Edward John Russell, known as Teddy, was born on 10 August 1878 at Warrnambool, Victoria. He attended Newport State School and St Mary's Catholic School in Williamstown and then worked as a dray-driver and tinsmith. In 1899 Russell became a delegate to the Melbourne Trades Hall Council for the Printers' Union and a member of the Victorian Socialist Party. He unsuccessfully contested the Victorian Legislative Assembly seat of Prahran for the Australian Labor Party (ALP) in 1904. Two years later he was elected as a Senator for Victoria representing the same party. 

In 1914, Russell became the youngest member of the third Fisher Ministry, as an Assistant Minister without portfolio. He was retained in that capacity in subsequent Hughes' Ministries until 1919, although designated Honorary Minister from 1917. In November 1916, Russell became the sole Victorian member to follow Hughes out of the Labor Party into the breakaway National Labour/Nationalist Party over the conscription issue, despite being personally opposed to conscription.

During his Parliamentary career, Russell was also Temporary Chairman of Committees for the Senate and a member of its Select Committee on General Elections (1913); a member of the Commonwealth Shipping Board (1917-18); a member of the Wheat Storage Commission (1917-21); Vice-President of the Federal Executive Council, a member (later Chairman) of the Board of Trade and Chairman of the Commonwealth Wheat Board (1918-21). He was Deputy Prime Minister for a time, and assisted Sir George Pearce in the defence portfolio and was acting minister for most of 1919. Russell was also responsible for all government business in the Senate for part of 1919. He was dropped from the Hughes Ministry in December 1921.

Russell remained a Senator until his death (1906-25), although his health is thought to have deteriorated from around 1920 and his public life ceased in 1922. Acknowledged as a strong advocate of the Australian Labor Movement, he died in Sunbury Hospital for the Insane on 18 July 1925.

Sources:

Australian Dictionary of Biography, Vol 11 (1891-1939), pp 481-2
Commonwealth Parliamentary Handbook 1901-1920, p 267
Federal Guide 1918, pp 14, 46; 1921, pp 19, 49

Summary heading

  Hon E J Russell (CP 679)

Unregistered links

  1913:  Senate Select Committee on General Elections - Member