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{{Short description|Australian politician}}
{{Infobox MLA
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
| honorific-prefix = [[The Honourable|Hon.]]
{{Use Australian English|date=August 2021}}
| name =Geoff Pearsall
{{Infobox officeholder
| birth_date ={{birth date and age|1946|9|15|df=y}}
| honorific-prefix = [[The Honourable]]
| birth_place =[[Hobart]], [[Tasmania]], [[Australia]]
| name = Geoff Pearsall
| constituency =[[Division of Franklin (state)|Franklin]]
| party = [[Liberal Party of Australia|Liberal Party]]
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1946|9|15|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Hobart]], Tasmania, Australia
| spouse =
| office = [[Deputy Premier of Tasmania]]
| premier = [[Robin Gray (Australian politician)|Robin Gray]]
| term_start = 15 June 1984
| term_end = 1 November 1988
| predecessor = [[Max Bingham]]
| successor = [[Ray Groom]]
| constituency_AM2 = [[Division of Franklin (state)|Franklin]]
| assembly2 = Tasmanian House of
| term_start2 = 10 May 1969
| term_end2 = 1 November 1988
| party = [[Liberal Party of Australia (Tasmanian Division)|Liberal Party]]
| spouse = Heidee Pearsall
| profession =
| profession =
| religion =
| religion =
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|}}
|}}


'''Geoffrey Alan Pearsall''' (born 15 September 1946) was an Australian politician. A member of the [[Liberal Party of Australia|Liberal Party]], he served as a member of the [[Tasmanian House of Assembly]] from 1969 until 1988 and as [[Leader of the Opposition (Tasmania)|Leader of the Opposition]] (1979–1981). [[Robin Gray (Australian politician)|Robin Gray]] succeeded him in the latter role.
'''Geoffrey Alan '''"'''Geoff'''"''' Pearsall''' (born 15 September 1946) is a former Australian politician. A member of the [[Liberal Party of Australia (Tasmanian Division)|Liberal Party]], he served as a member of the [[Tasmanian House of Assembly]] from 1969 until 1988 and as [[Leader of the Opposition (Tasmania)|Leader of the Opposition]] (1979–1981). [[Robin Gray (Australian politician)|Robin Gray]] succeeded him in the latter role.


==Biography==
==Early life==
Pearsall was born in [[Hobart]], [[Tasmania]], to [[Thomas Pearsall]], who had been one of the seven members for [[Division of Franklin (state)|Division of Franklin]] from 1950 to 1966, and served one term as a Federal MP for the [[Division of Franklin|same electorate]] in the [[Australian House of Representatives|House of Representatives]]. Pearsall's grandfather, [[Benjamin Pearsall]], had also held a Franklin seat for two non-contiguous terms during the [[Great Depression]].<ref name=parlprof>{{cite web|url=http://www.parliament.tas.gov.au/history/tasparl/pearsallg584.htm|title=The Parliament of Tasmania from 1856: Pearsall, Geoffrey Alan|author=[[Parliament of Tasmania]]|year=2005|accessdate=1 May 2009}}</ref>
Pearsall was born in [[Hobart]], [[Tasmania]], to [[Thomas Pearsall (Australian politician)|Thomas Pearsall]], who had been one of the seven members for [[Division of Franklin (state)|Division of Franklin]] from 1950 to 1966, and served one term as a Federal MP for the [[Division of Franklin|same electorate]] in the [[Australian House of Representatives|House of Representatives]]. Pearsall's grandfather, [[Benjamin Pearsall]], had also held a Franklin seat for two non-contiguous terms during the [[Great Depression]].<ref name=parlprof>{{cite Tas Parliament |id=pearsallg584 |title=Pearsall, Geoffrey Alan |access-date=24 July 2022}}</ref>


