D DALKIN, ROBERT NIXON (BOB) (1960–61), staff officer operations, Home (1914–1991), air force officer and territory Command (1957–59), and officer commanding administrator, was born on 21 February 1914 the RAAF Base, Williamtown, New South at Whitley Bay, Northumberland, England, Wales (1963). He had graduated from the RAF younger son of English-born parents George Staff College (1950) and the Imperial Defence Nixon Dalkin, rent collector, and his wife College (1962). Simultaneously, he maintained Jennie, née Porter. The family migrated operational proficiency, flying Canberra to Australia in 1929. During the 1930s bombers and Sabre fighters. Robert served in the Militia, was briefly At his own request Dalkin retired with a member of the right-wing New Guard, the rank of honorary air commodore from the and became business manager (1936–40) for RAAF on 4 July 1968 to become administrator W. R. Carpenter [q.v.7] & Co. (Aviation), (1968–72) of Norfolk Island. His tenure New Guinea, where he gained a commercial coincided with a number of important issues, pilot’s licence. Described as ‘tall, lean, dark including changes in taxation, the expansion and impressive [with a] well-developed of tourism, and an examination of the special sense of humour, and a natural, easy charm’ position held by islanders. (NAA A12372), Dalkin enlisted in the Royal Dalkin overcame a modest school Australian Air Force (RAAF) on 8 January education to study at The Australian National 1940 and was commissioned on 4 May. After University (BA, 1965; MA, 1978). Following a period instructing he was posted to No. 2 retirement, he wrote Colonial Era Cemetery of Squadron, Laverton, Victoria, where he Norfolk Island (1974) and his (unpublished) captained Lockheed Hudson light bombers on memoirs. He was active in Legacy and the reconnaissance duties. On 28 December 1940 RAAF Women’s Association Education at St John’s Church, Melbourne, he married Patriotic Fund. Bob Dalkin would often say, Welsh-born Helen James, a bookkeeper, with ‘Australia’s been good to me’. Survived by Church of England rites. his wife and two children, he died of cancer Promoted to flight lieutenant on in Canberra on 18 November 1991 and was 1 January 1942, Dalkin became a flight cremated. His medals and a wartime sketch by commander in No. 13 Squadron, Darwin, Roy Hodgkinson are held by the Australian in March, again flying Hudsons. During the War Memorial. next seven months he flew numerous strikes against Japanese targets. On 30 June, after Gillison, Douglas. Royal Australian Air Force leading four aircraft on a night attack against 1939–1942. Canberra: Australian War Memorial, Koepang, Timor, in which eight enemy aircraft 1962; National Archives of Australia. A12372, Dalkin, R. N; Sydney Morning Herald. ‘R. A. A. F. were possibly destroyed, Dalkin was awarded Pilot Wins D. F. C.’ 11 July 1942, 11. the Distinguished Flying Cross. The citation Alan Stephens commended his leadership and courage in the face of heavy anti-aircraft fire. From October 1944, as an acting wing commander, he was DALY, FREDERICK MICHAEL attached to the Royal Air Force’s Bomber (FRED) (1912–1995), politician, was born Command in Britain to develop techniques on 13 June 1912 at Currabubula, New South the RAAF might adopt in the Pacific. Wales, ninth of eleven children of Irish-born Following demobilisation on 5 March Michael Daly, farmer and grazier, and his 1946, Dalkin became chief ground instructor second wife Margaret Jane, née Howard, for Trans Australia Airlines, but rejoined the who was born in New South Wales. Fred’s RAAF as a squadron leader with a permanent father died in 1923, resulting in the sale of commission on 26 September. Respected for his the family home and 8,000-acre (3,200 ha) clear thinking and integrity, he was promoted to property. He moved with his mother and group captain on 1 January 1956. In this rank younger siblings from ‘security’ to ‘poverty’ at he progressed through a series of influential North Bondi, Sydney (Daly 1983). Educated posts, including commandant of both the at Currabubula and then Christian Brothers’ RAAF College (1955–56) and Staff College College, Waverley, he hated school and failed 201 Daly A. D. B. most of his examinations. He left at about as a future leader. Chifley’s death in 1951 was age thirteen to become a messenger and later a setback, since Daly lost his closest mentor. a clerk with the bicycle manufacturer Bennett He also had to deal with a ‘Machiavellian’ & Wood Ltd. In World War II the manpower leader in H. V. Evatt [q.v.14] (Daly 1983). authorities directed him to clerical duties for Tensions between them came to a head in the Department of the Navy. An observant caucus on 20 October 1954, when Daly voted Catholic, he became involved in the Mary for a spill motion against Evatt’s leadership. Immaculate (Waverley) Literary, Debating, His