437:, who the previous year had deposed Dowd as Opposition Leader, appointed Punch the Shadow Minister for Public Works and Ports. Possessing socially conservative views, Punch was vehemently opposed to the gay liberation movement that pushed for reform of laws which criminalised homosexuality. Punch in particular opposed the landmark 'Crimes (Amendment) Act 1984', which decriminalised homosexual acts in NSW, describing it as an "outrageous and smutty epitaph" which would assist in the "collapse of civilization through the breakdown of spiritual values".
372:, who had contested Gloucester three years earlier, 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.
441:, a longtime supporter of homosexual law reform and the ALP Member for Illawarra, retorted to Punch's opposition by saying that "your case is one of blind, homophobic prejudice which takes no account of reality or humanity." 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,
38:
403:, appointed him as the first Minister for Ports which he also held until 14 May 1976. When 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
379:, an office which he held until 1974. During 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.
453:
Punch held his shadow portfolio until his retirement from politics on 2 July 1985. Following his retirement he was made a NSW National Party life member. A staunch monarchist, Punch had been permitted on 13 July 1976 by
1105:
426:, whom Punch considered too far left-wing on matters of human rights. Punch had a reputation as a strong debater and was recognised as one of the few people who could match the style of Premier
414:
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
399:
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,
418:, 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
972:
1115:
1110:
663:
333:, on which he served until he resigned to enter the state parliament in 1959. On 15 September 1960 he married Suzette Meyers and together had two sons.
965:
369:
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1120:
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779:
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342:
114:
881:
724:
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71:
50:
458:, on the Governor's recommendation, to retain use of the title "The Honourable". Punch died in the Sydney suburb of
806:
523:
357:
314:
164:
548:
407:, Minister for Public Works and Ports in the government of Sir Eric Willis until it was narrowly defeated at the
982:
318:
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243:
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187:
1034:
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330:
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317:. He worked on his family's properties in northeastern New South Wales from 1947 to 1959, first at
313:
in 1928, the son of Thomas Sydney Punch, a local physician. He attended
Inverell High School and
519:
423:
740:
1090:
1085:
8:
980:
717:
The
Nationals: the Progressive, Country, and National Party in New South Wales 1919–2006
745:
356:
He represented Upper Hunter until 5 February 1962 when he contested the nearby seat of
1004:
720:
640:
615:
349:, retired and Punch was preselcted to contest the seat for the Country Party. At the
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for 26 years from 21 March 1959 until his retirement on 2 July 1985 for the
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816:
577:
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434:
427:
396:
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199:
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325:. At Barraba, he first entered politics in 1956 when he was elected as a
286:
277:
politician, Deputy
Premier, and Minister of the Crown in the cabinets of
75:
1106:
National Party of
Australia members of the Parliament of New South Wales
1059:
1049:
1029:
942:
326:
637:
Decision and deliberation: The
Parliament of New South Wales 1856–2003
364:, which had been left vacant by the retirement of the sitting member,
387:
Early in 1973 he was elected by his party as Deputy Leader (Sir
353:
on 21 March 1959, he won the seat, gaining 52.48% of the vote.
37:
701:
Stephens, Tony, "Bleeding Wran fights for political life".
688:
Totaro, Paola, "Packed House for the Great Gay Debate".
273:(21 April 1928 – 28 December 1991) was a
391:
was still its leader) and on 17 January, the
Premier,
368:. Punch contested preselection for Gloucester against
634:
933:
Leader of the New South Wales
National Country Party
1111:
382:
906:Deputy Leader of the New South Wales Country Party
422:; but he lost to the new leader of the Liberals,
375:In 1966 he was appointed as a Councillor for the
1116:People educated at The King's School, Parramatta
1077:
666:. Parliament of New South Wales. Archived from
301:, renamed the National Party during his time.
966:
973:
959:
586:New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007
553:New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007
36:
336:
739:
664:"Opposition Shadow Ministries from 1973"
489:"The Hon. Leon Ashton Punch (1928–1991)"
635:Clune, David; Griffith, Gareth (2006).
609:
514:
512:
63:17 December 1975 – 14 May 1976
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658:
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483:
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127:21 March 1959 – 3 March 1962
764:New South Wales Legislative Assembly
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341:On 16 February 1959, the Member for
295:New South Wales Legislative Assembly
1121:20th-century Australian politicians
653:
628:
177:3 March 1962 – 2 July 1985
13:
1096:Deputy premiers of New South Wales
472:
445:, of bias towards the government.
14:
1137:
1101:New South Wales local councillors
882:Deputy Premier of New South Wales
719:. Federation Press. p. 499.
639:. Sydney: Federation Press. 484.
576:
543:
405:Deputy Premier of New South Wales
291:Deputy Premier of New South Wales
51:Deputy Premier of New South Wales
16:Australian politician (1928-1991)
614:. Sydney: Federation Press. 26.
524:State Library of New South Wales
383:Minister of the Crown and Leader
733:
520:"Leon Ashton Punch (1928–1991)"
289:. From 1975 to 1976 he was the
983:New South Wales National Party
695:
682:
570:
537:
1:
749:. 13 July 1976. p. 9604.
