Ian McCahon Sinclair was born in Sydney and educated at Knox Grammar School and the University of Sydney. He was admitted to the Bar in 1952 but the following year became a grazier and the Managing Director of the Sinclair Pastoral Company. He was later a Director of the Farmers and Graziers Cooperative Limited (1962-65).

Sinclair was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council (1960-63) before being elected to federal Parliament as member for New England in the House of Representatives. He held the seat continuously for the Country Party (later the National Party) for nearly 35 years until his retirement (1963-98). 

Sinclair's first portfolio experience came as Minister for Social Services (1965-68). In subsequent Liberal-Coalition Governments he was Minister Assisting the Minister for Trade and Industry (1966-71), Minister for Shipping and Transport (1968-71), Minister for Primary Industry (1971-72 and 1975-79), Minister for Agriculture and Northern Australia (Fraser Caretaker Government 1975), a member of the Federal Executive Council (1975-83), Special Trade Representative (1980), Minister for Communications (1980-82) and Minister for Defence (1982-83). He also represented the Government overseas on many occasions in his capacity as a minister, as leader or member of various overseas trade and shipping delegations, and acted as Minister for Trade and Industry and Minister for Foreign Affairs on occasions when the respective Ministers were overseas.

During periods of Labour Government Sinclair was Opposition Spokesman on Primary Industry (1974-75), Defence (1983-87), Trade (1987), Trade and Resources (1987-89) and Special Minister of State (1994). When the Coalition was split for a brief period in 1987, he was Spokesman for the National Party on Foreign Relations, Defence and Legal Matters.

In February 1971, Sinclair became Deputy Leader of the Federal Parliamentary National Party and, in January 1984, was elected Party Leader. He held this position until defeated in a party room ballot by Charles Blunt on 9 May 1989. He was also Leader of the Opposition in the House (1974-75 and 1983-87) and, in the final months of the first Howard Ministry, was elected Speaker of the House of Representatives (March-August 1998).

Throughout his long political career, Sinclair served on several Parliamentary committees (see related agencies) and was Chairman of the 1998 Constitutional Convention. He has since been Chairman of various other organisations and is currently President of Austcare (2000-   ).

Ian Sinclair was made member of the Privy Council (PC) in 1977, a Companion in the Order of Australia (AC) in 2001 and was a recipient of the Centenary Medal in 2003.


Sources

Who's Who in Australia 1985 (p 779), 1998 (p 1457) and 2004 (pp 1847-8)
Parliamentary Handbook 1985 (pp 197-8), 1988 (pp 201-3) and 1999 (p 279)
Notable Australians 1978 (p 958)
Biographical Register of the Commonwealth Parliament 1901-1972 (1975, p 200)
Debrett's Handbook of Australia and New Zealand, 2nd ed (1984) 
Canberra Times, 10 May 1989 (p 1)

Summary heading

  Rt Hon Ian Sinclair (CP 426)

Unregistered links

  Oct 1976:  Australian Constitutional Convention, Hobart – Member

  Jul 1978:  Australian Constitutional Convention, Perth – Member

  Apr 1983:  Australian Constitutional Convention, Adelaide - Member