The Askin–Cutler ministry (1971–1973) or Fourth Askin ministry was the 65th ministry of the

New South Wales Government The Government of New South Wales, also known as the NSW Government, is the executive state government of New South Wales, Australia. The government comprises 11 portfolios, led by a ministerial department and supported by several agencies. Th ...

, and was led by the 32nd

Premier Premier is a title for the head of government in central governments, state governments and local governments of some countries. A second in command to a premier is designated as a deputy premier. A premier will normally be a head of govern ...

, Bob Askin, of the

Liberal Party The Liberal Party is any of many political parties around the world. The meaning of ''liberal'' varies around the world, ranging from liberal conservatism on the right to social liberalism on the left. For example, while the political systems ...

coalition A coalition is formed when two or more people or groups temporarily work together to achieve a common goal. The term is most frequently used to denote a formation of power in political, military, or economic spaces. Formation According to ''A G ...

with the Country Party, led by Charles Cutler. It was the fourth of six occasions when Askin was Premier; and when Cutler was Deputy Premier.

Background

Askin was elected to the

New South Wales Legislative Assembly The New South Wales Legislative Assembly is the lower of the two houses of the Parliament of New South Wales, an Australian state. The upper house is the New South Wales Legislative Council. Both the Assembly and Council sit at Parliament House ...

in 1950 and served continuously up until 1975, representing variously the seats of Collaroy and

Pittwater Pittwater is a semi-mature tide dominated Ria, drowned valley estuary, located about north of the Sydney central business district, New South Wales, Australia; being one of the bodies of water that separate greater Metropolitan Sydney from th ...

. Rising through the Liberal Party ranks, Askin served as Deputy Leader from 1954 until he was elected Leader of the NSW Liberal Party and Leader of the NSW Opposition, following the defeat of the Morton/ Hughes–led coalition by Cahill's

Labor Labour or labor may refer to: * Childbirth, the delivery of a baby * Labour (human activity), or work ** Manual labour, physical work ** Wage labour, a socioeconomic relationship between a worker and an employer ** Organized labour and the labour ...

at the 1959 election. Cutler was elected to the NSW Legislative Assembly in 1947 and served continuously up until 1975, representing the seat of Orange. Elected Deputy Leader of the Country Party in 1958 and, like Askin, Cutler was elected as leader of his party following the 1959 state election, replacing Davis Hughes. The Askin–Cutler–led Liberal/Country coalition was defeated at the 1962 election by Labor's Bob Heffron. In April 1964 Jack Renshaw replaced Heffron as Leader of the Labor Party and became Premier. Twelve months later, Renshaw called an election held on 13 May 1965; however after 24 years of consecutive Labor governments, Askin and Cutler led the coalition to government at the 1965 state election. The first Askin–Cutler ministry was commissioned from 1965 until the 1968 state election; when the coalition again won office. The second Askin–Cutler ministry was commissioned from the 1968 election until 11 February 1969, when the ministry was reconfigured. The third Askin–Cutler ministry was commissioned from the 1969 reconfiguration until the 1971 state election.

Composition of ministry

The composition of the ministry was announced by Premier Askin on 11 March 1971. There was a re-suffle on 19 June 1972 when Pat Morton resigned from the ministry and from Parliament, with Cutler taking on his portfolios of local government and highways and consequent changes. Cutler's portfolio of science was abolished, the portfolio of tourism and sport was split, while the portfolio of power was established. During the term of this ministry on 14 December 1971, Askin changed his name by

Deed Poll A deed poll (plural: deeds poll) is a legal document binding on a single person or several persons acting jointly to express an intention or create an obligation. It is a deed, and not a contract, because it binds only one party. Etymology Th ...

from Robin William Askin to Robert William Askin and on 1 January 1972, he was appointed a Knight Commander of the

Order of St Michael and St George The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is a British order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince of Wales (the future King George IV), while he was acting as prince regent for his father, King George III ...

. The following year, on 1 January 1973, Charles Cutler was also appointed a Knight Commander of the

Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...

. This ministry covers the period until 17 January 1973, when Askin and Cutler reconfigured the Liberal/Country ministry following the resignation of Davis Hughes in order to take up a posting as Agent-General for New South Wales in London. Ministers are members of the Legislative Assembly unless otherwise noted.

Notes

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Askin-Cutler ministry (1971-1973) New South Wales ministries 1971 establishments in Australia 1973 disestablishments in Australia

Background

Composition of ministry

See also

Notes

References