Roger Wotton
Encyclopedia
Roger Corfield Anson Wotton (born 14 September 1919) is a former Australia
n politician. He was the Country Party
(later National Party) member for Burrendong
from 1968 to 1971 and from 1973 to 1981, and then for Castlereagh
from 1981 to 1991 in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
.
Wotton was born in Ardlethan
, New South Wales
, and attended the local public school and then Yanco
Agricultural High School. He served in the 2nd Australian Imperial Force
1940–45, rising to the rank of lieutenant
and serving in Darwin, Morotai
and Borneo
. He married Shirley Crick on 3 February 1945, with whom he had five children. He became a farmer and grazier after the war, and joined the Country Party
in 1950. He served on Coonabarabran Shire Council from 1963 to 1968, and as Deputy Shire President from 1965.
In 1968, Wotton was selected as the Country Party's candidate for the new state seat of Burrendong
, which largely replaced the old seat of Mudgee
. He was elected without difficulty on Liberal
preferences. In 1971, however, he was challenged by Leo Nott
, the former Labor
member for Mudgee who had retired at the previous election. Nott was narrowly successful, but Wotton defeated him in 1973. In 1981, Burrendong was abolished, and Wotton contested the seat of Castlereagh
, which, despite being held by Labor MP Jim Curran
, now had a notional NCP majority. Wotton was successful, and held the seat until its abolition in 1991, when he retired.
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. He was 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...
(later National Party) member for Burrendong
Electoral district of Burrendong
Burrendong was an electoral district of Legislative Assembly of the Australian state of New South Wales, created in 1968, partly replacing Mudgee and named after the Burrendong Dam. It was abolished in 1981.-Members for Burrendong:...
from 1968 to 1971 and from 1973 to 1981, and then for Castlereagh
Electoral district of Castlereagh
Castlereagh was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales originally created in 1904, partly replacing Coonamble and named after the Castlereagh River. In 1920, with the introduction of proportional representation, it was absorbed into Wammerawa,...
from 1981 to 1991 in 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...
.
Wotton was born in Ardlethan
Ardlethan, New South Wales
Ardlethan is a small service town located in the Coolamon Shire in New South Wales, Australia. Ardlethan is located at the intersection of the Burley Griffin Way and Newell Highway...
, 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...
, and attended the local public school and then Yanco
Yanco, New South Wales
Yanco is a village with a population of 572 in Leeton Shire in South Western New South Wales, Australia. Yanco is a Wiradjuri aboriginal language word meaning the sound of running water. Yanco is located three kilometres from Leeton along the Irrigation Way...
Agricultural High School. He served in the 2nd Australian Imperial Force
Australian Imperial Force
The Australian Imperial Force was the name given to all-volunteer Australian Army forces dispatched to fight overseas during World War I and World War II.* First Australian Imperial Force * Second Australian Imperial Force...
1940–45, rising to the rank of lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
and serving in Darwin, Morotai
Morotai
Morotai Island Regency is a regency of North Maluku province, Indonesia, located on Morotai Island. The population was 54,876 in 2007.-History:...
and Borneo
Borneo
Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located north of Java Island, Indonesia, at the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia....
. He married Shirley Crick on 3 February 1945, with whom he had five children. He became a farmer and grazier after the war, and joined 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...
in 1950. He served on Coonabarabran Shire Council from 1963 to 1968, and as Deputy Shire President from 1965.
In 1968, Wotton was selected as the Country Party's candidate for the new state seat of Burrendong
Electoral district of Burrendong
Burrendong was an electoral district of Legislative Assembly of the Australian state of New South Wales, created in 1968, partly replacing Mudgee and named after the Burrendong Dam. It was abolished in 1981.-Members for Burrendong:...
, which largely replaced the old seat of Mudgee
Electoral district of Mudgee
Mudgee was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales first created in 1859, partly replacing Wellington and Bligh and named after and including Mudgee. Following the abolition of Goldfields West in 1880, it elected three members simultaneously,...
. He was elected without difficulty on 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. In 1971, however, he was challenged by Leo Nott
Leo Nott
Leo Mervyn Nott was an Australian politician and a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly between 1953 and 1968 and again between 1971 and 1973. He was a member of the Australian Labor Party ....
, the former 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 for Mudgee who had retired at the previous election. Nott was narrowly successful, but Wotton defeated him in 1973. In 1981, Burrendong was abolished, and Wotton contested the seat of Castlereagh
Electoral district of Castlereagh
Castlereagh was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales originally created in 1904, partly replacing Coonamble and named after the Castlereagh River. In 1920, with the introduction of proportional representation, it was absorbed into Wammerawa,...
, which, despite being held by Labor MP Jim Curran
Jim Curran
James Lawrence Curran was an Australian politician. He was an Australian Labor Party member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1980 to 1981, representing the electorate of Castlereagh....
, now had a notional NCP majority. Wotton was successful, and held the seat until its abolition in 1991, when he retired.