Laurence John Failes was an Australia

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. Born in Coonabarabran, New South Wales

Coonabarabran, New South Wales

Coonabarabran is a town in Warrumbungle Shire in northern New South Wales, Australia. At the 2006 census, the town had a population of 2,609.-History and description:...

, he attended state schools and then Hawkesbury Agricultural College

Hawkesbury Agricultural College

Hawkesbury Agricultural College was the first agricultural college of New South Wales, Australia. Established by Sydney Smith in Richmond, New South Wales in 1891, the college was incorporated into the University of Western Sydney in 1989....

 before becoming a farmer at Bugaldie

Bugaldie, New South Wales

Bugaldie is a locality in north-western New South Wales, Australia. A railway station on the now closed GGwabegar railway line was located there between 1923 and 1976....

 and then a businessman at Coonabarabran. He served in World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

 1942-45. In 1949, he was elected to the Australian House of Representatives

Australian House of Representatives

The House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia; it is the lower house; the upper house is the Senate. Members of Parliament serve for terms of approximately three years....

 as the Country 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 for Lawson

Division of Lawson

The Division of Lawson was an Australian Electoral Division in the state of New South Wales. It was located in the north-west of the state, and included the towns of Coonabarabran, Dubbo and Mudgee....

. He held Lawson until its abolition in 1969, at which time he retired. Failes died in 1976.