Alexander Mair

Alexander Mair (25 August 1889 – 3 August 1969) was an Australian politician who served as Premier of New South Wales from 5 August 1939 to 16 May 1941. Born in Melbourne, Mair worked in various businesses there before moving to Albury, New South Wales where he went on to be a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for fourteen years. In 1932, Mair was elected to the seat of Albury and was re-elected a further four times. He rose quickly through the cabinet of Bertram Stevens' United Australia Party government, becoming an Assistant Minister in April 1938, Minister for Labour and Industry in June and Colonial Treasurer in October.

A staunch supporter of Stevens throughout his Premiership, Mair became his successor as Premier in August 1939 following Stevens' defeat in a no-confidence motion moved by renegade Minister, Eric Spooner. Becoming Premier at a difficult time for the government, Mair's leadership was marked by his unification of his formerly fractious party, the reining-in of government expenditure and increased taxes to reduce debt, and new labour laws to reduce unemployment. When the Second World War broke out in September 1939, Mair mobilised the state towards the war effort but found it difficult to communicate his message to the voters. He served as Premier until losing the May 1941 election to the Labor Party under William McKell, losing 20 seats.

Remaining as Opposition Leader, with the UAP shattered, Mair became leader of the new Democratic Party and was involved in the negotiations to unite the broken conservative parties and form the Liberal Party in 1945. When Reginald Weaver died in November 1945, only months after becoming the first leader of the Liberal Party in New South Wales, Mair was selected to succeed him. Mair remained as leader until he resigned in March 1946 to contest the Australian Senate. He was unsuccessful and thereafter retired back to Melbourne, where he died in 1969, aged 79.