vote, together with his role in the State and Social Society. At a local dance he met executive’s resistance to Federal intervention Teresa Armstrong (d. 1975), a stenographer against the Victorian Labor branch, saw at the Commonwealth Department of the him labelled as part of the ‘grouper’ faction. Treasury. They would marry on 4 October He lost friends and was left in a precarious 1937 at Holy Cross Church, Woollahra. political position. Unable to work with Evatt, Although his father had been a political he did not renominate as whip in 1956. conservative, Daly was drawn to Labor Daly only ‘began to enjoy politics again’ politics. He joined the Waverley branch after 1963 (1977, 163), when he joined Labor’s of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) in the shadow ministry, shifting between the social early 1930s, becoming active at branch, State services and immigration portfolios. Although electorate council, and Federal electorate he harboured thoughts that he might lead the council levels, and served on the management ALP, he also sensed that his opportunity had committee of the New South Wales branch passed. He ran unsuccessfully for the leadership of the Federated Clerks’ Union of Australia. in 1967. His conservative views on social issues In 1943 he gained preselection for Martin, were now increasingly out of step with the a Federal electorate in Sydney’s west held new generation in the party. In 1971 Gough by the United Australia Party. He won the Whitlam, the Opposition leader, removed him marginal seat and retained it three years later from shadowing the immigration portfolio by focusing on local community needs. To after Daly publicly criticised Whitlam over his this end, he was one of the first to establish stance on Asian immigration. When Labor won an office in his electorate to meet constituents. the 1972 election, Daly was one of just four Following an electoral redistribution, he in his party who had sat on the government moved in 1949 to the new seat of Grayndler, benches in the 1940s. centred on the suburbs of Newtown and Appointed minister for services and Marrickville, and held it until his retirement. property and leader of the House, Daly In parliament, Daly was a keen student reformed electoral laws and parliamentary of veterans such as James Scullin [q.v.11], practices. He introduced the Commonwealth Ben Chifley [q.v.13], and Billy Hughes electoral bill 1973 which entitled eighteen- [q.v.9]. His youth and the depth of talent in year-olds to vote. The Opposition’s resistance Labor’s ranks meant he had no opportunity to Labor’s further electoral bills would to serve as a minister in his early years. He contribute to the double dissolution elections was a member of the joint committee on in 1974 and 1975. As leader of the House, social security (1943–46) and the Rationing he led the arrangements for the historic joint Commission (1946–50). He also represented sitting of parliament in August 1974, and he the government at the 1947 International improved facilities for members, including Labour Organisation’s inland transport and ending all-night sittings. He was ruthless in his coal mines committee meetings in Geneva, use of the gag and other measures to keep the Switzerland, earning the nickname ‘Dilly government’s ambitious legislative program Dally Daly’ for the extended time it took moving through the House of Representatives. for his return. He was a willing advocate for As a key Labor strategist, Daly attended controversial Labor causes, campaigning for the meeting early on 11 November 1975 the 1947 Banking Act, and putting the Chifley with coalition leaders that failed to resolve the government’s case against the 1949 coal strike. deadlock over the supply bills, hours before Following Labor’s election loss in 1949, the governor-general, Sir John Kerr [q.v.], Daly became Opposition whip, was elected to dismissed the Whitlam government. Informed the State executive, and was identified by some of the dismissal, he helped to prepare Labor’s 202 1991–1995 Danaher response. Like the other party leaders present, DANAHER, PHYLLIS MAY (1908– he focused on the House of Representatives 1991), ballet teacher and examiner, was and overlooked the Senate, failing to inform born on 27 July 1908 at Bulimba, Brisbane, its ALP leader, Ken Wriedt, of the situation. eldest of four children and only daughter Daly controlled the numbers in the House of Queensland-born parents William that afternoon, defeating the coalition in five Patrick Danaher, clerk and later prominent divisions; however, this proved to be irrelevant, bookmaker, and his wife Ivy May, née Bagnall. since the Senate had passed the supply bills. Educated at St Margaret’s Church of England Owing to his wife’s illness and death, Daly Girls’ School, Ascot, Phyllis began her dance had been contemplating retirement.