Charles Porter

Charles Robert Porter ( – ) was a British born Australian politician, author, playwright and broadcaster. He was the Liberal member for the Electoral District of Toowong in the Legislative Assembly of the Australian state of Queensland from 1966, and the Minister for Aboriginal and Island Affairs from 1977. Before his parliamentary career, Porter engaged in a career in radio and broadcasting, along with other creative pursuits. Porter is the father of 1956 Olympic silver medallist Charles "Chilla" Porter. Chilla's son and Charles' grandson is Christian Porter, a former member of the Western Australian state parliament and currently a federal MP and former Attorney-General of Australia. Early life Porter was born in London, England on 17 May 1910, to mother Evelyn Day and father George Henry, an insurance agent. He emigrated to Australia in September 1914, and was educated in Brisbane through primary and secondary school. At the age of 21, in May 1931, Porter married Joy Welch, and together they had two sons (Charles "Chilla" Porter and Warren Porter), and two daughters (Penny Porter and Christine Porter). Early career Porter worked in a variety of different jobs before entering into his career in politics. After graduating from college, he began work as an assistant to an Undersecretary of the Home Secretary's department of Queensland. After this, he then worked as a journalist and freelance writer; he was involved in the television industry; he acted for the ABC and wrote numerous newspaper articles on a variety of subjects; he worked with advertising and merchandising industries; he was a state public servant; and a salesman.