Leon Punch
Encyclopedia
Leon Ashton Punch was a New South Wales
politician, Deputy Premier, and Minister of the Crown in the cabinets of Sir Robert Askin
, Tom Lewis
and Sir Eric Willis
. From 1975 to 1976 he was the Deputy Premier of New South Wales
. He was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
for 26 years from 21 March 1959 until his retirement on 2 July 1985 for the Country Party of Australia and its successor, the National Party of Australia.
in 1928, the son of Thomas Sydney Punch, a local Doctor, and was educated at Inverell High School and then later at The Kings School, Parramatta. Upon graduating he worked on his family's properties from 1947 to 1959 at Jerrys Plains and Barraba
. It was here that he first entered politics in 1956 when he was elected as a Councillor
on Barraba Shire Council
, on which he served until he resigned to enter the NSW parliament in 1959. On 15 September 1960 he married Suzette Meyers and together had two sons.
, D'Arcy Rose
, retired and Punch was preselcted to contest the seat for the Country Party. He was duly elected on 21 March 1959 at the election
, gaining 52.48% of the vote.
He represented Upper Hunter until 5 February 1962 when he contested the nearby seat of Gloucester
at the 1962 election
, which had been left vacant by the retirement of the sitting member, Ray Fitzgerald
. Punch contested preselection for Gloucester against Alan Borthwick, who had contested Gloucester previously 1959 as an Independent candidate. Borthwick won the ballot, but Punch appealed to the State Executive claiming irregularities in the vote. The party eventually resolved the matter by endorsing both Borthwick and Punch for the election, creating the unusual situation where two Country Party candidates contested the same seat. Despite this, Borthwick was excluded on the second count and Punch was elected with 64.09% against Labor. Punch was re-elected a further eight times with a significant majority.
In 1966 he was appointed as a Councillor for the University of Newcastle
, an office which he held until 1974. In his early political years he remained on the backbench and gained parliamentary experience as Chairman of Committees from 26 March 1968 to 13 January 1971 and 16 March 1971 to 17 January 1973.
, appointed him to succeed Sir Davis Hughes
as Minister for Public Works, an office he was to hold through successive cabinets until the Coalition Government lost office on 14 May 1976. On 3 January 1975, the new Premier, Tom Lewis
, appointed him as the first Minister for Ports which he also held until 14 May 1976. When Sir Charles Cutler
retired on 16 December 1975, Punch was elected to succeed him as Leader of the National Country Party and as Deputy Premier the next day. He served as Deputy Premier of New South Wales
, Minister for Public Works and Ports in the government of Sir Eric Willis until they lost government at the 1976 election
.
Punch remained as leader of the National Country Party (National Party from 1982) under successive Opposition Leaders but did not hold any shadow ministry. Following the landslide loss at the September 1981 election
, the National Country Party and the Liberals both held 14 seats. Punch then contested the vacant Leadership of the Opposition, a move which was opposed by former Deputy Leader Tim Bruxner
, but lost to the new leader of the Liberals, John Dowd
, whom Punch considered too far left on matters of human rights. He had a reputation as a strong debater and was recognised as one of the few people who could match the style of Premier Neville Wran
. On 16 October 1984, Punch was suspended from Parliament for 48 hours for unparliamentary behaviour after an unruly session in which Punch accused the speaker, Laurie Kelly
, of bias towards the government.
, appointed him on 6 April 1984 as Shadow Minister for Public Works and Ports, which he held until his retirement from politics on 2 July 1985. Following his retirement in 1985, he was made a NSW National Party life member. On his retirement, he was permitted by Queen Elizabeth II, on the Governor's recommendation, to continue to use the title "The Honourable". Punch died in the Sydney
suburb of Church Point
on 28 December 1991.
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...
politician, Deputy Premier, and Minister of the Crown in the cabinets of Sir Robert Askin
Robert Askin
Sir Robert William Askin GCMG, was an Australian politician and the 32nd Premier of New South Wales from 1965 to 1975, the first representing the Liberal Party of Australia. He was born in 1907 as Robin William Askin, but always disliked his first name and changed it by deed poll in 1971...
, Tom Lewis
Tom Lewis (Australian politician)
Thomas Lancelot Lewis AO is a former New South Wales politician, Premier of New South Wales and Minister of the Crown in the cabinets of Sir Robert Askin and Sir Eric Willis. He was made the Premier of New South Wales following Askin's retirement from politics and held it until he was replaced by...
and Sir Eric Willis
Eric Willis
Sir Eric Archibald Willis KBE, CMG was an Australian politician, Cabinet Minister and the 34th Premier of New South Wales, serving from 23 January 1976 to 14 May 1976. Born in Murwillumbah in 1922, Willis was educated at Murwillumbah High School and the University of Sydney, where he obtained a...
