Jens Peterson

James Christian "Jens" Petersen (11 December 1880 – 30 April 1953) was a builder and member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly.^[1]

Jens Petersen
Jens Petersen - 1929
Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly for Normanby
In office 22 May 1915 – 11 Jun 1932
Preceded by	Edward Archer
Succeeded by	Tom Foley
Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly for Fitzroy
In office 11 Jun 1932 – 11 May 1935
Preceded by	William Carter
Succeeded by	Jim Clark
Personal details
Born	James Christian Petersen (1880-12-11)11 December 1880 Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia
Died	30 April 1953(1953-04-30) (aged 72) Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Resting place	Frenchs Forest Cemetery
Political party	CPNP
Other political affiliations	Labor Party, Queensland United Party, Country Party
Spouse	Cordelia May Dawbarn (m.1905 d.1946)
Occupation	Builder

Biography

Petersen was born in Rockhampton, Queensland, to parents Neils Petersen and his wife Maria Elizabeth (née Thorsen). He attended school in Rockhampton and became a builder, working in Rockhampton, Mount Morgan, and Sydney. He was secretary of the Rockhampton Workers Political Organisation in 1898.^[1]

In 1905 he married Cordelia May Dawbarn in Sydney and together had two daughters.^[2][3] He died in Sydney in April 1953^[1] and was buried in Frenchs Forest Cemetery.^[4]

Political career

Petersen, at first representing the Labor Party, won the Queensland seat of Normanby at the state election of 1915, defeating the Liberal's Edward Archer.^[5] He held the seat until 1932 when he changed to Fitzroy and then retired from politics three years later.^[1]

He resigned from the Labor Party while still an elected member for the seat of Normanby and joined the Country Party because he was disillusioned with Labor's socialist policies. In his resignation speech he blamed the government for maladministration, the crippling of industry, the restriction of development and the creation of financial stringency and unemployment because of legislative measures.^[1]

Petersen's defection came at a crucial time for the Government as at the time there was a serious outbreak of influenza leaving the Government with a one-seat majority. Subsequently, Premier Theodore ordered two of the ALP's strongest members to bring a very sick Labor member into the chamber on a stretcher and transport him across from one side of the House to the other during the remaining divisions. He also introduced proxy voting whereby an ill, absent member's vote could be counted.^[1]

From 1929 until 1932 Petersen, by now a member of the governing Country and Progressive National Party, was the Home Secretary.^[1]

References

1. "Former Members". Parliament of Queensland. 2015. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
2. Family History Search — New South Wales Government births, deaths, marriages, and divorces. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
3. Family history research — Queensland Government births, deaths, marriages, and divorces. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
4. "Family Notices". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 35, 993. New South Wales, Australia. 1 May 1953. p. 16. Retrieved 29 March 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
5. "SUMMARY OF THE VOTING". The Brisbane Courier. No. 17, 894. Queensland, Australia. 24 May 1915. p. 6. Retrieved 29 March 2016 – via National Library of Australia.

Parliament of Queensland
Preceded by Edward Archer	Member for Normanby 1915–1932	Succeeded by Tom Foley
Preceded by William Carter	Member for Fitzroy 1932–1935	Succeeded by Jim Clark