John Robertson (New South Wales Premier)
Sir John Robertson, KCMG (15 October 1816 – 8 May 1891) was an Australian politician and Premier of New South Wales on five occasions. Robertson is best remembered for land reform and in particular the Robertson Land Acts of 1861, which sought to open up the selection of Crown land and break the monopoly of the squatters.
Robertson was elected to Parliament in 1856 supporting manhood suffrage, secret ballot, electorates based on equal populations, abolition of state aid to religion, government non-denominational schools, free trade, and land reform. He saw free selection of crown land before survey as the key to social reform with poor settlers being able to occupy agricultural and pastoral land, even that occupied by lease-holding squatters. This insight enabled him to dominate the politics of 1856-61.
Read more about John Robertson (New South Wales Premier): Biography, Parliamentary Career, First Ministry and Land Reform, Second Ministry, Third and Fourth Ministries, Fifth Ministry and Retirement, Honours
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