Thomas Givens

He was born in Ireland and worked as a labourer, miner, trade unionist and newspaper editor before entering politics.

[3] He initially worked on the canefields of North Queensland and also spent time in New South Wales and Victoria, "probably as an itinerant bush worker".

[1] According to a 1910 profile in Punch, Givens also went to Western Australia to participate in the Kimberley gold rush, but "came back wiser and poorer".

[1] Givens was a Labour candidate at the 1893 general election, losing to the incumbent attorney-general Thomas Joseph Byrnes in the seat of Cairns.

He supported the expansion of invalid and old-age pensions and the introduction of maternity allowances for unwed mothers.

[1] Givens was elected president of the Senate on 9 July 1913, replacing his ALP colleague and fellow Queenslander Harry Turley.

[1] He and Pearce played a key role in convincing members of the ALP caucus to join Hughes.

[8] As president, Givens upheld the independence of parliament from the executive, ensuring the administration of parliamentary departments remained separate from the Commonwealth Public Service.

A number of his rulings established longstanding practices in the Senate, particularly around its treatment of taxation bills in accordance with section 53 of the constitution.

Givens in 1908
1910 Labor Senate ticket, with Givens on left
Undated photo by T. Humphrey & Co.