John Cockle

John Simon Cockle (29 September 1908 – 3 August 1966) was an Australian politician and businessman. He was a member of the Liberal Party and served in the House of Representatives from 1961 until his death in 1966, representing the New South Wales seat of Warringah. He had earlier served on the Sydney City Council from 1953 to 1956. Prior to entering politics he was a manager in and lobbyist for the shipping industry.

Early life Cockle was born on 29 September 1908 in Harrington, Cumberland, England. He was the son of Sarah and John Cockle. His father was a ship's captain originally from Liverpool.

Cockle and his family moved to Australia when he was young, settling in Coffs Harbour, New South Wales, where his father was the local manager for the North Coast Steam Navigation Company (NCSN). He was educated at Sydney Church of England Grammar School.

In 1950, Cockle was appointed secretary of the Sydney branch of the Australasian Steamship Owners' Federation (ASOF), a peak body for employers in the shipping industry.

Cockle was elected to the House of Representatives at the 1961 federal election, retaining the seat of Warringah for the Liberal Party. He had earlier defeated Francis Bland, the 78-year-old incumbent Liberal MP, for party preselection.

Cockle was comfortably re-elected at the 1963 election and remained in parliament until his death in office in 1966. He served on the Joint Statutory Committee on Public Accounts from 1964 to 1966. He opposed an ALP proposal for the re-establishment of a state-owned overseas shipping service to run alongside the interstate Australian National Line, and in 1966 opposed the Maritime Services Board's proposal to expand facilities at Port Jackson, instead calling for the establishment of a new port on Botany Bay.

Personal life In 1935, Cockle married Jessie Mackay, with whom he had three children.