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He began and ran a newspaper in Gympie (The Gympie Truth), before being elected initially to the Queensland Legislature in 1893, and following Federation, to the federal parliament in the seat of Wide Bay, which he held until his retirement in 1915.
Details about his remarkable life are available here.
Conicidentally, he was also identified in Independent Australia as one of our greatest Prime Ministers of all time. Details of his time in parliament are available here.
While the achievements of a Government can't be done justice in a few dot points, the following achievements are both impressive and visionary:
- Legislated for a Commonwealth Bank and issued Australia’s first national banknotes.
- Expanded and increased the old age pension.
- Introduced a payment to mothers on the birth of a child.
- Began the planning of the national capital.
- Created the jurisdiction of the Northern Territory.
- Began planning of the transcontinental railway.
- Formed the Royal Australian Navy.
- Legislated for a national worker’s compensation act.
- Passed 113 acts in just three years.
The achievements and the circumstances of the Fisher government bear some striking parallels with our current situation, and reminds us that regardless of the circumstances, Labor governments govern and continue to deliver for the nation and our future.