Hon Sir Richard Layton Butler KCMG

Sir Richard (Sir Richard Layton) Layton Butler KCMG

31 March 1885

Liberal and Country League

Former Member

Light

House of Assembly

27 March 1915

Farmer and grazier

Son of former Premier Sir Richard Butler, Richard Layton Butler entered politics in 1915 as Member for Wooroora, but his support for conscription lost him that seat three years later. He regained Wooroora in 1921 and held it for 17 years.

His position as Liberal Federation party Whip in 1925 helped him gain the leadership of the party two months later, when Sir Henry Barwell resigned. At the 1927 election, Butler's party won 6 seats, giving it a majority in coalition with the Country Party, and Butler became Premier and Treasurer. Following his stated concerns about the financial situation of the State, Butler passed legislation designed to financially assist the hard-hit rural sector. A combination of organised opposition and the beginning of the Depression resulted in defeat for Butler's government in 1930, but the Liberals (now known as the Liberal and Country League) won power again in 1933 after the collapse of Labor's unpopular government.

Under Butler's leadership, South Australia was the first state to balance its budget after the Depression, and although primary industry did not flourish under his leadership, many concessions were made to attract secondary industry to the state. He also established the South Australian Housing Trust, designed to help working people build their own homes. Major changes to the structure of Parliament also occurred under Butler's leadership, with parliamentary terms increased from 3 to 5 years, the reduction of the number of members in the Lower House from 46 to 39, and the introduction of single member electorates.

Often tactless, Butler was becoming increasingly unpopular and in 1938 the Liberals lost their absolute majority in the House. Butler continued as Premier with the support of independents. He resigned in November of that year to seek election for the federal seat of Wakefield but was ultimately unsuccessful. Despite repeated attempts to re-enter political life, he never returned to it. Butler was knighted in 1939, and appointed by new Premier Playford to various state boards. Butler died in 1966 in Adelaide.

21 January 1966