Ian Thompson (politician)

The Honourable Ian Thompson AM
Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Western Australia
In office 24 May 1977 – 21 March 1983
Preceded by	Ross Hutchinson
Succeeded by	John Harman
Member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly for Darling Range
In office 20 February 1971 – 30 March 1974
Preceded by	Ken Dunn
Succeeded by	Constituency abolished
Member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly for Kalamunda
In office 30 March 1974 – 4 February 1989
Preceded by	Constituency created
Succeeded by	Constituency abolished
Member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly for Darling Range
In office 4 February 1989 – 6 February 1993
Preceded by	Bob Greig
Succeeded by	John Day
Personal details
Born	1 September 1935 Morawa, Western Australia
Died	2 December 2009(2009-12-02) (aged 74) Perth, Western Australia
Resting place	Karrakatta Cemetery
Political party	Liberal (from 1963) Independent (after 1989)
Spouse	Margaret Lynette Eddy ​ ​ (m. 1958)​
Children	4
Education	Midland Junction High School
Profession	Electrician, politician

Ian David Thompson AM (1 September 1935 – 2 December 2009) was an Australian politician who served as Speaker of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly.

Thompson was born in Morawa and left school in year 8, working as a carpenter, fitter and mechanic. In 1971 he was elected as the Liberal member for Darling Range. He transferred to Kalamunda in 1974 and back to Darling Range in 1989. He held various shadow ministries during the 1980s. In the 1970s he was one of a group of Liberal MPs to oppose the closure of the Tresillian disabled children's home; Thompson claimed Premier Sir Charles Court blamed him for the party disunity. In 1977 Thompson was elected Speaker of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly, and was required to use his casting vote after the National Country Party withdrew its support for a government bill to limit the ability of illiterate people to vote. Thompson voted against the measure, leading Court to demand his resignation; Thompson refused and faced a censure motion in the Liberal Party room, which was defeated after Margaret McAleer called for unity. Thompson would eventually resign from the Liberal Party anyway, and he retired from politics in 1993 as an independent.