== Career ==
At the [[Tasmanian state election, 1969|1969 election]], Pearsall stood for and won a Franklin seat, which he was to hold for the following 19 years. He failed by one vote in August 1978 to take the deputy leadership from [[Ray Bonney]]. After [[Max Bingham]] stepped down as [[Leader of the Opposition (Tasmania)|Leader of the Opposition]] following the [[Tasmanian state election, 1979|July 1979 election]], which had seen a swing to the incumbent Labor Party in Premier [[Doug Lowe (Australian politician)|Doug Lowe]]'s first election as leader, Pearsall was elected unopposed as leader on 7 August, with [[Robin Gray (Australian politician)|Robin Gray]] as deputy leader.<ref>{{cite journal |year= 1980 |month= April |title= Australian Political Chronicle: July-December 1979 |journal= Australian Journal of Politics and History |volume= 26 |issue= 1 |pages= 116–119 |issn=0004-9522}}</ref>
At the [[1969 Tasmanian state election|1969 election]], Pearsall stood for and won a Franklin seat, which he was to hold for the following 19 years. He failed by one vote in August 1978 to take the deputy leadership from [[Ray Bonney]]. After [[Max Bingham]] stepped down as [[Leader of the Opposition (Tasmania)|Leader of the Opposition]] following the [[1979 Tasmanian state election|July 1979 election]], which had seen a swing to the incumbent Labor Party in Premier [[Doug Lowe (Australian politician)|Doug Lowe]]'s first election as leader, Pearsall was elected unopposed as leader on 7 August, with [[Robin Gray (Australian politician)|Robin Gray]] as deputy leader.<ref>{{cite journal |date=April 1980 |title= Australian Political Chronicle: July–December 1979 |journal= Australian Journal of Politics and History |volume= 26 |issue= 1 |pages= 116–119 |issn=0004-9522 |doi=10.1111/j.1467-8497.1980.tb00524.x}}</ref>


The first part of his term was consumed by the electoral crisis which led to the [[Denison state by-election, 1980|Denison state by-election]] in 1980.<ref>AJPH 26(1), pp.119–122.</ref> He had an otherwise uneventful term before unexpectedly resigning for "personal reasons" on 10 November 1981. His deputy, Robin Gray, was elected unopposed, and went on to become premier at the [[Tasmanian state election, 1982|1982 election]]. After the election, Pearsall became Minister for Tourism, National Parks and Recreational Lands, Environment and Licensing. Following Bingham's retirement from parliament, he became Deputy Premier, losing the two environment portfolios but picking up Police and Emergency Services, Road Safety and Gaming.
The first part of his term was consumed by the electoral crisis which led to the [[1980 Denison state by-election|Denison state by-election]] in 1980.<ref>AJPH 26(1), pp.119–122.</ref> He had an otherwise uneventful term before unexpectedly resigning as party leader for "personal reasons" on 10 November 1981—it was later revealed that powerful conservative elements within the Liberal Party had forced him to resign, after his personal life and breakup of his marriage led to concerns about his image.<ref name="cantimes">{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article110616270 |title=Deja vu in gossip-rife Tasmania |newspaper=[[The Canberra Times]] |volume=63 |issue=19,407 |location=Australian Capital Territory, Australia |date=24 November 1988 |accessdate=17 February 2017 |page=8 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref>


His deputy, Robin Gray, was elected unopposed, and went on to become premier at the [[1982 Tasmanian state election|1982 election]]. After the election, Pearsall became Minister for Tourism, National Parks and Recreational Lands, Environment and Licensing. Following Bingham's retirement from parliament, Pearsall became [[Deputy Premier of Tasmania|Deputy Premier]], losing the two environment portfolios but picking up Police and Emergency Services, Road Safety and Gaming.
He resigned from parliament on 1 November 1988, and was accorded the title "The Honourable" on 20 April 1989.<ref name=parlprof/>

== Later life ==
He resigned from parliament on 1 November 1988, announcing that he was moving to the [[Gold Coast, Queensland|Gold Coast]] to manage a tourist resort with his private secretary and long-time friend, Peter Sullivan.<ref name="cantimes" /> Pearsall was accorded the title "The Honourable" for life on 20 April 1989.<ref name="parlprof" />


