Ron Davies

Ronald Davies (25 July 1919 – 5 June 1980) was an Australian politician. He was a member of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) and served in the House of Representatives from 1958 to 1975, representing the Tasmanian seat of Braddon. He was a schoolteacher before entering politics.

Early life Davies was born on 25 July 1919 in Latrobe, Tasmania. He was the son of Margaret and William Davies; his father was a blacksmith. He was raised in Latrobe, attending Latrobe Primary School and going on to Devonport High School. He later qualified as a teacher at the University of Tasmania.

In 1954, Davies was appointed headmaster of the Edith Creek Area School, a new school in the rural locality of Edith Creek. He had previously taught at Queenstown on Tasmania's west coast. He was an advocate of the "Education by Travel" scheme promoted by the Young Australia League and established links between his school and King Island.

Politics Davies was elected to the House of Representatives at the 1958 federal election, winning the seat of Braddon for the ALP from the incumbent Liberal MP Aubrey Luck. He was re-elected on six further occasions. He also took a particular interest in the remote community of King Island, lobbying for additional infrastructure and services for the island.

Personal life Davies had a long association with competitive woodchopping in Tasmania. He was chairman of the Australian Axemen's Council and played a key role in "lifting it from a backyard sport to a semi-professional sport". He help organise annual woodchopping carnivals on King Island, which saw large numbers of visitors from Tasmania and Victoria. He was predeceased by his wife Jenny and survived by two children, including Glen Davies, who was a state MP.