James Martin (Australian Politician) - Early Political Career

Early Political Career

In 1848 Martin stood for the electorate of Durham in the New South Wales Legislative Council, but withdrew before polling day. Later in the same year he was unopposed in a by-election for the electorate of Cook and Westmoreland.

Martin was an effective legislator but his sharp tongue and intemperate speeches to the House made him few friends among his parliamentary colleagues. His most notable political achievement in his first eight years in office was to initiate the Parliamentary debate that led to the establishment of a branch of the royal mint in Sydney.

In 1856 he was elected to the first parliament under responsible government as the member for Cook and Westmoreland. He subsequently represented East Sydney, Orange, Tumut, Monaro, Lachlan and East Macquarie. In August 1856 he was made Attorney-General of New South Wales in the first ministry of Charles Cowper. The appointment was controversial, as Martin was the first holder of the post not to be a qualified barrister. The appointment was brief, as the government was defeated in a no-confidence motion in October 1856 and Martin returned to the backbench.

Martin qualified as a barrister in 1856 and was made a Queen's Counsel in 1857. He returned as Attorney General in the second Cowper Ministry in that year. However, his reputation for intemperate language continued and after a series of conflicts with fellow Ministers he resigned his post in November 1858.