William Haworth

Sir William Crawford Haworth (15 April 1905 – 1 December 1984) was an Australian politician. He was a member of the House of Representatives from 1949 to 1969, representing the seat of Isaacs for the Liberal Party. He was also a member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly from 1937 to 1945 and briefly served as a state government minister. He was a pharmaceutical chemist before entering parliament and served with the Australian Army during World War II.

Early life Haworth was born on 15 April 1905 in Hawthorn, Victoria. He attended Essendon High School and was a member of the Mercantile Rowing Club, making the Victorian state team in 1929.

Haworth was a pharmaceutical chemist by profession. After serving an apprenticeship with a chemist and druggist in Fitzroy, he took over a shop in Albert Park in 1926. Haworth was active in the Albert Park branches of the Australian Natives' Association and the Young Nationalists.

Haworth was interested in housing policy, publishing a proposal for slum clearances. In 1938 he moved a no-confidence motion against Albert Dunstan's Country Party over its record on youth unemployment. Haworth was appointed minister for health and minister for housing in Ian Macfarlan's caretaker ministry in October 1945. He was defeated the following month at the 1945 state election.

Federal politics At the 1949 federal election, Haworth was elected to the newly created seat of Isaacs for the Liberal Party. He was re-elected on seven subsequent elections, retiring at the 1969 election after his seat was abolished in a redistribution. Haworth was a supporter of Melbourne's Jewish organisations and his knighthood in 1969 was said by the Australian Jewish News to have "met with a great deal of satisfaction in the Jewish community".

Haworth was an unsuccessful candidate to replace John McLeay as speaker of the House of Representatives in 1967. He had previously served as acting speaker on a number of occasions.

Personal life Haworth died in Melbourne on 1 December 1984, aged 79.