Kenneth Morris (politician)
Sir Kenneth James Morris was an Australian politician who served as the Premier of Queensland from 1957 until 1962.
Early life
Born in Brisbane, he was educated at Brisbane Grammar School before becoming the director of his family's boot manufacturing firm. In 1931, he married Ettie Louise Dunlop.Morris served in the military 1939–1944, in Britain, Tobruk and Egypt ; rising to the rank of Major.
Political career
A founding member of the Liberal Party in Queensland, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Queensland in 1944 as the member for Enoggera, transferring to Mount Coot-tha in 1950. Morris was state Leader of the Liberal Party 1954–1962, Deputy Premier 1957–1962, and Minister for Labour and Industry 1957–1962.In Queensland, unlike in the rest of Australia, Morris's Liberals were the junior partner in the non-Labor Coalition. Thus, when the Coalition won government for the first time in 25 years and only the second time in 42 years, Morris became deputy premier under Country Party leader and Premier Frank Nicklin. Morris was known as a hard-nosed, aggressive man, in sharp contrast to the easygoing Nicklin. He was known to push Nicklin to consider his submissions first even though longstanding practice called for cabinet submissions to be considered in order of receipt. Despite this, Morris had a strong working relationship with Nicklin.
He stepped down as leader in August 1962 and as Deputy Premier in September for health reasons, and moved to Cooktown where he cultivated legume seed. In December 1963, he won a special election for a Senate seat in Queensland, filling the vacancy caused by the death of Labor Senator Max Poulter and to which George Whiteside had been appointed. Morris defeated Whiteside 50.6% to 49.4%. He retired in 1967.