Gordon (later Sir Gordon) Freeth, son of the Rt Rev R E Freeth, was born on 6 August 1914 at Angaston in South Australia. He was educated at Sydney Church of England Grammar School, Guildford Grammar School in Western Australia and at the University of Western Australia. In 1938 he rowed for Australia in the British Empire Games in Sydney. From 1939, Freeth practised as a Barrister and Solicitor in Katanning (WA), apart from a period during World War II when he was in the Royal Australian Air Force (1942-45). He was discharged with the rank of Flight Lieutenant and was subsequently also a member of the Katanning Roads Board and Chairman of Directors of the Katanning Church of England Girls School (1946-49).  

In December 1949, Freeth was elected to the House of Representatives as Liberal Member for Forrest (WA). He retained the seat for nearly 20 years until defeated at the 1969 general elections. During the early period of his political career, Freeth served on Parliamentary committees relating to the House of Representatives Hansard (1954), Printing (1954-58), Privileges (1955-58) and was Temporary Chairman of Committees and Chairman of the Commonwealth Immigration Advisory Council (1956-58).
 
Freeth was later Minister for the Interior and Minister for Works (1958-63), Minister Assisting the Attorney-General (1961-63), Minister for Shipping and Transport (1963-68), Minister for Air and Minister Assisting the Treasurer (1968-69) and Minister for External Affairs (1969). In this period, he also acted on several occasions as Attorney-General, during the absences overseas of Sir Garfield Barwick, and in other portfolios (1962-67).
 
After leaving federal Parliament, Freeth became Australian Ambassador to Japan (1970-73). On his return to Australia he practised as a Legal Consultant (1973-77) until given a second diplomatic appointment as High Commissioner to London (1977-80). He was also a company director, including with Australian Consolidated Minerals Ltd (Chairman, 1981-90) and Beaconsfield Gold Mines (1987-91).

Sir Gordon Freeth was created a Knight Commander in the Order of the British Empire (KBE) in 1978 and died on 29 November 2001, aged 87.

Sources:
Who's Who in Australia 1988, p 332; 1998, p 605
Mercury (Hobart), 29 November 2001
Parliamentary Handbook 1969, pp 102-3
 

Summary heading

  Hon Sir Gordon Freeth (CP 45)

Unregistered links

  1954:  House of Representatives Select Committee to Inquire into and Report on Hansard - Member