Norman Cameron

Who was Norman Cameron?

Donald Norman Cameron, known as Norman Cameron, Australian politician, was born in Launceston, Tasmania, the son of Donald Cameron who served in the Tasmanian Legislative Council from 1868 to 1886. He was sent to Scotland for his education and graduated from St Andrews University. Returning to Tasmania he became a large landowner and sheepbreeder. In 1897 he was elected to the Tasmanian House of Assembly, where he served until 1899.

At the 1901 federal election, Cameron was elected for the Free Trade Party as one of Tasmania's five members of the Australian House of Representatives, since Tasmania had not been divided into electoral divisions. At the 1903 election he contested the seat of Denison, but was defeated by the Protectionist candidate, Sir Philip Fysh. He returned to the House when he won a by-election in the seat of Wilmot in 1904, but he was again defeated at the 1906 election. He is remembered today for his part in the choice of national capital. The house was evenly divided, he effectively having the casting vote. After two weeks' prevarication he settled on Canberra.

He then returned to Tasmanian politics, serving in the House of Assembly from 1912 to 1913 and again from 1925 to 1928. He died at Chudleigh of pneumonia following a fall. He was survived by his wife, a daughter and two of his three sons. One son, Donald Keith Cameron, served in the Tasmanian House of Assembly from 1934–37. His brother Cyril Cameron was a Protectionist Party Senator contemporaneously with his service as MHR, 1901–1903 then from 1906–1913.