Harry Jenkins Sr.
Henry Alfred Jenkins AM was an Australian politician and medical doctor. He was a member of the Australian Labor Party and served in the House of Representatives from 1969 to 1985, including as Speaker of the House of Representatives from 1983 to 1986. His son Harry Jenkins Jr. also served as Speaker.
Early life
Jenkins was born on 24 September 1925 in Caulfield, Victoria. He was the only surviving child of Eileen Clare and Henry Alfred Jenkins; his father worked as a storeman and metal polisher.Jenkins attended state schools before completing his secondary education at Ivanhoe Grammar School. He subsequently studied medicine at the University of Melbourne, graduating Master of Science in 1948 and Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery in 1952. While studying he worked part-time as a tutor and demonstrator in the university's physiology department, and as a golf caddy. He served his residency at The Alfred Hospital and later worked as a general practitioner at Thornbury and Thomastown.
Politics
At the 1961 Victorian state election, Jenkins was elected as a Labor member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly for the seat of Reservoir, where he served until 1969. In the Victorian Parliament he was Shadow Minister for Health.Jenkins then moved to the Federal Parliament. He was elected to the House of Representatives for the Division of Scullin at the 1969 election. He served as chairman of committees from August 1975 until the government's dismissal in November 1975, the shortest term on record. After the dismissal of the Whitlam government, Jenkins came under pressure to stand aside from Scullin to allow the President of the ACTU, Bob Hawke, an entry into Parliament at the 1975 election; but he resisted this and Hawke was not to enter politics until 1980. In May 1983, on the election of the Hawke government, Jenkins was elected Speaker of the House, a position he held until his retirement in 1985. He was succeeded as member for Scullin by his son, Harry Jenkins Jr. and Harry Jr. would become Speaker in 2007–11.