John Spicer

Sir John Armstrong Spicer (5 March 1899 – 3 January 1978) was an Australian lawyer, politician, and judge. He served two terms as a Senator for Victoria, representing the United Australia Party (UAP) from 1940 to 1944 and the Liberal Party from 1950 to 1956. Spicer was Attorney-General in the Menzies Government from 1949 to 1956. He left politics to become chief judge of the newly created Commonwealth Industrial Court, a position which he held until 1976.

Early life Spicer was born in the Melbourne suburb of Prahran, but was taken to England by his family in 1905 and educated at Chelston School, Torquay. His family returned to Australia in 1911 and he attended Hawksburn State School in the inner Melbourne suburb of South Yarra. In 1913, he started working as an office boy in a legal practice. He studied law at the University of Melbourne from 1916 to 1918, and was admitted as a barrister and solicitor in March 1921, later establishing a successful legal practice. He married Lavinia May Webster in June 1924.

Political career

Spicer won a seat in the Senate as a United Australia Party candidate at the 1940 election. In the Senate, he spoke frequently on tax issues and promoted "sound and honest finance". Spicer was defeated at the 1943 election. He strongly opposed Ben Chifley's bank nationalisation and acted for the English banks in court action on the issue. He took silk in 1948.

Spicer presided over inquiries into aviation accidents: Trans Australia Airlines Flight 538, a Fokker F27 Friendship aircraft that crashed into the sea in 1960 while attempting to land in Mackay, Queensland, killing all 29 people on board. Ansett-ANA Flight 325, a Vickers Viscount aircraft that crashed into Botany Bay in 1961, killing all 15 people on board. Ansett-ANA Flight 149, a Vickers Viscount aircraft that crashed near Winton, Queensland in 1966, killing all 24 people on board.

Spicer also chaired a royal commission in 1964 into the sinking of HMAS Voyager. He found that officers in both Voyager and HMAS Melbourne had been at fault. A second royal commission in 1967-68 attributed blame to Voyager's officers only.

Spicer retired in 1976, and died in the Melbourne suburb of Armadale two years later, survived by his wife and son.