Daniel Levy (politician)

He was born in London to tailor Joseph Levy and Esther, née Cohen. He arrived in Sydney in 1880 and attended Crown Street Superior School, Sydney Grammar School and the University of Sydney, graduating with a first in Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in 1893 and a Bachelor of Law in 1895, in which year he was called to the Bar. In 1902 he was admitted as a solicitor. Levy was active in Jewish affairs and was co-editor of the Australasian Hebrew newspaper in 1896 with Percy J. Marks.{{cite web |last1=Feher |first1=Yehuda |last2=Dacy |first2=Marianne |title=Percy Marks, a Jewish Renaissiance Man |url=https://judaica.library.sydney.edu.au/histories/Percy%20Marks.html |website=Archive of Australian Judaica |publisher=University of Sydney |access-date=13 June 2020}}

He entered the New South Wales Legislative Assembly in 1901 as the Liberal member for Sydney-Fitzroy, transferring to Darlinghurst in 1904. He would represent Sydney for the period of proportional representation from 1920 to 1927, Paddington from 1927 to 1930, and Woollahra thereafter.{{cite NSW Parliament |title=Sir Daniel Levy (1872–1937) |id=1249 |former=Yes |access-date=21 May 2019}}

In 1919 he was elected Speaker of the Legislative Assembly. The Labor party had a narrow victory at the 1920 election, winning 43 of the 90 seats. Levy, despite being a member of the Nationalist opposition, accepted re-election as speaker, making it easier for Labor to obtain a majority, provoking discontent within his own party, with John Fitzpatrick making a scathing speech, lasting almost 2 hours, including calling Levy a rat and a traitor and that if he was knighted he would "arise Sir Judas Iscariot".{{cite hansard |title=Election of speaker |url=https://api.parliament.nsw.gov.au/api/hansard/search/daily/searchablepdf/HANSARD-290296563-4027 |format=PDF |jurisdiction=New South Wales |house=Legislative Assembly |date=27 April 1920 |page_start=18 |page_end=33 |speaker=Fitzpatrick, John |speaker-link=John Fitzpatrick (New South Wales politician) |access-date=2021-11-02}} Levy resigned as speaker on 12 December 1921 after the Nationalist leader George Fuller announced that he had likely majority, his resignation precipitating the defeat of the Dooley government on the floor of the house.{{cite hansard |title=Resignation of speaker |url=https://api.parliament.nsw.gov.au/api/hansard/search/daily/searchablepdf/HANSARD-290296563-4131 |format=PDF |jurisdiction=New South Wales |house=Legislative Assembly |date=12 December 1921 |page_start=2598 |page_end=2602 |access-date=2021-11-02}} Levy was re-elected as speaker following the formation of the Fuller ministry, which lasted seven hours, and continued the position when Dooley resumed the premiership later the same day.{{cite hansard |title=New ministry |url=https://api.parliament.nsw.gov.au/api/hansard/search/daily/searchablepdf/HANSARD-290296563-4134 |format=PDF |jurisdiction=New South Wales |house=Legislative Assembly |date=20 December 1921 |page_start=2617 |page_end=2622 |access-date=2021-11-02}}

Levy was known as a scrupulously independent Speaker, advocating the British model of speakership in which the speaker's seat was uncontested, and made efforts to have this practice adopted by statute.{{cite AuDB |id2=levy-sir-daniel-7181 |title=Levy, Sir Daniel (1872–1937) |first=L E |last=Fredman |access-date=10 May 2020}} He was speaker until 1925, served again from 1927 to 1930, and served briefly in Bertram Stevens' 1932 emergency cabinet as Minister for Justice and Attorney General. Resuming the speakership in 1932, he held the position until his death on {{death date and age|20 May 1937|30 November 1872|df=y}} at Darling Point.{{NSW Parliamentary Record |part=10 |access-date=2021-10-12}}

Levy was knighted in 1929 for his service as Speaker.{{Cite It's an Honour |ausawardid=1082896 |date=1 March 1929 |recipient=Mr Daniel Levy |award=Knight Bachelor (Imperial) |access-date=10 May 2020}}

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{{succession box | title=Speaker of the Legislative Assembly | before=John Cohen | after=Simon Hickey | years=1919–1921}}

{{succession box | title=Speaker of the Legislative Assembly | before=Simon Hickey | after=James Dooley | years=1921–1925}}

{{succession box | title=Speaker of the Legislative Assembly | before=James Dooley | after=Frank Burke | years=1927–1930}}

{{succession box | title=Speaker of the Legislative Assembly | before=Frank Burke | after=Reginald Weaver | years=1932–1937}}

{{s-bef | before=Henry Chapman }}

{{s-ttl | title=Member for Sydney-Fitzroy | years=1901–1904}}

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{{s-ttl | title=Member for Darlinghurst | years=1904–1920}}

{{s-non |reason=District abolished}}

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{{s-ttl | title=Member for Sydney |with=Birt / Minahan |with2=Buckley / Jackson |with3=Burke / McGirr / Burke |with5=Minahan / Holdsworth | years=1920–1927}}

{{s-non |reason=District abolished}}

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{{s-ttl | title=Member for Paddington | before=New seat | years=1927–1930}}

{{s-aft | after=Maurice O'Sullivan}}

{{succession box | title=Member for Woollahra | before=Maurice O'Sullivan | after=Harold Mason | years=1930–1937}}

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Category:1872 births

Category:1937 deaths

Category:Nationalist Party of Australia members of the Parliament of New South Wales

Category:United Australia Party members of the Parliament of New South Wales

Category:Members of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly

Category:Speakers of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly

Category:People educated at Sydney Grammar School

Category:University of Sydney alumni

Category:Australian solicitors

Category:Jewish Australian politicians

Category:Attorneys-general of New South Wales

Category:British emigrants to Australia

Category:Ministers for justice (New South Wales)