Denis James (later Sir James) Killen was born in Dalby, Queensland on 23 November 1925, and educated at Brisbane Grammar School and the University of Queensland. He then worked as a jackeroo and, during the Second World War, served with the Royal Australian Air Force as an Air Gunner and Flight Sergeant (1943-45). After the war, Killen joined the firm of Rheem (Australia) Pty Ltd (Barristers) and became a foundation member and President of the Queensland Young Liberals (1949-53). He was later Vice President of the Queensland Division of the Liberal Party (1953-56). 

In 1955, Killen was elected as Liberal member for Moreton (Qld) in the House of Representatives. He retained the seat through successive elections for nearly 28 years including, after the distribution of preferences, the March 1983 election. At that time he announced he would retire from federal politics before the next election if the Parliament ran its full term, but he actually retired five months later.
 
During his Parliamentary career, Killen was Minister for the Navy (1969-71) in the Gorton Government and Minister for Defence (1975-82), Vice President of the Federal Executive Council, Minister of State responsible for the Department of that name and Leader of the House (1982-83) in the Fraser Government. He was also Assistant Government Whip (1967); served on the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Privileges (1959-69), Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs (1964-69) and Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence (1975); and was Parliamentary representatives on the Parliamentary Retiring Allowances Trust (1983). During the Whitlam Labor Government, Killen was a member of the Opposition Shadow Ministry and spokesman on education (1974-75) and defence (1975).

As Minister for Defence, Killen made official visits to USA, Canada, London and Singapore (1976); Malaysia, Singapore, New Zealand and Indonesia (1978); United Kingdom, Belgium and Papua New Guinea (1979); United Kingdom, Singapore and New Zealand (1980); and United Kingdom, Malaysia and Singapore (1981). He attended the ANZUS Council meeting, Washington in February 1980 and the 40th anniversary celebrations of the battles for Greece and Crete in May 1981.

After leaving federal politics, Killen was Deputy Chairman, Breakwater Island Ltd (1984-2001); National Chairman, Defence Reserves Support Committee (1993-    ); a member of the Council of the Order of Australia and published two autobiographical accounts of his career.
 
Sir James Killen was made a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) in June 1982, a Companion in the Order of Australia (AC) in June 2004 and was a recipient of the Centenary Medal in 2003. He died, aged 81, in Brisbane on 12 January 2007 and a state funeral was held there on 19 January 2007.

Publications:

Killen: inside Australian politics (1985)
Killen in company (1989)

Sources:

Canberra Times, 14 Jun 2004, pp 4, 12
Commonwealth Gazette, No S 95, 7 May 1982
Parliamentary Handbook 1976, p 100; 1984, pp 120-1
Prime Minister's Press Release, 3 January 1980
The Australian, 23-24 February 1980, p 2
The Weekend Australian, 13-14 Jan 2007, pp 1-2, 14, 19 (obituary)
Who's Who in Australia 1977, p 620; 2004, p 1148

Summary heading

  Sir James Killen (CP 46)

Unregistered links

18 May 1983-18 Aug 1983: Parliamentary Retiring Allowances Trust – Parliamentary Representative

1993-           : Defence Reserves Support Committee – National Chairman