Bill Slater

William Slater (c. 20 May 1890 – 19 June 1960) was an Australian lawyer, politician and diplomat.

Early life Slater is believed to have been born around 20 May 1890 to William Slater, a travelling salesman and Maria (née O’Reilly or Reilly) in Wangaratta, Victoria. He had two siblings. After his father left his family when he was four years old, he and his two siblings were brought up by his mother in poverty in Prahran. After briefly attending Armadale State School, Slater left school early to sell newspapers outside the Alfred Hospital Melbourne, he had no shoes. Being caught and fined for nude swimming in the Yarra River led him to decide to better himself. He continued his education at Try Boys’ Society South Yarra and by reading at Prahran Free Library where he met Maurice Blackburn. His Try Boys education and independent reading enabled him to take up legal studies at The University of Melbourne later on. He became a friend for life with Maurice Blackburn. They shared socialist ideals in their legal practice and political activities, and working for stricter legal controls for gambling.

In 1910 he was employed as a clerk for Percy Park, a solicitor based in Mildura 544 kilometres (338 miles) from Melbourne. While living in Mildura, Slater saved enough money to buy two small fruit properties.

Slater left Melbourne with his unit in June 1916, arriving in Plymouth, England in August of the same year. In November he was disciplined for poor conduct. In July 1917 he was wounded in action, sustaining a gunshot wound to the leg.

He left for Australia in early 1918. Returning to Australia he was arrested by military police in Fremantle for speaking in defence of John Curtin, then the editor of a trade union newspaper. He was discharged from active service due to a recurrence of his varicose veins.

Slater was President of the Law Institute of Victoria 1928–29.

He was Attorney-General and Solicitor General on 5 occasions. In July 1924 he was appointed Attorney-General and Solicitor General in the Prendergast government which only lasted five months. He was given the same cabinet posts under the premierships of Edmond Hogan in 1927–1928 and 1929–1932.

In 1935 he entered into partnership with Hugh Gordon, his brother-in-law, forming Slater & Gordon. He focussed on legal work for the Trade Union movement.

Slater was appointed as Speaker of the Victorian Legislative Assembly in 1940.

Under John Cain he was Attorney-General and Solicitor-General between 1945 and 1947 when he lost his seat. In 1949 he returned to Parliament in the Victorian Legislative Council seat of Doutta Galla. He once again served as Attorney-General and Solicitor-General between 1952 and 1955.

Family and Sport On 19 December 1923 he married Mary Gordon, aged 26, who was a senior botany demonstrator at The University of Melbourne. They had a daughter and 2 sons.

As a young man he was a keen sportsman in football and long distance open water swimming. He was a Trustee of the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) for 30 years and a Vice President of the Essendon Football Club (VFL) and he was involved in many community activities.

Death Slater died in 1960 of a heart attack in South Melbourne. He was survived by his wife and three children.