Walter John Holt QC (7 May 1929 – 9 March 2012) was an Australian politician and judge. He was a Liberal member of the

New South Wales Legislative Council The New South Wales Legislative Council, often referred to as the upper house, is one of the two chambers of the parliament of the Australian state of New South Wales. The other is the Legislative Assembly. Both sit at Parliament House in th ...

from 1972 to 1984, and was Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Upper House from 1976 to 1977. Holt was born in

Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...

, the son of Henry Thomas Eulert Holt QC, a judge of the District Court of New South Wales, and Gladys Amelia Withycombe. He was educated at Barker College in Hornsby from 1938 to 1944 and at the University of Sydney, where he was awarded a

Bachelor of Law Bachelor of Laws ( la, Legum Baccalaureus; LL.B.) is an undergraduate law degree in the United Kingdom and most common law jurisdictions. Bachelor of Laws is also the name of the law degree awarded by universities in the People's Republic of Chi ...

in 1952. In 1948 he joined the Liberal Party. An RAAF reserve, he was a pilot officer with the Sydney University Squadron in 1952, and was called to the bar in 1954. In 1959, he was elected to Woollahra Council; he was deputy mayor in 1963 and served until 1965. He married Eleanor Fell in 1960, with whom he had three children, Phoebe, Henry and Patrick. He was president of the Liberal Party's Edgecliff branch in 1962, and directed the campaigns for the state seat of Bligh in 1965, 1968 and 1971, and for the federal seat of

St George Saint George (Greek language, Greek: Γεώργιος (Geórgios), Latin language, Latin: Georgius, Arabic language, Arabic: القديس جرجس; died 23 April 303), also George of Lydda, was a Christians, Christian who is venerated as a sa ...

in 1972. In 1967 he became vice-president of the

Civic Reform Association The Civic Reform Association, variously known as the Civic Reform Movement and the Citizens' Reform Association, was an Australian non-aligned ratepayers' organisation that was formed by approximately seventy people at the Sydney Town Hall on 20 ...

. In 1972 Holt was elected to the

. In 1976, the year he and his wife Eleanor divorced, he became Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council, holding that position until 1977. In 1980 he married Judith Little. He was appointed an Officer of the

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

National Order of Merit An order of merit is conferred by a state, government or royal family on an individual in recognition of military or civil merit. Order of merit may also refer to: * FIFA Order of Merit, for significant contribution to association football * PDC O ...

in 1982 and also became a QC in that year. Holt left the Council in 1984. In 1987, Holt's second wife Judith died. He married Heather Lise Barritt in 1990. In 1993 he was appointed a Judge of the District Court, holding that position until 2002.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Holt, John 1929 births 2012 deaths Liberal Party of Australia members of the Parliament of New South Wales Members of the New South Wales Legislative Council Civic Reform Association politicians Judges of the District Court of NSW 20th-century Australian judges 21st-century Australian judges Royal Australian Air Force officers 20th-century Australian military personnel Military personnel from Sydney