Norman Makin | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Australian Ambassador to the United States | |
| In office 5 September 1946 – 1 January 1951 | |
| Preceded by | Frederic Eggleston |
| Succeeded by | Percy Spender |
| Minister for Aircraft Production | |
| In office 2 February 1945 – 3 August 1946 | |
| Prime Minister | John Curtin Frank Forde Ben Chifley |
| Preceded by | Don Cameron |
| Succeeded by | John Dedman |
| Minister for the Navy | |
| In office 7 October 1941 – 3 August 1946 | |
| Prime Minister | John Curtin Frank Forde Ben Chifley |
| Preceded by | Billy Hughes |
| Succeeded by | Arthur Drakeford |
| Minister for Munitions | |
| In office 7 October 1941 – 3 August 1946 | |
| Prime Minister | John Curtin Frank Forde Ben Chifley |
| Preceded by | Philip McBride |
| Succeeded by | John Dedman |
| Speaker of the Australian House of Representatives | |
| In office 20 November 1929 – 16 February 1932 | |
| Preceded by | Sir Littleton Groom |
| Succeeded by | George Mackay |
| Member of the Australian Parliament for Bonython | |
| In office 10 December 1955 – 1 November 1963 | |
| Preceded by | New seat |
| Succeeded by | Martin Nicholls |
| Member of the Australian Parliament for Sturt | |
| In office 29 May 1954 – 10 December 1955 | |
| Preceded by | Keith Wilson |
| Succeeded by | Keith Wilson |
| Member of the Australian Parliament for Hindmarsh | |
| In office 13 December 1919 – 14 August 1946 | |
| Preceded by | William Archibald |
| Succeeded by | Albert Thompson |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Norman John Oswald Makin 31 March 1889 Petersham, New South Wales, Australia |
| Died | 20 July 1982 (aged 93) Adelaide, South Australia, Australia |
| Political party | Labor |
| Spouse |
Ruby Jennings (m. 1912) |
| Occupation | Metal worker |
Norman John Oswald Makin AO (31 March 1889 – 20 July 1982) was an Australian politician and diplomat. He was a member of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) and served as Speaker of the House of Representatives (1929–1932), a cabinet minister during World War II, the inaugural President of the United Nations Security Council, and as Australian Ambassador to the United States (1946–1951).
Makin was born in Sydney to a working-class family and moved frequently during his youth, settling in South Australia in 1911. He trained as a patternmaker and was an officeholder in the Amalgamated Society of Engineers. Makin was an anti-conscriptionist during the 1916 ALP split and subsequently served as state president from 1918 to 1919. He was first elected to the House of Representatives at the 1919 federal election. During the Scullin government he served as Speaker of the House, the youngest holder of the office.
During World War II, Makin was a senior cabinet minister in the governments of John Curtin and Ben Chifley, serving as Minister for the Navy (1941–1946), Minister for Munitions (1941–1946), and Minister for Aircraft Production (1945–1946). He unsuccessfully sought the ALP leadership on two occasions. In 1946 Makin was chosen to lead the inaugural Australian delegation to the United Nations and subsequently became Australian ambassador to the United States. He returned to federal parliament at the 1954 election, eventually retiring at the 1963 election after over 36 years as an MP.