John Cox Bray - Political Career

Political Career

In Adelaide, J.C. Bray practised law only briefly, as a solicitor, before being elected to the South Australian House of Assembly as M.P. for East Adelaide in December 1871, a constituency he held until his retirement from politics on 6 January 1892.

Bray served as Minister of Justice and Minister of Education in the 3rd Blyth ministry (15 March 1875 - 3 June 1875). He also served as Attorney-General (June 1876 - 26 October 1877) in the Colton ministry, when he was responsible for introducing an "Act to Provide for the formation and registration of trades unions", the first such legislation in Australia. He served as Leader of the Opposition to the Morgan ministry (October 1877-24 June 1881), and Premier and Chief Secretary of the Province of South Australia (24 June 1881-23 April 1884), and Premier and Treasurer of South Australia (23 April 1884 – 16 June 1884). At the time, he was the longest-serving premier of the colony. He visited England and the United States from 1884 to 1885, returning to serve as Chief Secretary of South Australia (14 October 1885-June 1887), and Treasurer (8 June 1886 – 7 June 1887) in the 1st Downer ministry. He was acting Premier during Downer's absence in England until June 1887. Due to his popularity, Bray was elected Speaker (served 31 May 1888 - June 1890), after which he refused renomination to that office. He was Chief Secretary in the 2nd Playford ministry (19 August 1890 – 6 January 1892), when he left politics, sparking the East Adelaide by-election, which saw the first Labor MP elected in South Australian history.

Bray attended the Sydney Intercolonial Conference in 1883, and was one of seven South Australian representatives at the first Federal Convention at Sydney in 1891.