Vernon Treatt

The Honourable Sir Vernon Treatt KBE, MM, QC
Treatt in 1940.
17th Leader of the Opposition of New South Wales Elections: 1947, 1950, 1953
In office 20 March 1946 – 10 August 1954
Monarchs	George VI Elizabeth II
Deputy	Walter Howarth Robert Askin
Preceded by	Alexander Mair
Succeeded by	Murray Robson
Minister for Justice
In office 16 August 1939 – 16 May 1941
Premier	Alexander Mair
Preceded by	Lewis Martin
Succeeded by	Reg Downing
Member of the New South Wales Parliament for Woollahra
In office 26 March 1938 – 5 February 1962
Preceded by	Harold Mason
Succeeded by	Seat abolished
Chief Commissioner of the City of Sydney
In office 14 November 1967 – 26 September 1969
Deputy	John Shaw
Preceded by	John Armstrong
Succeeded by	Sir Laurence Emmet McDermott
Personal details
Born	(1897-05-15)15 May 1897 Singleton, New South Wales
Died	20 September 1984(1984-09-20) (aged 87) Sydney, New South Wales
Spouse(s)	Dorothy Henderson Frankie Wilson (Lady Treatt)
Occupation	Politician and lawyer
Military service
Allegiance	Australia
Branch/service	Australian Army
Years of service	1913–1914 1916–1919
Rank	Sergeant
Unit	Australian Cadet Corps 6th Field Artillery, RAA
Battles/wars	First World War Western Front
Awards	Military Medal

Sir Vernon Haddon Treatt KBE, MM, QC (15 May 1897 – 20 September 1984) was an Australian lawyer, soldier, Rhodes Scholar and politician. Born in Singleton, New South Wales and educated at Shore School, Treatt interrupted his studies at the University of Sydney to enlist at the outbreak of the First World War. Serving in the Royal Australian Artillery, Treatt served in France and was awarded the Military Medal. Upon returning to Australia he was awarded a Rhodes scholarship and further educated at New College, Oxford.

After briefly practising law in 1923 in Britain, Treatt returned to Australia and was admitted to the New South Wales bar that same year, serving as a Crown Prosecutor at the supreme court. Treatt also was the Challis law lecturer at the University of Sydney. Treatt entered the New South Wales Legislative Assembly on 26 March 1938, representing the Electoral district of Woollahra for the United Australia Party (UAP). When UAP Premier Bertram Stevens was ousted from the leadership in August 1939 and Alexander Mair became Premier, Mair appointed Treatt, after serving only a few months in Parliament, as the Minister for Justice. He served in this office until the UAP lost power in 1941.

During this time Treatt witnessed the break-up of the UAP into the various parties including the Democratic Party, which he joined, and then the establishment of the Liberal Party of Australia as the major conservative political force in Australia in 1945. When the second leader of the party, Alexander Mair, resigned in March 1946, Treatt was elected to succeed him. As the third leader of the new party, Treatt became the first leader to contest an election. After serving eight years and almost winning government at the 1950 election, Treatt resigned as Leader in August 1954 following a July attempt to depose him. He continued as a member of parliament until he was defeated in 1962 and thereafter served in various organisations and posts, including as a Chief Commissioner of the City of Sydney in 1969, until his death in 1984.