Working class hero John Gunn an achiever as South Australia premier 1924-26 but dies in obscurity

John Gunn died in poverty and obscurity in Waterfall, New South Wales.
Image courtesy State Library of South Australia

John Gunn, who became an enemy of the wealthy Adelaide establishment as leader of the 1910 drivers’ strike, scored significant achievements as South Australian premier 1924-26.

The Bendigo-born second of nine children, Gunn worked as a delivery boy to support his mother and siblings, while studying at night classes, after his Scottish miner father died.

He worked as a horse-lorry driver on Port Road after moving to Adelaide in 1908. As president of the South Australian Federated Carters and Drivers’ Union, he organised the 1910 drivers’ strike that reduced working hours. This success led to Gunn being elected president of the United Trades and Labour Council in 1911, an Adelaide City councillor (1914-16) and federal president of the Federated Carters and Drivers’ Union.

Winning the House of Assembly seat of Adelaide in 1915, Gunn emerged as the leading anti conscriptionist and stood unsuccessfully on this platform for the federal seat of Boothby but returned to his state parliament seat in the 1918 election.

When the party leadership, including premier Crawford Vaughan, resigned or were expelled for favouring conscription, Labor was left with mostly inexperienced members after its 1918 election loss. At 32, Gunn was elected Labor leader and opposition leader. This concerned the Establishment, who recalled the 1910 drivers’ strike. A media campaign against Gunn began.

Under Gunn's leadership, Labor won in 1924, defeating Henry Barwell’s Liberal Federation. Gunn became premier and treasurer, plus minister for irrigation and repatriation.

Setting up the original State Bank of South Australia and developing Colonel Light Gardens, were among achievements by John Gunn as premier (1924-2).  
Gunn also improved public service working conditions, built more roads and encouraged rural settlement with a vision for more trees, access to bore water and agricultural expertise.

A Thousand Homes Scheme improved the quality and supply of housing for needy families. He increased education spending, provided better medical care and junior technical schools, higher wages for teachers, and more scholarships.

Gunn’s reforms received grudging praise from the previously hostile media. But he still upset conservatives with plans to redraw the House of Assembly electorate boundaries, introduce proportional representation, introduce adult franchise to the Legislative Council and set up a state government insurance commission. All these were defeated by the conservative-controlled Legislative Council.

Having gained a reputation as a competent administrator, Gunn suddenly resigned from parliament in 1926 to accept a better-paid Melbourne position with the Commonwealth development and migration commission. Lionel Hill took over as Labor premier.

When Gunn’s Melbourne position ended, he accepted a federal government job in 1930 and moved to Canberra. When prime minister Joseph Lyons didn’t renew his contract in 1935, Gunn, estranged from his wife and family and possibly in debt, suffered a nervous breakdown. Gunn died in poverty and obscurity in Waterfall, New South Wales