==References==
==References==
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{{s-par|au-tas}}
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{{s-bef|before=[[Max Bingham]]}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Max Bingham]]|rows=2}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Leader of the Opposition (Tasmania)|Leader of the Opposition]]|years=1979–1981}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Leader of the Opposition (Tasmania)|Leader of the Opposition]]|years=1979–1981}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Robin Gray (Australian politician)|Robin Gray]]}}
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{{s-ttl|title=[[Deputy Premier of Tasmania]]|years=1984–1988}}
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{{Persondata
|NAME=Pearsall, Geoffrey Alan
|ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
|SHORT DESCRIPTION=
|DATE OF BIRTH=15 September 1946
|PLACE OF BIRTH=[[Hobart]], [[Tasmania]], Australia
|DATE OF DEATH=
|PLACE OF DEATH=
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pearsall, Geoff}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pearsall, Geoff}}
[[Category:1946 births]]
[[Category:1946 births]]
[[Category:Members of the Tasmanian House of Assembly]]
[[Category:Members of the Tasmanian House of Assembly]]
[[Category:Liberal Party of Australia politicians]]
[[Category:Liberal Party of Australia members of the Parliament of Tasmania]]
[[Category:People from Tasmania]]
[[Category:Deputy premiers of Tasmania]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Leaders of the Opposition in Tasmania]]
[[Category:Politicians from Hobart]]

Latest revision as of 06:33, 13 August 2024

Geoff Pearsall
Deputy Premier of Tasmania
In office
15 June 1984 – 1 November 1988
PremierRobin Gray
Preceded byMax Bingham
Succeeded byRay Groom
Member of the Tasmanian House of Assembly
for Franklin
In office
10 May 1969 – 1 November 1988
Personal details
Born (1946-09-15) 15 September 1946 (age 78)
Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
Political partyLiberal Party
SpouseHeidee Pearsall

Geoffrey Alan "Geoff" Pearsall (born 15 September 1946) is a former Australian politician. A member of the Liberal Party, he served as a member of the Tasmanian House of Assembly from 1969 until 1988 and as Leader of the Opposition (1979–1981). Robin Gray succeeded him in the latter role.

Early life

[edit]

Pearsall was born in Hobart, Tasmania, to Thomas Pearsall, who had been one of the seven members for Division of Franklin from 1950 to 1966, and served one term as a Federal MP for the same electorate in the House of Representatives. Pearsall's grandfather, Benjamin Pearsall, had also held a Franklin seat for two non-contiguous terms during the Great Depression.[1]

Career

[edit]

At the 1969 election, Pearsall stood for and won a Franklin seat, which he was to hold for the following 19 years. He failed by one vote in August 1978 to take the deputy leadership from Ray Bonney. After Max Bingham stepped down as Leader of the Opposition following the July 1979 election, which had seen a swing to the incumbent Labor Party in Premier Doug Lowe's first election as leader, Pearsall was elected unopposed as leader on 7 August, with Robin Gray as deputy leader.[2]

The first part of his term was consumed by the electoral crisis which led to the Denison state by-election in 1980.[3] He had an otherwise uneventful term before unexpectedly resigning as party leader for "personal reasons" on 10 November 1981—it was later revealed that powerful conservative elements within the Liberal Party had forced him to resign, after his personal life and breakup of his marriage led to concerns about his image.[4]

His deputy, Robin Gray, was elected unopposed, and went on to become premier at the 1982 election. After the election, Pearsall became Minister for Tourism, National Parks and Recreational Lands, Environment and Licensing. Following Bingham's retirement from parliament, Pearsall became Deputy Premier, losing the two environment portfolios but picking up Police and Emergency Services, Road Safety and Gaming.

Later life

[edit]

He resigned from parliament on 1 November 1988, announcing that he was moving to the Gold Coast to manage a tourist resort with his private secretary and long-time friend, Peter Sullivan.[4] Pearsall was accorded the title "The Honourable" for life on 20 April 1989.[1]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Pearsall, Geoffrey Alan". Members of the Parliament of Tasmania. Retrieved 24 July 2022.
  2. ^ "Australian Political Chronicle: July–December 1979". Australian Journal of Politics and History. 26 (1): 116–119. April 1980. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8497.1980.tb00524.x. ISSN 0004-9522.
  3. ^ AJPH 26(1), pp.119–122.
  4. ^ a b "Deja vu in gossip-rife Tasmania". The Canberra Times. Vol. 63, no. 19, 407. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 24 November 1988. p. 8. Retrieved 17 February 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
Political offices
Preceded by Leader of the Opposition
1979–1981
Succeeded by
Deputy Premier of Tasmania
1984–1988
Succeeded by