. From 1975 to 1976 he was the Deputy Premier of New South Wales
Deputy Premier of New South Wales
The Deputy Premier of New South Wales is the second-most senior officer in the Government of New South Wales. The Deputy Premiership has been a ministerial portfolio since 1932, and the Deputy Premier is appointed by the Governor on the advice of the Premier....
. He was a 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 26 years from 21 March 1959 until his retirement on 2 July 1985 for the Country Party of Australia and its successor, the National Party of Australia.
Early life
Punch was born in InverellInverell, New South Wales
Inverell is a town in northern New South Wales, Australia, situated on the Macintyre River. It is also the centre of Inverell Shire. Inverell is located on the Gwydir Highway on the western slopes of the Northern Tablelands. It has a temperate climate...
in 1928, the son of Thomas Sydney Punch, a local Doctor, and was educated at Inverell High School and then later at The Kings School, Parramatta. Upon graduating he worked on his family's properties from 1947 to 1959 at Jerrys Plains and Barraba
Barraba, New South Wales
Barraba is a town in the New England region of northern New South Wales, Australia. It was formerly the centre of Barraba Shire Local Government Area, but most of this, including Barraba, was absorbed into Tamworth Regional Council in 2004. On Census night 2006, Barraba had a population of 1,161...
. It was here that he first entered politics in 1956 when he was elected as a Councillor
Councillor
A councillor or councilor is a member of a local government council, such as a city council.Often in the United States, the title is councilman or councilwoman.-United Kingdom:...
on Barraba Shire Council
Tamworth Regional Council
Tamworth Regional Council is a Local Government Area in the New England region of New South Wales, Australia. It is on the New England Highway and the Main North railway line.- Incomes :According to the during 2003-04, there:...
, on which he served until he resigned to enter the NSW parliament in 1959. On 15 September 1960 he married Suzette Meyers and together had two sons.
Early Political career
On 16 February 1959, the Member for Upper HunterElectoral district of Upper Hunter
Upper Hunter is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is represented by George Souris of the National Party of Australia....
, D'Arcy Rose
D'Arcy Rose
D'Arcy Rose was an Australian politician and a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1939 until 1959. He was a member of the Country Party.Rose was born in Ashfield, New South Wales...
, retired and Punch was preselcted to contest the seat for the Country Party. He was duly elected on 21 March 1959 at the election
New South Wales state election, 1959
The 1959 New South Wales state election was held on 21 March 1959. It was conducted in single member constituencies with compulsory preferential voting and was held on boundaries created at a 1957 redistribution...
, gaining 52.48% of the vote.
He represented Upper Hunter until 5 February 1962 when he contested the nearby seat of Gloucester
Electoral district of Gloucester
Gloucester was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales, originally created in 1880, partly replacing Williams, and named after Gloucester or Gloucester County . In 1920, with the introduction of proportional representation, it was absorbed into...
at the 1962 election
New South Wales state election, 1962
The 1962 New South Wales state election was held on 3 March 1962. It was conducted in single member constituencies with compulsory preferential voting and was held on boundaries created at a 1961 redistribution...
, which had been left vacant by the retirement of the sitting member, Ray Fitzgerald
Ray Fitzgerald (politician)
Raymond Leo Fitzgerald was an Australian politician. He was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1941 until 1962 and served as an independent member until 1950 and then as a member of the Country Party....
. Punch contested preselection for Gloucester against Alan Borthwick, who had contested Gloucester previously 1959 as an Independent candidate. Borthwick won the ballot, but Punch appealed to the State Executive claiming irregularities in the vote. The party eventually resolved the matter by endorsing both Borthwick and Punch for the election, creating the unusual situation where two Country Party candidates contested the same seat. Despite this, Borthwick was excluded on the second count and Punch was elected with 64.09% against Labor. Punch was re-elected a further eight times with a significant majority.
In 1966 he was appointed as a Councillor for the University of Newcastle
University of Newcastle, Australia
The University of Newcastle is an Australian public university that was established in 1965. The University's main and largest campus is located in Callaghan, a suburb of Newcastle in New South Wales...
, an office which he held until 1974. In his early political years he remained on the backbench and gained parliamentary experience as Chairman of Committees from 26 March 1968 to 13 January 1971 and 16 March 1971 to 17 January 1973.
Minister of the Crown and Leader
In early 1973 he was elected by his party as Deputy Leader and on 17 January, the Premier, Sir Robert AskinRobert Askin
Sir Robert William Askin GCMG, was an Australian politician and the 32nd Premier of New South Wales from 1965 to 1975, the first representing the Liberal Party of Australia. He was born in 1907 as Robin William Askin, but always disliked his first name and changed it by deed poll in 1971...
