George Pearce

The Right Honourable Sir George Pearce KCVO
Pearce, c. 1915
Minister for External Affairs
In office 12 October 1934 – 29 November 1937
Prime Minister	Joseph Lyons
Preceded by	John Latham
Succeeded by	Billy Hughes
Minister for Defence
In office 6 January 1932 – 12 October 1934
Prime Minister	Joseph Lyons
Preceded by	Ben Chifley
Succeeded by	Archdale Parkhill
In office 17 September 1914 – 21 December 1921
Prime Minister	Andrew Fisher Billy Hughes
Preceded by	Edward Millen
Succeeded by	Walter Massy-Greene
In office 29 April 1910 – 24 June 1913
Prime Minister	Andrew Fisher
Preceded by	Joseph Cook
Succeeded by	Edward Millen
In office 13 November 1908 – 2 June 1909
Prime Minister	Andrew Fisher
Preceded by	Thomas Ewing
Succeeded by	Joseph Cook
Leader of the Government in the Senate
In office 6 January 1932 – 29 November 1937
Preceded by	John Barnes
Succeeded by	Alexander McLachlan
In office 9 February 1923 – 19 October 1929
Preceded by	Edward Millen
Succeeded by	John Daly
In office 17 September 1914 – 17 February 1917
Preceded by	Edward Millen
Succeeded by	Edward Millen
Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
In office 22 October 1929 – 6 January 1932
Preceded by	John Daly
Succeeded by	John Barnes
Minister for Home and Territories
In office 21 December 1921 – 18 June 1926
Prime Minister	Billy Hughes Stanley Bruce
Preceded by	Alexander Poynton
Succeeded by	William Glasgow
Deputy Leader of the Labor Party
In office 27 October 1915 – 14 November 1916
Leader	Billy Hughes
Preceded by	Billy Hughes
Succeeded by	Albert Gardiner
Senator for Western Australia
In office 29 March 1901 – 30 June 1938
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Robert Clothier
Personal details
Born	George Foster Pearce (1870-01-14)14 January 1870 Mount Barker, Province of South Australia, British Empire
Died	24 June 1952(1952-06-24) (aged 82) Elwood, Victoria, Australia
Political party	Labor (until 1916) National Labor (1916–1917) Nationalist (1917–1931) United Australia Party (from 1931)
Spouse	Eliza Barrett ​ ​ (m. 1897; died 1947)​
Occupation	Carpenter
Signature

Sir George Foster Pearce KCVO (14 January 1870 – 24 June 1952) was an Australian politician who served as a Senator for Western Australia from 1901 to 1938. He began his career in the Labor Party but later joined the National Labor Party, the Nationalist Party, and the United Australia Party; he served as a cabinet minister under prime ministers from all four parties.

Pearce was born in Mount Barker, South Australia. He left school at the age of 11 and trained as a carpenter, later moving to Western Australia and becoming involved in the union movement. He helped establish the Labor Party there, and in 1901 – aged 31 – was elected to the new federal parliament. Pearce was elevated to cabinet in 1908, under Andrew Fisher, and served in each of Fisher's three governments. He continued on in cabinet when Billy Hughes became prime minister in 1915, and after the Labor Party split of 1916 followed Hughes to the National Labor Party and then to the Nationalists. Pearce also served in cabinet under Stanley Bruce and, after joining the UAP in 1931, Joseph Lyons. He was Minister for Defence from 1908 to 1909, 1910 to 1913, 1914 to 1921, and 1932 to 1934. His 24 years in cabinet and 37 years as a senator are both records.