On the anniversary of the Commonwealth Bank opening for business in Victoria on this day in 1912, Michael speaks with Marea Donnelly, Author & historian, about the man instrumental for the formation of Australia’s first savings bank.

King O’Malley (2 July 1858 – 20 December 1953) was an Australian politician who served in the House of Representatives from 1901 to 1917, and served two terms as Minister for Home Affairs (1910–1913 & 1915–16).

He is remembered for his role in the development of the national capital Canberra with the suburb of O’Malley being named after him.

In 1908, O’Malley agitated for the establishment of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, a state-owned savings and investment bank, and at the third ALP conference pushed for the creation of a ‘Commonwealth Bank’.

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