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Sir Daniel LEVY (1872 - 1937)

Date of Birth: 30/11/1872 Place of Birth: London, England Date of Death: 20/05/1937 Place of Death: Darling Point, New South Wales, Australia

Parliamentary Service

Position Start End Period Parliament Notes Member of the NSW Legislative Assembly 3 Jul 1901 20 May 1937 35yr(s) 10mth(s) 18day(s) Member for Sydney-Fitzroy 3 Jul 1901 16 Jul 2004 103yr(s) 14day(s) 19th (1901 - 1904) Member for Darlinghurst 6 Aug 1904 19 Aug 1907 3yr(s) 14day(s) 20th (1904 - 1907) Member for Darlinghurst 10 Sep 1907 14 Sep 1910 3yr(s) 5day(s) 21st (1907 - 1910) Member for Darlinghurst 14 Oct 1910 6 Nov 1913 3yr(s) 24day(s) 22nd (1910 - 1913) Member for Darlinghurst 6 Dec 1913 21 Feb 1917 3yr(s) 2mth(s) 16day(s) 23rd (1913 - 1917) Member for Darlinghurst 24 Mar 1917 18 Feb 1920 2yr(s) 10mth(s) 26day(s) 24th (1917 - 1920) Member for Sydney 20 Mar 1920 17 Feb 1922 1yr(s) 10mth(s) 29day(s) 25th (1920 - 1922) Member for Sydney 25 Mar 1922 18 Apr 1925 3yr(s) 25day(s) 26th (1922 - 1925) Member for Sydney 30 May 1925 7 Sep 1927 2yr(s) 3mth(s) 9day(s) 27th (1925 - 1927) Member for Paddington 8 Oct 1927 18 Sep 1930 2yr(s) 11mth(s) 11day(s) 28th (1927 - 1930) Member for Woollahra 25 Oct 1930 18 May 1932 1yr 6mths 24days 29th (1930 - 1932) Member for Woollahra 11 Jun 1932 12 Apr 1935 2yr(s) 10mth(s) 2day(s) 30th (1932 - 1935) Member for Woollahra 11 May 1935 20 May 1937 2yr(s) 10day(s) 31st (1935 - 1938) Attorney General and Minister of Justice 16 May 1932 17 Jun 1932 1mth(s) 2day(s) Chairman of Committees 1 Aug 1917 18 Aug 1919 2yr(s) 18day(s) Speaker of the Legislative Assembly 19 Aug 1919 12 Dec 1921 2yr(s) 3mth(s) 24day(s) Speaker of the Legislative Assembly 20 Dec 1921 23 Jun 1925 3yr(s) 6mth(s) 4day(s) Speaker of the Legislative Assembly 3 Nov 1927 24 Nov 1930 3yr(s) 22day(s) Speaker of the Legislative Assembly 24 Jun 1932 20 May 1937 4yr(s) 10mth(s) 27day(s) Inverell Gas, Coke, Coal, and Electric Lighting Company (Limited) Bill Committee No.15 17 Dec 1901 18 Dec 1901 2days 19th (1901 - 1904) Condition of the Blind Workers of the State Committee No.16 9 Sep 1902 20 Dec 1902 3mths 12days 19th (1901 - 1904) Elections and Qualifications Committee No.2 24 Aug 1904 1 Dec 1904 3mths 8days 19th (1901 - 1904) Library Committee No.4 21 Sep 1904 24 Dec 1904 3mths 4days 19th (1901 - 1904) Municipal District of Cowra Reduced Area Bill Committee No.8 1 Nov 1904 16 Nov 1904 16days 19th (1901 - 1904) Elections and Qualifications Committee No.2 14 Jun 1905 9 Dec 1905 5mths 26days 20th (1904 - 1907) Library Committee No.4 28 Jun 1905 9 Dec 1905 5mths 12days 20th (1904 - 1907) Landlord and Tenant (Amendment) Bill Committee No.11 8 Aug 1905 26 Sep 1905 1mth 19days 20th (1904 - 1907) Diocese of Goulburn Church Land Sale Bill Committee No.13 23 Aug 1905 5 Sep 1905 14days 20th (1904 - 1907) Claim of Robert Roberts, late Bookbinder, Registrar-General’s Department Committee No.16 12 Sep 1905 25 Oct 1905 1mth 14days 20th (1904 - 1907) Bread (Amendment) Bill Committee No.17 19 Sep 1905 28 Nov 