Gordon Freeth

The Honourable Sir Gordon Freeth KBE
File:Gordon Freeth.jpg
Member of the Australian Parliament for Forrest
In office 10 December 1949 – 25 October 1969
Preceded by	Nelson Lemmon
Succeeded by	Frank Kirwan
Personal details
Born	(1914-08-06)6 August 1914 Angaston, South Australia
Died
Nationality	Australian
Political party	Liberal Party of Australia
Spouse(s)	Joan Baker
Alma mater	University of Western Australia
Occupation	Lawyer

Gordon Freeth

Medal record
Men's Rowing
British Empire Games
	1938 Sydney	Coxed fours

Sir Gordon Freeth KBE (6 August 1914 – 27 November 2001) was an Australian politician.

Freeth was born in Angaston, South Australia, the son of Robert Freeth (1886-1979) and Gladys Mary Snashall. He attended Sydney Church of England Grammar School and the Guildford Grammar School in Western Australia (where his father was headteacher from 1928 to 1949).

He was awarded a Bachelor of Laws by the University of Western Australia in 1938. He won a gold medal for rowing in the coxed fours in the 1938 British Empire Games in Sydney. In 1939 he married Joan Baker and they had twin daughters, Felicity and Susan and a son, Robert. In the same year he began practising law in Katanning, Western Australia. With the outbreak of World War II, he joined the Royal Australian Air Force and he flew Beaufort bombers in New Guinea and had been promoted to flight lieutenant by 1945, when he was demobilised.

Political career

Freeth was elected as the Liberal Party of Australia member for Forrest in the 1949 election. He was appointed Minister for the Interior and Minister for Works in 1958 and in 1963 he was appointed Minister for Shipping and Transport. In February 1968, he was appointed Minister for Air, replacing Peter Howson. He was appointed Minister for Foreign Affairs, replacing Paul Hasluck, in February 1969 when Hasluck became Governor-General. He was defeated at the 1969 election by the Australian Labor Party candidate, Frank Kirwan.

Freeth was Ambassador to Japan from 1970 to 1973 and High Commissioner to the United Kingdom from 1977 to 1980.

He died in Perth in 2001, predeceased by his wife, but survived by his three children.

Honours

Freeth was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) in 1978.

Notes

Political offices
Preceded by Allen Fairhall	Minister for the Interior Minister for Works 1958–1963	Succeeded by John Gorton
Preceded by Hubert Opperman	Minister for Shipping and Transport 1963–1968	Succeeded by Ian Sinclair
Preceded by Peter Howson	Minister for Air 1968–1969	Succeeded by Dudley Erwin
Preceded by Paul Hasluck	Minister for Foreign Affairs 1969	Succeeded by William McMahon
Parliament of Australia
Preceded by Nelson Lemmon	Member for Forrest 1949–1969	Succeeded by Frank Kirwan
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by Allen Brown	Australian Ambassador to Japan 1970 – 1973	Succeeded by Mick Shann
Preceded by Sir John Bunting	Australian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom 1977–1980	Succeeded by Sir James Plimsoll