590:Parliament of New South Wales
557:Parliament of New South Wales
495:Parliament of New South Wales
465:
448:
315:The King's School, Parramatta
304:
246:, New South Wales, Australia
7:
937:1975 – 1985
910:1973 – 1975
886:1975 – 1976
867:1975 – 1976
843:1973 – 1976
811:1962 – 1985
784:1959 – 1962
395:, appointed him to succeed
10:
1142:
582:"Elections for Gloucester"
159:New South Wales Parliament
109:New South Wales Parliament
990:
939:
930:
922:
912:
903:
895:
890:
879:
871:
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839:Minister for Public Works
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311:Inverell, New South Wales
293:. He was a member of the
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228:Inverell, New South Wales
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81:
67:
56:
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35:
23:
891:Party political offices
705:. 22 October 1984. pg 26
780:Member for Upper Hunter
416:September 1981 election
377:University of Newcastle
985:(and its predecessors)
610:Bramsto, Troy (2006).
493:Former members of the
337:Early political career
807:Member for Gloucester
703:Sydney Morning Herald
690:Sydney Morning Herald
462:on 28 December 1991.
331:Barraba Shire Council
1126:People from Inverell
715:Davey, Paul (2006).
692:. 16 May 1984. pg 12
670:on 16 September 2009
549:"1959 Upper Hunter"
926:Sir Charles Cutler
875:Sir Charles Cutler
863:Minister for Ports
824:Political offices
746:The London Gazette
456:Queen Elizabeth II
309:Punch was born in
88:Sir Charles Cutler
1073:
1072:
949:
948:
940:Succeeded by
913:Succeeded by
846:Succeeded by
814:Succeeded by
787:Succeeded by
646:978-1-86287-591-3
621:978-1-86287-600-2
271:Leon Ashton Punch
268:
267:
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975:
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952:
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923:Preceded by
896:Preceded by
872:Preceded by
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433:On 6 April 1984
397:Sir Davis Hughes
393:Sir Robert Askin
279:Sir Robert Askin
240:
237:28 December 1991
224:
222:
210:Personal details
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439:George Petersen
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287:Sir Eric Willis
275:New South Wales
251:Political party
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800:Ray Fitzgerald
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389:Charles Cutler
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370:Alan Borthwick
366:Ray Fitzgerald
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259:National Party
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241:(aged 63)
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188:Ray Fitzgerald
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156:Member of the
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26:The Honourable
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916:James Bruxner
908:
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849:Jack Ferguson
841:
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795:
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790:Frank O'Keefe
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726:1-86287-526-X
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545:Green, Antony
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409:1976 election
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362:1962 election
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319:Jerrys Plains
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299:Country Party
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288:
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225:21 April 1928
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100:Jack Ferguson
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1024:
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899:Davis Hughes
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861:
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832:Davis Hughes
817:Wendy Machin
805:
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710:
702:
697:
689:
684:
672:. Retrieved
668:the original
636:
630:
612:The Wran era
611:
605:
593:. Retrieved
585:
572:
560:. Retrieved
552:
539:
527:. Retrieved
499:. Retrieved
492:
460:Church Point
452:
443:Laurie Kelly
435:Nick Greiner
432:
428:Neville Wran
413:
386:
374:
355:
343:Upper Hunter
340:
321:and then at
308:
270:
269:
244:Church Point
239:(1991-12-28)
200:Wendy Machin
195:Succeeded by
172:
145:Succeeded by
122:
115:Upper Hunter
95:Succeeded by
58:
18:
1091:1991 deaths
1086:1928 births
773:D'Arcy Rose
741:"No. 46961"
420:Tim Bruxner
347:d'Arcy Rose
183:Preceded by
138:D'Arcy Rose
133:Preceded by
83:Preceded by
1080:Categories
1005:Buttenshaw
943:Wal Murray
466:References
449:Later life
358:Gloucester
327:Councillor
305:Early life
221:1928-04-21
165:Gloucester
30:Leon Punch
1035:Armstrong
857:New title
424:John Dowd
401:Tom Lewis
283:Tom Lewis
173:In office
123:In office
72:Tom Lewis
59:In office
1065:Saunders
1055:Barilaro
351:election
1010:Bruxner
1000:Bruxner
757:
595:25 July
562:25 July
360:at the
323:Barraba
255:Country
68:Premier
1045:Stoner
1040:Souris
1030:Murray
1020:Cutler
1015:Hughes
723:
674:9 June
643:
618:
529:9 June
501:13 May
1060:Toole
1050:Grant
1025:Punch
995:Beeby
721:ISBN
676:2010
641:ISBN
616:ISBN
597:2020
564:2020
531:2010
503:2019
285:and
234:Died
215:Born
163:for
113:for
49:8th
329:on
1082::
743:.
655:^
588:.
584:.
580:.
555:.
551:.
547:.
522:.
511:^
491:.
474:^
430:.
411:.
345:,
281:,
974:e
967:t
960:v
729:.
678:.
649:.
624:.
599:.
566:.
533:.
505:.
257:/
223:)
219:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
