A by-election was held for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly seat of Vaucluse on Saturday, 24 August 1957. [1] It was triggered by the resignation of the former Leader of the New South Wales Liberal Party, Lt.Col. Murray Robson, who retired from parliament. [2]
The seat was subsequently won by Brigadier Geoffrey Cox of the Liberal Party. Vaucluse being a blue-ribbon Liberal seat, the Labor Party chose not to field a candidate. The Liberals witnessed a drop in their primary vote due to several Independent Liberal candidates splitting the strong conservative vote. [1]
The seat of Vaucluse, a traditionally safe Liberal seat, was held since 1936 by Murray Robson, who, after serving with distinction in the Second World War returned and rose to become Leader of the Liberal Party in 1954.
In August 1954, after the long-serving leader, Vernon Treatt, announced his intention to resign, and Deputy-Leader Robert Askin and Pat Morton had tied in a vote to succeed him, Robson was persuaded by Askin to accept the Leadership of the Liberal Party as a compromise candidate. [3] Like other senior members of the party, after having no conservative government since Alexander Mair in 1941, Robson had no experience in government, he had little interest in policy except for Cold War anti-communism, ignored majority views of his party and fellow parliamentary colleagues and further alienated party members by trying to forge a closer alliance with Michael Bruxner's Country Party. [4]
Over a year after he assumed the leadership, at a party meeting on 20 September 1955, senior party member Ken McCaw moved that the leadership be declared vacant, citing that Robson's leadership lacked the qualities necessary for winning the next election. The motion was carried 15 votes to 5. Robson then moved a motion to prevent Pat Morton, who was the only person nominated for leader, from taking the leadership. This was defeated 16 votes to 6 and Morton was elected unopposed as leader, with Robert Askin remaining as Deputy Leader. Robson retorted that there had been a "continuous intrigue" against his leadership. [4] He was returned for the last time at the 3 March 1956 election with 71.41%. [5] Robson, however, did not stay long afterward; on 26 July 1957, he resigned his seat, [2] and returned to his legal practice until he retired. [6]
The Liberal Party retained the seat, albeit on a significantly reduced margin, due in part to several conservative candidates fracturing the Liberal vote. The Liberal candidate, Geoffrey Cox, emerged with 51% after preferences against Independent Liberal Hugh Foster.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Geoffrey Cox | 7,716 | 44.94 | -26.47 | |
Independent Liberal | Hugh Foster | 3,802 | 22.14 | ||
Independent Liberal | Norman Mills | 2,616 | 15.24 | ||
Independent | Alfred Elboz | 2,354 | 13.71 | ||
Independent | Edward Spensley | 681 | 3.97 | ||
Total formal votes | 17,169 | 74.81 | |||
Informal votes | 792 | 4.41 | |||
Turnout | 17,961 | 79.22 | |||
Two-candidate-preferred result | |||||
Liberal | Geoffrey Cox | 8,854 | 51.57 | ||
Independent Liberal | Hugh Foster | 8,315 | 48.43 | ||
Liberal hold | Swing | N/A | |||
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. He was born in 1907 as Robin William Askin, but always disliked his first name and changed it by deed poll in 1971. Before being knighted in 1972, however, he was generally known as Bob Askin. Born in Sydney in 1907, Askin was educated at Sydney Technical High School. After serving as a bank officer and as a Sergeant in the Second World War, Askin joined the Liberal Party and was elected to the seat of Collaroy at the 1950 election.
Sir Eric Archibald Willis 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 Bachelor of Arts with double honours. Enlisting during the Second World War, Willis served on the homefront and later served in New Guinea and the Philippines. He continued to serve the Citizen Military Forces until 1958.
Lieutenant Colonel Ewan Murray Robson was an Australian lawyer, soldier and a member of the New South Wales Parliament for over twenty years. Known for most of his life as Murray Robson, he was born in Sydney and educated at Newington College and the University of Sydney, where he gained degrees in arts and law. After working several years as a solicitor, Robson stood for, and was elected to, parliament on 29 August 1936 at a by-election for the seat of Vaucluse. He served many years on the backbenches, he enlisted in the Second World War and served with distinction during the war, gaining promotion to lieutenant colonel and receiving the Distinguished Service Order for his service.
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Members of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly who served in the 38th parliament held their seats from 1956 to 1959. They were elected at the 1956 state election, and at by-elections. The Speaker was Bill Lamb.</ref>
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David Amos Arblaster, was a New South Wales politician, Minister for Culture, Sport and Recreation and Minister for Tourism in the cabinet of Sir Eric Willis until the Liberal party lost the 1976 election. Arblaster was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for the Electoral district of Mosman in 1972 and served until his retirement in 1984.
Elections for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly were held in the state of New South Wales, Australia, on Saturday 17 November 1973. The result was a win for the Liberal-Country Party coalition under Sir Robert Askin, which had been in office since 1965. As of 2019, this was the last time the Coalition won a fourth-term in New South Wales.
Philip Henry (Pat) Morton was an Australian businessman and politician. Born in Lismore in Northern New South Wales to a prominent political family and educated at Lismore High School, Morton left school at fourteen to be employed in a legal firm, before branching out into various businesses. Moving to Sydney, Morton first entered politics in 1944 as an Alderman on Mosman Municipal Council, rising to be Mayor in 1946. Morton then entered the New South Wales Legislative Assembly on 3 May 1947, representing the Electoral district of Mosman for the Liberal Party.
Sir Vernon Haddon Treatt was an Australian lawyer, soldier, Rhodes Scholar and politician. Born in Singleton, New South Wales and educated at Shore School, Treatt interrupted his studies at the University of Sydney to enlist at the outbreak of the First World War. Serving in the Royal Australian Artillery, Treatt served in France and was awarded the Military Medal. Upon returning to Australia he was awarded a Rhodes scholarship and further educated at New College, Oxford.
Brigadier Geoffrey Souter Cox, was an Australian soldier and politician. A decorated officer during the Second World War, he later entered politics, serving as a Liberal Party member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1957 to 1964, representing the electorate of Vaucluse.
The 1953 New South Wales state election was held on 14 February 1953. It was conducted in single member constituencies with compulsory preferential voting and was held on boundaries created at a 1952 redistribution. The election was for all of the 94 seats in the Legislative Assembly.
The 1956 New South Wales state election was held on 3 March 1956. It was conducted in single member constituencies with compulsory preferential voting and was held on boundaries created at a 1952 redistribution. The election was for all of the 94 seats in the Legislative Assembly.
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. The election was for all of the 94 seats in the Legislative Assembly.
The 1965 New South Wales state election was held on 1 May 1965. It was conducted in single member constituencies with compulsory preferential voting and was held on boundaries created at a 1961 redistribution. The election was for all of the 94 seats in the Legislative Assembly.
A by-election was held for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly seat of Mosman on Saturday, 29 July 1972. It was triggered by the retirement of the former Leader of the New South Wales Liberal Party and Minister of the Crown, Pat Morton.
Vaucluse, an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales, has had one incarnation from its creation in 1927 until the present.