John Charles Bannon

John Charles Bannon was born in Bendigo, Victoria, on 7 May 1943.^[1]  His family moved to South Australia and John was schooled at St Peter’s College, where his father, Charles George Bannon, was arts master.^[2] 

At the University of Adelaide, John was a member of several student groups including co-editor of On Dit in 1964; President of the Adelaide University Student Representative Council from 1966 to 1967; President of the Adelaide University Union from 1969 to 1971 and President of the National Union of Australian University Students in 1968.^[3]  He would complete a Bachelor of Laws in 1967 and a Bachelor of Arts in 1968.^[4]

Following his graduation, John served as a policy advisor for the Whitlam Government, before being elected to the South Australian House of Assembly in 1977.[5]  He became Leader of the Opposition in 1979, and from 1982 to 1992 he was Premier and Treasurer of South Australia and Minister for State Development and the Arts.[6]

John served as the 39th Premier of South Australia for a decade, until his retirement in 1992.^[7]  He was South Australia's longest-serving Labor Premier and the State's longest-serving Premier behind the Liberal & Country League's, Sir Thomas Playford.^[8] 

Following his retirement from politics, John became the Master of St Mark’s College from 2000 to 2007.^[9]  He was appointed Adjunct Professor at the University of Adelaide's Law School, specialising in constitutional history and federal/state relations, and he also completed a Ph.D. in Australian Political History at Flinders University.^[10] 

John was made an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2007 for his service to politics and to the South Australian Parliament, and to the community through sporting, cultural and welfare organisations.,^[11]  He received a Doctor of University (honoris causa) from the University of Adelaide in 2014.^[12] 

John died in Adelaide on 13 December 2015.^[13]

Footnotes:

1. St Mark’s College n.d., J C Bannon Oration, viewed 13 December 2022, <https://www.johnbannonoration.com.au/john-bannon>.

2. Marcus, C 2015, ‘Former South Australian Premier John Bannon dies aged 72’, ABC News, 14 December, viewed 30 January 2023, <https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-12-13/former-south-australian-premier-john-bannon-dies-aged-72/7024684>.

3. University of Adelaide 2014, 'The Hon Dr John Bannon AO', Citation for conferral of Doctor of the University (honoris causa), University of Adelaide, 30 April, viewed 31 January 2023, <https://www.adelaide.edu.au/records/ua/media/137/The_Hon_Dr_John_Bannon.pdf>.

4. University of Adelaide 1967, ‘Programme for the Third Ceremony – for the Ordinary Degree of Bachelor of Laws’ The University of Adelaide Commemoration, p. 8.

5. Parliament of South Australia n.d., ‘Hon Dr John Bannon AO’, Former members, Parliament of South Australia, viewed 13 December 2022, <https://www.parliament.sa.gov.au/Search/Member?type=member&id=2493>.

6. Parliament of South Australia n.d., ‘Hon Dr John Bannon AO’, Former members, Parliament of South Australia, viewed 13 December 2022, <https://www.parliament.sa.gov.au/Search/Member?type=member&id=2493>.

7. Parliament of South Australia n.d., ‘Hon Dr John Bannon AO’, Former members, Parliament of South Australia, viewed 13 December 2022, <https://www.parliament.sa.gov.au/Search/Member?type=member&id=2493>.

8. Wills, A 2015, ‘Former South Australian Premier John Bannon dies’, The Advertiser, 14 December, viewed 30 January 2023, <https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/former-south-australian-premier-john-bannon-dies/news-story/0c09acf1c323672fe3de23fa87f7598c>.

9. St Mark’s College n.d., ‘John Bannon’, J C Bannon Oration, viewed 13 December 2022,
<https://www.johnbannonoration.com.au/john-bannon>.

10. University of Adelaide 2014, ‘The Hon Dr John Bannon AO', Citation for conferral of Doctor of the University (honoris causa, 30 April, University of Adelaide, viewed 31 January 2023, <https://www.adelaide.edu.au/records/ua/media/137/The_Hon_Dr_John_Bannon.pdf>.

11. Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet n.d., 'The Honourable Dr John Charles Bannon', Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, viewed 20 January 2023, <https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/1133686>.

12. University Archives n.d., ‘Former Officers & Honorary Degree Holders of the University’, University of Adelaide, viewed 30 January 2023, <https://www.adelaide.edu.au/records/university-archives/online-resources/former-officers-honorary-degree-holders#doctors-of-the-university-honoris-causa>.

13. Marcus, C 2015, ‘Former South Australian Premier John Bannon dies aged 72’, ABC News, 14 December, viewed 30 January 2023, <https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-12-13/former-south-australian-premier-john-bannon-dies-aged-72/7024684>.

Image:

Premier John Bannon (left), Senator John Button, Vice-Chancellor Donald Stranks c. 1982, University of Adelaide, University Archives, Series 695, Item 944.