, appointed him to succeed Sir Davis Hughes
Davis Hughes
Sir Davis Hughes was an Australian politician and bureaucrat.-Early life:Hughes was born in Launceston, Tasmania and was educated at Launceston High School and the University of Tasmania, although he did not graduate. He married Joan Johnson in 1940 and they had issue one son and two daughters...
as Minister for Public Works, an office he was to hold through successive cabinets until the Coalition Government lost office on 14 May 1976. On 3 January 1975, the new Premier, Tom Lewis
Tom Lewis (Australian politician)
Thomas Lancelot Lewis AO is a former New South Wales politician, Premier of New South Wales and Minister of the Crown in the cabinets of Sir Robert Askin and Sir Eric Willis. He was made the Premier of New South Wales following Askin's retirement from politics and held it until he was replaced by...
, appointed him as the first Minister for Ports which he also held until 14 May 1976. When Sir Charles Cutler
Charles Cutler
Sir Charles Benjamin Cutler KBE, ED was an Australian politician, holding office for 28 years as an elected member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for Orange...
retired on 16 December 1975, Punch was elected to succeed him as Leader of the National Country Party and as Deputy Premier the next day. He served as Deputy Premier of New South Wales
Deputy Premier of New South Wales
The Deputy Premier of New South Wales is the second-most senior officer in the Government of New South Wales. The Deputy Premiership has been a ministerial portfolio since 1932, and the Deputy Premier is appointed by the Governor on the advice of the Premier....
, Minister for Public Works and Ports in the government of Sir Eric Willis until they lost government at the 1976 election
New South Wales state election, 1976
A general election for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly was held in the state of New South Wales, Australia, on Saturday 1 May 1976. The result was a narrow win for the Australian Labor Party under Neville Wran—the party's first in the state in more than a decade.- Issues :The incumbent...
.
Punch remained as leader of the National Country Party (National Party from 1982) under successive Opposition Leaders but did not hold any shadow ministry. Following the landslide loss at the September 1981 election
New South Wales state election, 1981
Elections were held in the state of New South Wales, Australia, on Saturday 19 September 1981. The result was a second "Wranslide": a landslide victory for the Australian Labor Party under Neville Wran, in which the government increased its already sizeable majority.The Liberals suffered the double...
, the National Country Party and the Liberals both held 14 seats. Punch then contested the vacant Leadership of the Opposition, a move which was opposed by former Deputy Leader Tim Bruxner
Tim Bruxner
James Caird Bruxner , also known as J.C. Bruxner, was an Australian politician who was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for 19 years from 3 March 1962 to 28 August 1981 and the Deputy Leader of the Country Party of Australia and its successors in New South Wales from 1975 to...
, but lost to the new leader of the Liberals, John Dowd
John Dowd (politician)
John Robert Arthur Dowd AO QC , a former Australian politician and jurist, is the Chancellor of Southern Cross University and the President of ActionAid Australia, an international aid organisation.-Early years and background:...
, whom Punch considered too far left on matters of human rights. He had a reputation as a strong debater and was recognised as one of the few people who could match the style of Premier Neville Wran
Neville Wran
Neville Kenneth Wran, AC, CNZM, QC was the Premier of New South Wales from 1976 until 1986. He was National President of the Australian Labor Party from 1980 to 1986 and Chairman of both the Lionel Murphy Foundation and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation from 1986...
. On 16 October 1984, Punch was suspended from Parliament for 48 hours for unparliamentary behaviour after an unruly session in which Punch accused the speaker, Laurie Kelly
Laurie Kelly (politician)
Lawrence Borthwick "Laurie" Kelly is a former Australian politician. He was the Labor member for Corrimal in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1968 to 1988, and served as Speaker from 1976 to 1988....
, of bias towards the government.
Later life
The new Liberal Leader, Nick GreinerNick Greiner
Nicholas "Nick" Frank Hugo Greiner AC, is an Australian businessman and former politician. He was the 37th Premier New South Wales from 1988 to 1992. He was Leader of the New South Wales Division of the Liberal Party from 1983 to 1992 and Leader of the Opposition from 1983 to 1988. He is married...
, appointed him on 6 April 1984 as Shadow Minister for Public Works and Ports, which he held until his retirement from politics on 2 July 1985. Following his retirement in 1985, he was made a NSW National Party life member. On his retirement, he was permitted by Queen Elizabeth II, on the Governor's recommendation, to continue to use the title "The Honourable". Punch died in the Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
suburb of Church Point
Church Point, New South Wales
Church Point is a suburb in northern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Church Point is located 32 kilometres north of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Pittwater Council and is part of the Northern Beaches region.-History:Thomas Langford was the...
on 28 December 1991.