Adrian Cruickshank
Encyclopedia
Adrian John Cruickshank (16 December 1936 – 21 May 2010) was an Australia
n politician and philanthropist
. He was the National Party
member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
for Murrumbidgee
from 1984 to 1999.
Cruickshank was born in Hobart
, Tasmania
. He spent time in southern and eastern Africa
as a miner and prospector before returning to Australia to farm. In 1966, he became New South Wales
State Chairman of the Young Australian Country Party
, holding the position until 1968 when he was appointed to the state council, serving until 1984. He was elected to Carrathool Shire Council in 1970 and remained until 1974. He was chairman of the Rankins Springs
branch of the party from 1972 to 1984.
In 1984, Cruickshank was selected as the National
candidate for the state seat of Murrumbidgee
, which was being vacated by sitting Labor
member Lin Gordon
. Cruickshank finished third on the primary votes behind Labor candidate Margaret Delves and independent Thomas Marriott, but with Liberal
preferences pushed into second place and was elected the victor on Marriott's preferences, with a margin of 51.52%.
Partly due to redistributions which greatly strengthened the National Party in Murrumbidgee, Cruickshank faced no further serious challenges and was re-elected in 1988, 1991, and 1995. He retired in 1999 and was succeeded as National MP for the seat by Adrian Piccoli
.
On 21 May 2010, Cruickshank died at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital
from pneumonia
.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n politician and philanthropist
Philanthropist
A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...
. He was the National Party
National Party of Australia
The National Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Traditionally representing graziers, farmers and rural voters generally, it began as the The Country Party, but adopted the name The National Country Party in 1975, changed to The National Party of Australia in 1982. The party is...
member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
New South Wales Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of New South Wales, an Australian state. The other chamber is the Legislative Council. Both the Assembly and Council sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney...
for Murrumbidgee
Electoral district of Murrumbidgee
Murrumbidgee is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales, named after the Murrumbidgee River. It is represented by Adrian Piccoli of the National Party of Australia....
from 1984 to 1999.
Cruickshank was born in Hobart
Hobart
Hobart is the state capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Founded in 1804 as a penal colony,Hobart is Australia's second oldest capital city after Sydney. In 2009, the city had a greater area population of approximately 212,019. A resident of Hobart is known as...
, Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
. He spent time in southern and eastern Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
as a miner and prospector before returning to Australia to farm. In 1966, he became New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
State Chairman of the Young Australian Country Party
Young Nationals (Australia)
The Young Nationals, is the youth division of the National Party of Australia, and membership is open to those between 18 and 35 years of age. Young Nationals also have full party membership, and partake in state and federal conferences with equal rights to members of the senior party...
, holding the position until 1968 when he was appointed to the state council, serving until 1984. He was elected to Carrathool Shire Council in 1970 and remained until 1974. He was chairman of the Rankins Springs
Rankins Springs, New South Wales
Rankins Springs is a small town in the Riverina region of New South Wales, Australia. It is in Carrathool Shire Council and on the Mid-Western Highway...
branch of the party from 1972 to 1984.
In 1984, Cruickshank was selected as the National
National Party of Australia
The National Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Traditionally representing graziers, farmers and rural voters generally, it began as the The Country Party, but adopted the name The National Country Party in 1975, changed to The National Party of Australia in 1982. The party is...
candidate for the state seat of Murrumbidgee
Electoral district of Murrumbidgee
Murrumbidgee is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales, named after the Murrumbidgee River. It is represented by Adrian Piccoli of the National Party of Australia....
, which was being vacated by sitting Labor
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
member Lin Gordon
Lin Gordon
Alan Robert Lindsay "Lin" Gordon was an Australian politician. He was the Labor member for Murrumbidgee in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1970 to 1984...
. Cruickshank finished third on the primary votes behind Labor candidate Margaret Delves and independent Thomas Marriott, but with Liberal
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
preferences pushed into second place and was elected the victor on Marriott's preferences, with a margin of 51.52%.
Partly due to redistributions which greatly strengthened the National Party in Murrumbidgee, Cruickshank faced no further serious challenges and was re-elected in 1988, 1991, and 1995. He retired in 1999 and was succeeded as National MP for the seat by Adrian Piccoli
Adrian Piccoli
Adrian Piccoli is an Australian politician representing the electoral district of Murrumbidgee in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly. He is the Minister for Education in the O'Farrell Government and the Deputy Leader of the New South Wales Nationals.-Personal life:Piccoli was born in Griffith...
.
On 21 May 2010, Cruickshank died at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital
Royal Prince Alfred Hospital
The Royal Prince Alfred Hospital is a major public teaching hospital in Sydney, Australia, located on Missenden Road in Camperdown...
from pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
.