William Read (Australian politician)

In 1926, at the age of 44, Read was elected to the Perth City Council, representing the Victoria Park ward. He served as a councillor until his retirement in May 1965, aged 82.^[1] Read entered parliament at the 1945 Victoria Park by-election, caused by the death of Howard Raphael. He polled 56.7 percent of the two-candidate-preferred vote, defeating Labor and Liberal candidates as well as several other independents.^[2]

Read was re-elected at the 1947 state election, which resulted in a hung parliament. He and another independent, Harry Shearn, elected to support Ross McLarty as premier, allowing the formation of a Liberal government. This arrangement continued after the 1950 election (which resulted in another hung parliament), with the additional support of a third independent, David Grayden. Read did not stand for re-election in 1953.^[1] He was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 1965,^[3] and died in 1974, aged 91. Read had married Florence Matilda Mills in 1903, with whom he had four children.^[1]

• Independent politicians in Australia