{{Short description|Australian politician (1906–1984)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2014}} {{Use Australian English|date=September 2014}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = | name = Jeff Bate | honorific_suffix = | image = Jeff Bate.jpg | constituency_MP = Macarthur | parliament = Australian | majority = | predecessor = ''New seat'' | successor = John Kerin | term_start = 10 December 1949 | term_end = 2 December 1972 | birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1906|3|5}} | birth_place = Tilba, New South Wales, Australia | death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|1984|4|15|1906|3|5}} | death_place = Canberra | education = Newington College<br />The King's School<br />University of Sydney | spouse = {{plainlist| * {{marriage|Gerta Homburg|1928|end=divorce}} * {{marriage|Thelma Kirkby|1958|1968|end=divorce}} * {{marriage|Zara Holt|1969}} }} | party = United Australia (1938&ndash;1945) Liberal (1945&ndash;72) <br /> Independent (1972) | children = 2 | birth_name = Henry Jefferson Percival Bate }}

'''Henry Jefferson Percival''' "'''Jeff'''" '''Bate''' (5 March 1906{{spaced ndash}}15 April 1984) was an Australian politician, representing the United Australia Party and the Liberal Party of Australia for most of his career, but ended as an independent.

==Early life==

Jeff Bate was born in Tilba, New South Wales on 5 March 1906,<ref>[https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/search/display/display.w3p;db=HANDBOOK;id=handbook%2Fnewhandbook%2F2017-06-21%2F0052;query=Id%3A%22handbook%2Fnewhandbook%2F2017-06-21%2F0047%22 Parliamentary Handbook]</ref> a son of Henry John Bate, a Member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly,<ref name="Henry Bate NSW Parl">{{Cite NSW Parliament |id=1358 |name=Mr Henry John Bate (1881-1967) |former=Yes |access-date=3 May 2019}}</ref> and his wife Lily Percival, a leading contralto. He was educated at Newington College (1918–21),<ref>Newington College Register of Past Students 1863–1998 (Syd, 1999) p. 11</ref> The King's School, Parramatta (1922–23)<ref>The Kings School, Parramatta, Register 1831–1981 (Syd, 1982) p. 34</ref> and the University of Sydney. He became a farmer at Bodalla, Wallaga Lake and Tilba Tilba. He won prizes for dairy fodder conservation at the Royal Agricultural Society show.

==Career== Bate became director of the Bodalla Co-operative Dairy Company from 1927, later managing the cheese co-operative. He was a Councillor of the Eurobodalla Shire Council 1929–37, and its President 1936–37.

During World War II he served in the 2nd Australian Imperial Forces as a Lieutenant. He was a member of the Armoured Corps in 1940–45, and saw service in Egypt, Cyprus, the Middle East, New Guinea and New Britain.

He followed his father's footsteps into the NSW Legislative Assembly, where he represented the electoral district of Wollondilly from 1938 to 1949. He represented the United Australia Party until 1945, then joined the newly founded Liberal Party of Australia.<ref name="Jeff Bate NSW Parl">{{Cite NSW Parliament |id=1668 |name=Mr (Jeff) Henry Jefferson Percival Bate |former=Yes |access-date=3 May 2019}}</ref> He moved to federal politics, and in 1949 he was elected as the House of Representatives member for the seat of Macarthur.

In the lead-up to the 1972 federal election, Bate lost Liberal preselection in Macarthur to Max Dunbier, a former state MP.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/110621780|title=Interesting seats: Macarthur, NSW|newspaper=The Canberra Times|date=23 November 1972}}</ref> At a meeting in Bowral on 9 October, he agreed to re-contest the seat as an independent. He immediately ruled out supporting a Labor government if re-elected. A "Bring Back Bate Committee" was established to coordinate his campaign.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/102008059|title=Jeff Bate agrees to stand as independent|newspaper=The Canberra Times|date=10 October 1972}}</ref> He decision to stand against an endorsed Liberal candidate resulted in his party membership automatically lapsing.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/102008398|title=Out of party|newspaper=The Canberra Times|date=11 October 1972}}</ref> At the election he placed third on first preferences behind Dunbier and ALP candidate John Kerin, who was elected.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://psephos.adam-carr.net/countries/a/australia/1972/1972repsnsw.txt|title=Commonwealth of Australia Legislative Election of 2 December 1972 \ Voting By Constituency \ New South Wales|publisher=Australian Election Archive|access-date=27 September 2020}}</ref>

==Marriages== Bate was married three times: in 1928 to Gerta Ellen Homburg (1907-1985) (two children, John and Margaret); in 1958 to future Country Women's Association president Thelma Kirkby;<ref name=adb>{{Cite AuDB | last = Oppenheimer | first = Melanie | authorlink = Melanie Oppenheimer | title = Bate, Thelma Florence (1904–1984) | id2 = bate-thelma-florence-12184 | accessdate = 31 July 2012}}</ref> and on 19 February 1969 to Dame Zara Holt, the widow of Prime Minister Harold Holt.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ancestry.com/genealogy/records/gerta-ellen-homburg-24-8wxpf0|access-date=2021-02-10|website=www.ancestry.com|title=Gerta Ellen Homburg 1907-1985 - Ancestry® }}</ref>

==Death== Bate died in Canberra on 15 April 1984, aged 78.<ref name="Jeff Bate NSW Parl"/>

==References== {{reflist}}

{{s-start}} {{s-par|au}} {{succession box | title=Member for Macarthur | before= New seat | after=John Kerin | years=1949–1972}} {{s-par|au-nsw-la}} {{succession box | title=Member for Wollondilly | before=Mark Morton | after=Blake Pelly | years=1938–1949}} {{s-end}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bate, Jeff}} Category:Liberal Party of Australia members of the Parliament of Australia Category:Independent members of the Parliament of Australia Category:Members of the Australian House of Representatives Category:Members of the Australian House of Representatives for Macarthur Category:Members of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly Category:1906 births Category:1984 deaths Category:People educated at Newington College Category:Liberal Party of Australia members of the Parliament of New South Wales Category:Australian Army personnel of World War II Category:Australian Army officers Category:Australian MPs 1949–1951 Category:Australian MPs 1951–1954 Category:Australian MPs 1954–1955 Category:Australian MPs 1955–1958 Category:Australian MPs 1958–1961 Category:Australian MPs 1961–1963 Category:Australian MPs 1963–1966 Category:Australian MPs 1966–1969 Category:Australian MPs 1969–1972