Austin Bernicke

Austin Bernicke (died 13 January 1977) was a Nauruan politician. He was a member of the first Local Government Council in 1951, then a member of Parliament after it was established in 1966, serving until his death in 1977. He also served as a cabinet minister from 1968 until 1976.

Austin Bernicke
Bernicke with a new Nauruan passport in 1968
Minister for Health and Education
In office
1968–1976
Succeeded byLawrence Stephen
Member of Parliament
In office
1966–1977
ConstituencyBuada
Member of the Local Government Council
In office
1951–
Personal details
BornNauru
Died13 January 1977
Nauru

Biography

Bernicke became the first Nauruan to attend university when he began studying medicine at Queen's College at the University of Melbourne.[1] He returned to Nauru to work as a pathologist, later becoming superintendent of Nauru Hospital.[2] Bernicke contested the first elections to the Local Government Council in 1951 and was elected from the Denigomodu, Nibok, Uaboe and Baiti constituency.[3] He later became the council's secretary.[3]

In 1966 Bernicke was elected to the new Legislative Council in the Buada Constituency.[3] He was also elected to the Constitutional Convention the following year and was elected Deputy Chairman of the body.[3] After being re-elected to a renamed Legislative Assembly in 1968, he was nominated as a candidate for the presidency, but declined. However, he was elected to the Council of State, becoming Minister for Health and Education.[4] The Legislative Assembly became Parliament upon independence later in the year.

Bernicke was re-elected in 1971 and 1973, retaining his ministerial portfolio following both elections.[5][6] Although he was re-elected again in 1976, he was excluded from the new cabinet.[6] He died in January 1977.[6] His grandson Shadlog Bernicke later became an MP.

gollark: DESTROY THE TREES.
gollark: Destroy trees. They are the enemy.
gollark: Ah, you are NOT pjals.
gollark: Are you pjals?
gollark: WHO HATH PINGED ME

References
  1. Native of Nauru. Student of Medicine Pacific Islands Monthly, April 1933, p43
  2. These men will run Nauru Pacific Islands Monthly, February 1968, p22
  3. Nancy Viviani (1970) Nauru: Phosphate and Political Progress, Australian National University Press
  4. Nauru has a president Pacific Islands Monthly, June 1968, p23
  5. DeRobert back as President Pacific Islands Monthly, February 1971, p30
  6. Austin Bernicke dead Pacific Islands Monthly, March 1977, p17
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