9 1 4 , ▁with ▁whom ▁he ▁had ▁two ▁sons ▁and ▁two ▁daughters . ▁ ▁Political ▁career ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9 1 7 ▁election , ▁Bla keley ▁was ▁elected ▁as ▁the ▁member ▁for ▁Dar ling ▁in ▁the ▁Australian ▁House ▁of ▁Representatives ▁after ▁a ▁sust ained ▁campaign ▁against ▁cons cription . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁Australian ▁Work ers ' ▁Union ▁from ▁ 1 9 1 9 ▁to ▁ 1 9 2 3 . ▁ ▁In ▁April ▁ 1 9 2 8 , ▁he ▁was ▁elected ▁deput y ▁leader ▁of ▁the ▁parliament ary ▁party , ▁but ▁lost ▁it ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 9 ▁to ▁Ted ▁The odore . ▁ ▁On ▁the ▁election ▁of ▁the ▁Sc ull in ▁government , ▁Bla keley ▁became ▁Minister ▁for ▁Home ▁and ▁Territ ories ▁until ▁Labor ' s ▁defeat ▁at ▁the ▁ 1 9 3 1 ▁election . ▁ ▁This ▁position ▁was ▁responsible ▁for ▁the ▁development ▁of ▁Can ber ra ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 0 ▁he ▁announced ▁the ▁establishment ▁of ▁a ▁university ▁college ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 1 , ▁he ▁abol ished ▁the ▁Federal ▁Capital ▁Commission . ▁On ▁the ▁advice ▁of ▁the ▁Northern ▁Territ ory ▁Past oral ▁Les se es ' ▁Association , ▁Bla keley ▁o vers aw ▁the ▁re - est ab lish ment ▁of ▁the ▁single ▁Northern ▁Territ ory , ▁which ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 6 ▁had ▁been ▁split ▁into ▁the ▁separate ▁territ ories ▁of ▁Central ▁Australia ▁and ▁North ▁Australia . ▁The ▁territ ories ▁were ▁dis est ab lished