Syd Negus

Sydney Ambrose Negus (12 March 1912 – 1 August 1986) was an Australian politician who was an independent senator for Western Australia from 1971 until 1974.^[1] He was previously a carpenter and building contractor.^[2]

Syd Negus
Senator for Western Australia
In office 1 July 1971 – 18 May 1974
Personal details
Born	(1912-03-12)12 March 1912 Leederville, Western Australia
Died	1 August 1986(1986-08-01) (aged 74)
Political party	Independent
Other political affiliations	Progressive Conservative (1980)
Occupation	carpenter, contractor

Negus was elected largely on an anti-inheritance tax platform, following the death of his brother, Oscar Negus a judge of the Supreme Court of Western Australia, which led to Syd Negus' realisation of the impost of the tax on widows.^[3] His campaign established a groundswell of public support and Queensland was the first state to abolish inheritance taxes in 1977; the Commonwealth of Australia and other states followed soon after by abolishing their respective inheritance and gift taxes.^[2]

Negus was defeated in the 1974 election.^[4] He later contested the 1975 Bass by-election as an independent^[5] and, at the 1980 federal election, was a candidate for the far-right, anti-immigration Progressive Conservative Party.^[6]

Negus was president of the West Australian Sporting Car Club and competed in the Australian Grand Prix on several occasions.^[4]