Sir
Percy Claude Spender,
KCVO, KBE, KC (
5 October 1897 -
3 May 1985), was an
Australian diplomat, politician and jurist.
Spender was born in
Sydney, Australia and educated at the
University of Sydney, he joined the Commonwealth Public Service in 1915. He was admitted to the
New South Wales Bar in 1923 and was made a
King's Counsel in 1935.
Spender entered politics in 1937 when he was elected to the
House of Representatives as member for
Warringah. He ran as an independent, defeating the sitting member, Sir
Archdale Parkhill. Soon after his election, he joined the government party, the
United Australia Party, and held the seat until his resignation from federal politics in 1951. From 1944 was a member of the
Liberal Party.
Spender held a number of ministries in the
Menzies wartime government. He was initially made Minister without portfolio assisting the
Treasurer (26 April 1939 - 3 November 1939), then Treasurer (14 March 1940 - 28 October 1940) and finally Minister for the
Army (28 October 1940 - 7 October 1941). He was also a member of the Economic Cabinet (1939-1940), War Cabinet (1939 - 1941) and the Advisory War Council (1940-1945).
Upon Menzies return to power in 1949 Spender was made
Minister for External Affairs (19 December 1949 - 26 April 1951) and Minister for External Territories. Spender's greatest influence on Australian politics occurred during this period. He led Australian delegations to the
British Commonwealth Conference in
Colombo, Sri Lanka and to the Fifth Session of the
United Nations General Assembly (of which he was the Vice-President).
At the conference in Colombo, Spender was instrumental in the development of the
Colombo Plan (which had originally been known as the Spender Plan). He also played a large part in the signing of the
ANZUS Pact and the
Japanese Peace Treaty (
1951).
On leaving politics Spender was appointed Australia's second Ambassador to the
United States (1951-1958). He was the first Australian appointed to the
International Court of Justice in
The Hague (1958-1964) and was the Court's President from 1964 to 1967.
Spender was internationally well respected, receiving a variety of recognitions. He was conferred the Grande Ufficiale Order of Merit by the
Repulic of Italy in 1976. He also received ten honorary
doctorates. However, a personal rift between himself and Menzies prevented him from receiving the honour which he most desired, appointment to the
Privy Council. Spender died in May 1985, aged 87 years.
