Hon Sir John Cockburn KCMG

Sir John Alexander Cockburn KCMG

23 August 1850

Pre-Party System

Former Member

Mount Barker

House of Assembly

23 April 1884

The first doctor to be Premier of South Australia, Sir John Cockburn was described as progressive by his supporters, but derided as a radical by detractors. Selected as the first Mayor of Jamestown in 1878, he stood for Burra in the Lower House in 1884, serving as Minister of Education from 1885 - 1887 before losing his seat and returning as a member for Mount Barker. He was active in the planning of Federation and argued eloquently for a more democratic Constitution. He served as Premier in 1889 for a year before his government was defeated by Playford's no confidence vote. Cockburn was responsible for an important land taxation Act and supported payment for members of Parliament, and although he did not often successfully negotiate the murky waters of faction politics he continually fought for adult suffrage, technical and industrial education, and Upper House reform. He held office in the Holder and Kingston ministries before resigning to serve as Agent-General for South Australia in 1898. He was effectively fired from this position in 1901 when the post was downgraded to state agent, although he remained South Australia's "unofficial ambassador" in London. He made an unsuccessful attempt to enter British politics in 1904 and was prominent in the financial and insurance circles until his death in 1929.

26 November 1929