William Robert Nuttall Maloney (12 April 1854 – 29 August 1940) was an Australian doctor and politician. He was a member of parliament for over 50 years, beginning his career in the Victorian Legislative Assembly as the member for the seat of West Melbourne (1889–1903). He was elected to the federal House of Representatives at the 1904 Melbourne by-election, representing the Australian Labor Party (ALP). He held the seat until his death in 1940 at the age of 86, the sixth-longest period of service in federal parliament and the longest period of service as a backbencher. Early life Born into a wealthy family in West Melbourne, Maloney was educated in the Melbourne private school system, the University of Melbourne and St Mary's Hospital, London, graduating as a Medical Doctor. Returning to Melbourne in 1888, Maloney divided his time between his obstetrics practice and agitating for social reform. It was during this period that he acquired the nickname that he would retain throughout his life, the Little Doctor. In 1883, Maloney joined two young Australian artists, Tom Roberts and John Peter Russell, on a walking tour of France and Spain. He visited Russell in Paris on several occasions, and in July 1887, on his final visit, Russell painted his portrait in the Impressionist style and gave it to him to take home to Australia. It remained in his possession until his death in 1940, and in 1943 came into the possession of the National Gallery of Victoria. Maloney also kept in touch with Roberts, and purchased one of the panels from the 9 by 5 Impression Exhibition of 1889. Colonial politics Elected to the Victorian colonial Legislative Assembly as the Member for West Melbourne in April 1889, Maloney showed his radical nature by introducing one of the first Bills advocating women's suffrage in the British Empire. He also found the time to establish the Medical Institute, which provided free medical treatment for the poorer denizens of Melbourne. Federal politics Maloney resigned from the Assembly in November 1903 to stand for the Division of Melbourne at the 1903 federal election, narrowly losing to the opposing Protectionist Party candidate Malcolm McEacharn. It was actually his second run for the seat; he had stood as the Labor candidate at the first federal election and was soundly defeated by McEacharn. However, Maloney protested the much narrower 1903 defeat before the Court of Disputed Elections. He