Harrie Wade

Harrie Walter Wade OBE (10 January 1905 – 18 November 1964) was an Australian politician. He was a member of the Country Party and served as a Senator for Victoria from 1956 until his death in 1964. He was the party's Senate leader and held ministerial office in the Menzies Government as Minister for Air (1960–1961) and Minister for Health (1961–1964).

The Honourable Harrie Wade OBE
Minister for Health
In office 22 December 1961 – 18 November 1964
Prime Minister	Robert Menzies
Preceded by	Donald Cameron
Succeeded by	Reg Swartz
Minister for Air
In office 29 December 1960 – 22 December 1961
Prime Minister	Robert Menzies
Preceded by	Frederick Osborne
Succeeded by	Les Bury
Senator for Victoria
In office 1 July 1956 – 18 November 1964
Succeeded by	James Webster
Personal details
Born	(1905-01-10)10 January 1905 Clear Lake, Victoria, Australia
Died	18 November 1964(1964-11-18) (aged 59) Horsham, Victoria, Australia
Nationality	Australian
Political party	Country
Spouse(s)	Olive May Newton
Occupation	Farmer, teacher

Early life

Wade was born in Clear Lake, Victoria (about 40 km southwest of Horsham) and educated at Horsham State School and Horsham High School. He worked as a schoolteacher and clerk and then as an accountant at Goroke. In 1932, he married Olive May Newton and they took up farming near Natimuk.[1] In 1954 he moved to a farm nearer Horsham.

Political career

Wade joined the United Country Party in 1934 and was elected to the Shire of Arapiles in 1941. At the 1949 election, he stood for the House of Representatives seat of Wimmera, but it was won by the Liberal candidate, William Lawrence.

At the 1955 election, Wade won a seat in the Senate from July 1956. He was appointed Minister for Air in December 1960 and Minister for Health in December 1961. He became Leader of the Country Party in the Senate in March 1961 and was promoted to Cabinet in December 1963. He was an unsuccessful candidate for the party's deputy leadership in 1963, losing to Charles Adermann after the retirement of Charles Davidson.[2]

As health minister, he rejected advice to issue a public warning about thalidomide in December 1961.[3]

Death

Wade had a heart attack on his farm in October 1964, and died of myocardial infarction that November, survived by his wife and son.[1]

References

1. Dermody, Kathleen (2002). "Wade, Harrie Walter (1905–1964)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Melbourne University Press. ISSN 1833-7538. Retrieved 10 January 2008 – via National Centre of Biography, Australian National University.
2. "Increase in cabinet expected". The Canberra Times. 12 December 1963.
3. A bitter pill, Australian Story, ABC, 11 March 2019

Political offices
Preceded by Frederick Osborne	Minister for Air 1960–1961	Succeeded by Les Bury
Preceded by Donald Cameron	Minister for Health 1961–1964	Succeeded by Reginald Swartz