1899
Preceded by	James Dickson
Succeeded by	Robert Philp
Born	16 July 1863; Rockhampton, Queensland
Died	20 July 1910 (aged 47); Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Political party	Australian Labor Party
Spouse(s)	Caroline Ryan

Andrew Dawson (16 July 1863 – 20 July 1910), usually known as Anderson Dawson, was an Australian politician, the Premier of Queensland for one week (1-7 December) in 1899. This premiership was not only the first Australian Labor Party government; it was the first parliamentary socialist government anywhere in the world, and it attracted international newspaper coverage.^[1]

Dawson was born at Rockhampton, Queensland. His parents died shortly after his birth and he was placed in a Brisbane orphanage until he was nine, when an uncle took him to Gympie. He began work as a miner at Charters Towers, and later was elected first president of the Miners' Union. He took up journalism and for a time was editor of the local newspaper, The Charters Towers Eagle.^[2]^[3]

In 1893, Dawson entered politics as a Labor candidate for Charters Towers in the Queensland Legislative Assembly; he won the seat, and retained it at the 1896 and 1899 elections. When the government of James Robert Dickson resigned on 1 December 1899, Dawson formed a ministry, which was, however, defeated as soon as the house next met. It did however represent the first socialist or Labour government in the world. Subsequently, at the first Federal election for the Senate (1901), he was returned at the head of the Queensland poll. In April 1904 when J.C. Watson formed the first Federal Labor government, Dawson was given the portfolio of Minister for Defence.^[2]^[3]

Initially announcing his intention to retire at the 1906 election, he ultimately decided to contest it, but as the Labor candidates had already been selected he ran as an Independent. He lost his seat and died in 1910 in Brisbane.^[2]

The Federal electoral division of Dawson is named after him.

[edit] Notes

^ Blainey, Geoffrey (2000). A shorter history of Australia. Milsons Point, N.S.W.: Vintage. p. 263. ISBN 174051033X.
^ ^a ^b ^c Murphy, D. J. (1981). "Dawson, Andrew (1863 - 1910)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Australian National University. http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A080269b.htm. Retrieved 2007-10-20.
^ ^a ^b Serle, Percival. "Dawson, Anderson (usually known as Anderson Dawson) (1863-1910)". Dictionary of Australian Biography. Project Gutenberg Australia. http://gutenberg.net.au/dictbiog/0-dict-biogD.html#dawson1. Retrieved 2007-10-20.

Political offices
Preceded by James Dickson	Premier of Queensland 1899	Succeeded by Robert Philp
Preceded by Austin Chapman	Minister for Defence 1904	Succeeded by James Whiteside McCay

[0] Blainey, Geoffrey (2000). A shorter history of Australia. Milsons Point, N.S.W.: Vintage. p. 263. ISBN 174051033X.

[adb-1] Murphy, D. J. (1981). "Dawson, Andrew (1863 - 1910)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Australian National University. http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A080269b.htm. Retrieved 2007-10-20.

[dab-2] Serle, Percival. "Dawson, Anderson (usually known as Anderson Dawson) (1863-1910)". Dictionary of Australian Biography. Project Gutenberg Australia. http://gutenberg.net.au/dictbiog/0-dict-biogD.html#dawson1. Retrieved 2007-10-20.

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