Who are King & Amy O’Malley?

King O'Malley was a member of the first federal parliament of 1901 and outlived all other members, dying in 1953. He has been variously described as ‘a man of the people’, ‘a great wit - he could see the funny side of almost anything’, ‘picturesque in speech (with his North American accent) and appearance’, and an ‘astute politician’. During his lively and controversial political career, O'Malley demonstrated a number of significant characteristics. He was a:

• visionary - his vision for Australia included the establishment of a bank for the people (the Commonwealth Bank), the Transcontinental Railway, planning the city of Canberra and originating the idea of Australia House in London;
• leader - in church activities, as organiser of a design competition for the national capital and as a Cabinet Minister;
• social reformer - believing strongly in women's rights, fighting for the introduction of old age pensions, and expressing, concern about the negative influences of alcohol on home and family life;
• strategist - always having carefully thought out plans for a range of possible outcomes, e.g. urging the adoption of a standard railway gauge. He believed that obstacles were made to be surmounted.

King O'Malley's wife, Amy, played a less public role but was a strong and intelligent person who supported the belief that a satisfying family life was crucial to the welfare of the nation and could not be achieved without effective management of the home.

Further references:
Catts, D. (1957) King O'Malley: Man and Statesman, Sydney, Publicity Press
Hoyle, A.R. (1981) King O'Malley: The American Bounder, Melbourne, Macmillan
Noye, L. (1986) O'Malley MRH, Sydney, Neptune Press
Searle, G.(ed) (1988) Australian Dictionary of Biography Vol. II 1891-1939, Melbourne University Press