1905 2mths 10days 20th (1904 - 1907) Sydney Corporation Amendment Bill Committee No.22 15 Nov 1905 28 Nov 1905 14days 20th (1904 - 1907) Elections and Qualifications Committee No.6 5 Jul 1906 18 Dec 1906 5mths 14days 20th (1904 - 1907) Elections and Qualifications Committee No.6 5 Jul 1906 18 Dec 1906 5mths 14days 20th (1904 - 1907) Elections and Qualifications Committee No.6 5 Jul 1906 18 Dec 1906 5mths 14days 20th (1904 - 1907) Library Committee No.2 10 Jul 1906 18 Dec 1906 5mths 9days 20th (1904 - 1907) Bread (Amendment) Act Committee No.12 11 Oct 1906 7 Dec 1906 1mth 27days 20th (1904 - 1907) Occupation of Land at la Perouse by the Eastern Extension Telegraph Company Committee No.13 22 Nov 1906 13 Dec 1906 22days 20th (1904 - 1907) Elections and Qualifications Committee No.2 4 Jul 1907 12 Jul 1907 9days 20th (1904 - 1907) Library Committee No.3 9 Jul 1907 12 Jul 1907 4days 20th (1904 - 1907) Elections and Qualifications Committee No.6 22 Oct 1907 15 Nov 1907 25days 21st (1907 - 1910) Chairman Standing Orders Committee No.2 24 Oct 1907 20 Dec 1907 1mth 27days 21st (1907 - 1910) Elections and Qualifications Committee No.6 12 Mar 1908 11 Apr 1908 1mth 21st (1907 - 1910) Standing Orders Committee No.2 13 Mar 1908 11 Apr 1908 30days 21st (1907 - 1910) Elections and Qualifications Committee No.2 23 Jul 1908 19 Dec 1908 4mths 27days 21st (1907 - 1910) Library Committee No.4 5 Aug 1908 19 Dec 1908 4mths 15days 21st (1907 - 1910) Elections and Qualifications Committee No.2 13 Jul 1909 17 Dec 1909 5mths 5days 21st (1907 - 1910) Library Committee No.4 14 Jul 1909 17 Dec 1909 5mths 4days 21st (1907 - 1910) Lease Conversion and Law Amendment Bill Committee No.7 10 Aug 1909 9 Dec 1909 3mths 30days 21st (1907 - 1910) Claim of Robert Roberts late bookbinder in the Registrar’s General’s Department Committee No.8 24 Aug 1909 15 Sep 1909 23days 21st (1907 - 1910) Elections and Qualifications Committee No.2 21 Jun 1910 20 Aug 1910 2mths 21st (1907 - 1910) Library Committee No.4 28 Jun 1910 20 Aug 1910 1mth 24days 21st (1907 - 1910) Lease Conversion and Law Amendment Bill Committee No.7 7 Jul 1910 20 Aug 1910 1mth 14days 21st (1907 - 1910) Library Committee No.4 30 Nov 1910 23 Dec 1910 24days 22nd (1910 - 1913) Library Committee No.4 30 May 1911 1 Aug 1911 2mths 3days 22nd (1910 - 1913) Library Committee No.4 12 Sep 1911 28 Mar 1912 6mths 17days 22nd (1910 - 1913) Library Committee No.4 7 Aug 1912 5 Dec 1912 3mths 29days 22nd (1910 - 1913) Library Committee No.4 6 Aug 1913 15 Oct 1913 2mths 10days 22nd (1910 - 1913) Elections and Qualifications Committee No. 2 3 Mar 1914 18 Apr 1914 1mth 16days 23rd (1913 - 1917) Library Committee No. 3 11 Mar 1914 18 Apr 1914 1mth 8days 23rd (1913 - 1917) Elections and Qualifications Committee No. 2 21 Jul 1914 23 Feb 1915 7mths 3days 23rd (1913 - 1917) Library Committee No. 3 22 Jul 1914 23 Feb 1915 7mths 2days 23rd (1913 - 1917) Elections and Qualifications Committee No. 2 1 Jul 1915 13 Apr 1916 9mths 13days 23rd (1913 - 1917) Library Committee No. 6 2 Jul 1915 13 Apr 1916 9mths 12days 23rd (1913 - 1917)

