Smith, Percy Raymund (Ray)

Personal

Smith, Percy Raymund  (Ray)
Birth Date: 12 January 1920 (Warwick, Queensland)
Death Date: 10 February 2002 (Gold Coast, Queensland)
Parents: Percy Reginald Smith and Anne (nee Kennedy)
Family: Cecile Judith Margaret Clowes on 14 December 1949, 3 sons, 1 daughter
Education: St Agatha's Convent, 1925-1926; Christian Brothers' College, Albion, 1927; Gregory Terrace, 1927-1934; Passed Senior Public University Examination in 1946 under Post-War Reconstruction Scheme; University of Queensland, Degree of Bachelor of Laws
Religion: Roman Catholic

Career

Barrister-at-Law and Member, Law Reform Commission of Queensland; Staff member, Queensland National Bank Ltd, 1935-1938; Staff member, Shell Co. of Australia

Local Government Service: Liberal alderman for the Brisbane City Council Ward of Chermside
Military Service: Served RAAF from 1940-1945, Pilot, Pacific and Darwin; Member, RAAF Reserve from its formation in 1949; Flying Instructor training, Citizen Air Force, 1951; Acting Judge Advocate General for RAAF, 1964; Deputy Judge Advocate General for RAAF, 1964-1976; Full-time RAAF Staff Officer, Australian Forces, Vietnam, 1967; He obtained the rank of Group Captain in RAAF
Party Positions:
  1. Formed Stafford North and Stafford West Branches after 1972 election.
  2. Chairman, Stafford West Branch.
  3. Member of Wilston Grange Branch whilst MLA for Windsor. 1958 - 1971
  4. Chairman, Wooloowin Branch. 1956 - 1958
  5. Member of State Executive from 1951 to 1968 with the exception of the years 1963 and 1964.
  6. Member, Toowong Branch. 1950 - 1956
  7. Chairman, Toowong Branch. 1953 - 1956
  8. Vice-Chairman, Petrie area.
  9. Member, Constitution Committee. 1950 - 1968
  10. Chairman, Constitution Committee from 1953 to 1958 and from 1965 to 1968.
  11. Member of party's Services Committee from 1950 to 1953 and Chairman from 1951 to 1953 when Committee was disbanded.
  12. Joined Liberal Party in 1949.
  13. Member, Liberal Speakers Group.

Parliamentary Representation

House Party Electorate From To Elected/Departure Reason
Assembly LIB Windsor 3 Aug 1957 10 Mar 1969 Retired

Parliamentary Service

Description From To
Member, Government Committee to Investigate Youth Problems
Temporary Chairman of Committees
Member of Parliamentary Mission to Asia, 1968
Overseas study tour of parliaments and parliamentary institutions, 1971
Chairman, All-party Committee Investigating Motor Vehicle Insurance
Chairman, Parliamentary Justice Committee, six years
Chairman and Government Representative, Advisory Committee for Legal Aid under the Legal Assistance Act 1965

Additional Information

Notes: Interests included tennis, golf and woodwork. Mr Smith resigned as the member for Windsor in 1969 to be appointed a foundation member of the first Law Reform Commission of Queensland. He was reappointed three times to the commission before serving two terms as the Liberal alderman for the BCC ward of Chermside.He contested the Stafford seat in the 1972 election, losing by only 359 votes against an established opponent. Devised system of loose leaf statutes and statutory annotations now in use in Queensland. Member, Board of Advice, Lifeline's Consumer Credit Counselling Service. One-time Honorary Secretary, Bar Association of Queensland. Member, Davis Cup Committees, 1958-1962. Chairman of more than 40 Housing Societies. President: Australian-American Association (Queensland Division); United Service Club; Kedron-Wavell RSL Club; Air Force Association, North Brisbane Branch; and United Service Institute of Queensland. Member, Australian Red Cross, Clayfield Branch. Rotarian
Sources: Imaged sourced from 'Three Decades of Queensland Political History 1929-1960' compiled by Clem Lack, 1962; Waterson, DB and John Arnold, A Biographical Register of the Queensland Parliament: 1930-1980, (Canberra: ANU Press, 1982); Lack, Clem, Three Decades of Queensland Political History, 1929-1960 (Brisbane: Government Printer, 1962); O'Dwyer, TM, Lawyers in Queensland Politics, 1950-1960 (Griffith University, 1993); Alexander, Joseph A, Who's Who in Australia, An Australian Biographical Dictionary and Register of Titled persons, with which is Incorporated Johns's Notable Australians (Melbourne: Colorgravure Publications, 1965)
[Last Modified: Tuesday, 08 August 2017]