John Norman “Jock” Nelson

Appointed: 10 December 1973 to 12 November 1975

Date of birth: 28 May 1908

Place of birth: Bundaberg, Queensland, Australia

Parents: Harold G Nelson (unionist and the Northern Territory's first Federal Member of the House of Representatives)

Education: State schools in Darwin

Spouse: Margaret Caroline Nelson (née Bloomfield)

Children: 2 daughters

Employment history

1942 to 1945 - Australian Imperial Force
Royal Australian Engineers
Jackaroo and drilling contractor Northern Territory
1947 to 1949 - Foundation ALP Member (elected) for Sturt in the first NT Legislative Council
1949 to 1966 - ALP Member for NT House of Representatives
1951 - Member Commonwealth Parliament delegation at the Inauguration of Papua New Guinea Legislative Council
1961 - Member Parliamentary Select Committee on Voting Rights of Aborigines
1963 - Member Select Committee Arnhem Land Reserve
1956 to 1966 - Secretary Federal Parliamentary Labor Party
1971 to 1973 - First Mayor of Alice Springs
1973 to 1975 - Appointed Administrator of the Northern Territory - the first Territorian to hold this office
1975 - Resigned to contest the Territory's Federal seat for Labor (unsuccessful in his bid)

Honours and awards

Subsequent career: Settled in Alice Springs

Memorials: Nelson Terrace, Alice Springs and Jock Nelson Centre, Parsons Street, Alice Springs - died in Alice Springs on 20 June 1991