Hugh Roberton

Hugh Stevenson Roberton (18 December 1900 – 13 March 1987) was an Australian politician, farmer and journalist. A member of the Country Party, he served as Minister for Social Services in the Menzies government from 1956 to 1965. He later served as Ambassador to Ireland from 1965 to 1967.

Early life Roberton was born on 18 December 1900 in Glasgow, Scotland. He was the fourth of six children born to Joan (née McGillivray) and Hugh Stevenson Roberton. His father, an undertaker by profession, was a prominent composer and was eventually knighted for his services to music. Roberton immigrated to Australia in 1922, settling in the Riverina, and began working as a sharefarmer growing wheat for the Scottish Australian Investment Company Limited. He later leased of land from the company at Murrulebale Station near Old Junee, which he eventually purchased in 1948. claiming a younger age. He trained as a gunner and was stationed in Mandatory Palestine for three months on clerical duties. He was later returned to Australia and served with the 2/3rd Anti-Tank Regiment until his discharge in December 1944. He remained as minister for nearly nine years, which as of 2021 represented the longest period of service in the social services portfolio and equivalents. In 1959, Roberton successfully proposed to cabinet that social security legislation be amended to remove provisions discriminating against Indigenous Australians, including a requirement that Indigenous people obtain an exemption from state protection regimes before they could receive federal government benefits.

Roberton was an unsuccessful candidate for the Country Party's deputy leadership in 1963, losing to Charles Adermann after the retirement of Charles Davidson. He was elevated to cabinet in December 1964, but three weeks later resigned in order to accept appointment to an ambassadorship. The Sydney Morning Herald reported in January 1965 that his time in the ministry had been "marked by conscientious effort rather than spectacular achievement".

Roberton served as ambassador until 1968 and then returned to Australia, retiring to Wagga Wagga. He died in Canberra on 13 March 1987, aged 86. He was survived by his wife, Eileen, and a daughter.