Political Party Activity

Liberal and Reform Party; Nationalist Party; United Australia Party

Community Activity

Commissioned as a Justice of the Peace in 1902

Qualifications, occupations and interests

Lawyer (barrister). Arrived in Sydney in 1880; educated at Crown Street Superior public school, Sydney Grammar and University of Sydney; scholarships and university medal, BA Hons 1st 1893, LLB in 1895; called to the Bar in 1895, became an associate of Justice Cohen from 1895 until 1897; admitted as a solicitor in 1902; re-admitted to Bar in 1923; director of Haymarket Land Building Company Limited; trustee of Public Library of New South Wales from 1906 until 1937; president from 1927 until 1937; trustee of Australian Museum; fellow of Senate of University of Sydney from 1913 until 1936; secretary of Shakespeare Society; councillor of Millions Club in 1918; director of Sydney Hospital from 1928 until 1937 and Eastern Suburbs Hospital; member of East Sydney School Board; trustee of Sydney Grammar School; government representative on board of Benevolent Society of New South Wales from 1929 until 1937; editor of Australasian Hebrew in 1896; honorary secretary from 1898 until 1903 and vice president of New South Wales Board of Jewish Education

Honours Received

Knighted in 1929

Personal

Son of Joseph Levy, tailor, and Esther Cohen. Unmarried. Funeral at Rookwood Cemetery from Great Synagogue, Sydney.

Additional Information

Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 10 Text from the book: 'The Presiding Officers of the Parliament of New South Wales', Sydney, 1995

Daniel Levy was born on 30 November 1872 in England and emigrated to New South Wales with his parents in 1880. He never married. As a student he obtained great academic distinction with first place honours in both Arts and Law. He was elected to the Legislative Assembly as the Member for Sydney-Fitzroy in 1901 and represented Darlinghurst between 1904 and 1920, during which time he was Chairman of Committees. He was the Member for Sydney from 1920 until 1927, and for Paddington from 1927 until 1930 when he became the Member for Woollahra. Although Levy held the office of Speaker for fourteen years from 1919 until 1937, his Speakership was marked by controversy. Despite belonging to the Nationalist Party, Levy accepted the Speakership under the Dooley Labor Government of 1920. Although he resigned as Speaker the following year, he was re-elected Speaker during the seven hour Fuller Ministry and he retained office when Dooley was recommissioned to establish a new Government. It was his ability to abandon political ties that ensured the continuation of his Speakership under successive governments. Levy streamlined the passage of bills through the Lower House by limiting debate to point of second reading and the committee stage. To ensure a hi-partisan approach to the demands and responsibilities of office, Levy favoured a British style of Speakership in which the Speaker's seat remained uncontested, suggesting in 1929 that the Government adopt this model by statute. Following the dismissal of Jack Lang, Levy served for a month in Bertram Steven's emergency cabinet of 1932 as Minister for Justice and Attorney-General. He died on 20 May 1937 at Darling Point.

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