Ted Mattner

The Honourable Ted Mattner
President of the Australian Senate
In office 12 June 1951 – 7 September 1953
Preceded by	Gordon Brown
Succeeded by	Alister McMullin
Senator for South Australia
In office 10 October 1944 – 27 September 1946
Preceded by	Oliver Uppill
Succeeded by	Fred Beerworth
In office 22 February 1950 – 30 June 1968
Personal details
Born	(1893-09-16)16 September 1893 Oakbank, South Australia
Died	21 December 1977(1977-12-21) (aged 84) Daw Park, South Australia
Political party	Liberal
Military service
Allegiance	Australia
Branch/service	Australian Imperial Force Second Australian Imperial Force
Years of service	1915–1919 1941–1942
Rank	Major
Unit	18th Battery, 6th Field Artillery (1915–19) 13th Field Regiment (1941–42)
Battles/wars	First World War Western Front Second World War South West Pacific theatre
Awards	Military Cross Distinguished Conduct Medal Military Medal

Edward William Mattner, MC, DCM, MM (16 September 1893 – 21 December 1977) was an Australian politician and soldier who served as a Senator for South Australia from 1944 to 1946 and 1950 to 1968. He was President of the Senate from 1951 to 1953.

Early life

Born in Oakbank, South Australia, he was educated at Adelaide High School and then the University of Adelaide, before becoming a farmer at Balhannah. He served in the Australian Imperial Force from 1915 to 1919, during which he was awarded the Military Cross, Distinguished Conduct Medal and Military Medal for heroism on the Western Front, and with the Second Australian Imperial Force from 1941 to 1942, acting as second-in-command of the 13th Field Regiment in New Guinea.

Politics

Mattner in 1956

In 1944, he was appointed to the Australian Senate as a United Australia Party Senator for South Australia, filling the casual vacancy caused by the resignation of Oliver Uppill. Soon after his appointment, the UAP became the Liberal Party. Defeated in an attempt at re-election in 1946, he returned to the Senate in 1949. On 12 June 1951, he was elected President of the Senate, a position he held until 7 September 1953, when he was succeeded by Alister McMullin. He held his Senate seat until his retirement in 1967. Mattner died in 1977.

Further reading

• Australian Dictionary of Biography
• Biographical Dictionary of the Australian Senate