Willis–Punch ministry
{{Short description|70th New South Wales government, led by Sir Eric Willis}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2016}}
{{Use Australian English|date=November 2016}}
{{Infobox government cabinet
| cabinet_name = Willis–Punch ministry
| cabinet_number = 70th
| jurisdiction = the State of New South Wales
| flag = Flag of New South Wales.svg
| flag_border = true
| incumbent =
| image = Sir_Eric.jpg
| image_size =
| caption = Premier Sir Eric Willis
| date_formed = {{start date|1976|01|23|df=y}}
| date_dissolved = {{start date|1976|05|14|df=y}}
| government_head = Sir Eric Willis
| government_head_title = Premier
| deputy_government_head = Leon Punch
| deputy_government_head_title = Deputy Premier
| state_head = Queen Elizabeth II
| state_head_title = Monarch
| governor = Sir Roden Cutler
| members_number = 18
| former_members_number =
| total_number =
| political_parties = Liberal National coalition
| legislature_status =
| opposition_cabinet =
| opposition_party = Labor
| opposition_leader = Neville Wran
| election = 1973 New South Wales election
| last_election =
| legislature_term =
| budget =
| advice_and_consent1 =
| advice_and_consent2 =
| incoming_formation =
| outgoing_formation =
| previous = Lewis–Punch ministry
| successor = First Wran ministry
}}
The Willis–Punch ministry or Willis ministry was the 70th ministry of the New South Wales Government, and was led by the 34th Premier of New South Wales, Sir Eric Willis in a Liberal Party coalition with the Country Party of Australia, that was led by Leon Punch.
Background
Willis joined the newly formed Liberal Party of Australia in 1945, after hearing a speech by Sir Robert Menzies.{{cite book| last =Clune| first =David|author2=Turner, Ken | title =The Premiers of New South Wales 1856–2005: Volume 2, 1901–2005| publisher =Federation Press| year =2006| location =Sydney| pages = 387–399}} After unsuccessfully seeking election to the Australian House of Representatives, Willis was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly in 1950 and served continuously up until 1978, representing the seat of Earlwood, in the inner southwestern suburbs of Sydney. Upon Sir Robert Askin's retirement in January 1975, Willis was seen as the favourite to take the premiership. However, despite Askin's initial support, Willis refused his help, preferring to gain the leadership on his own merits. Askin then put his support behind the Minister for Lands, Tom Lewis.{{cite news|url= https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=FfpjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=WuYDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7064,1463765&dq=eric+willis&hl=en|title= Willis Premier if he let me help|work=Sydney Morning Herald|date= 28 August 1975|page= 2 |access-date=7 January 2011}} Willis, sure he had support, refused to campaign, and the party put its support behind Lewis, leading to his election to Premier. Willis was then replaced as Deputy by John Maddison. For Willis' service as Deputy Leader he was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire on 14 June 1975.{{Cite It's an Honour |ausawardid=1082189 |date=14 June 1975 |recipient=Mr Eric Archibald Willis |award=Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire |postnominal=KBE |access-date=2022-03-12 }} Lewis was Premier for only one year and looked increasingly likely to lead the state Liberals to defeat. At the party room meeting on 20 January 1976, parliamentary backbencher Neil Pickard called a spill motion. This was carried 22 votes to 11 and Willis was made Leader unopposed.{{cite book| last =Hancock| first =Ian | title =The Liberals: The NSW Division 1945-2000| publisher =Federation Press| year =2007| location =Sydney| page = 155| isbn = 978-1-86287-659-0 }}
Punch was elected to the NSW Legislative Assembly in 1959 and served continuously up until 1985, representing variously the seats of Upper Hunter (1959-1962) and then Gloucester (1962-1985). Elected Deputy Leader of the Country Party in 1973, Punch was elected as leader of his party following the retirement and resignation of the Sir Charles Cutler in December 1975.
Composition of ministry
The ministry was sworn in by the Lieutenant Governor Sir Laurence Street on 23 January 1976,{{cite web| title =Swearing in of new Ministry under Sir Eric Willis| publisher =State Library of NSW| url =http://acms.sl.nsw.gov.au/item/itemDetailPaged.aspx?itemID=314263| access-date = 8 July 2010 }} a few days after Willis deposed Tom Lewis in a spill motion for the leadership of the parliamentary branch of the Liberal Party in New South Wales. It ended on 14 May 1976 when the coalition was defeated at the 1976 election by the Labor Party and the First Wran ministry was sworn in.{{NSW Parliamentary Record |part=6 |access-date=12 April 2020}}
class="wikitable sortable"
! Portfolio !! Minister !! colspan="2" | Party !! Term commence !! Term end !! Term of office |
Premier Treasurer | {{sortname|Sir Eric|Willis|Eric Willis}} | {{Australian party style|Liberal NSW}}| | {{Australian politics/name|Liberal NSW}} | rowspan=18 align=center | 23 January 1976 | rowspan=18 align=center | 14 May 1976 | rowspan=18 align=center | {{ayd|1976|01|23|1976|05|14}} |
Deputy Premier Minister for Public Works Minister for Ports | {{sortname|Leon|Punch}}{{hsp}}{{efn|name=retained}} | {{Australian party style|Country NSW}}| | {{Australian politics/name|Country NSW}} |
Attorney General Minister for Justice | {{sortname|John|Maddison}}{{hsp}}{{efn|name=retained}} | {{Australian party style|Liberal NSW}}| | {{Australian politics/name|Liberal NSW}} |
Minister for Planning and Environment Vice-President of the Executive Council Leader of the Government in Legislative Council | {{sortname|John|Fuller|dab=Australian politician}}, MLC{{hsp}}{{efn|name=retained}} | rowspan=2 {{Australian party style|Country NSW}} | | rowspan=2 | {{Australian politics/name|Country NSW}} |
Minister for Transport Minister for Highways | {{sortname|Tim|Bruxner}} |
Minister for Labour and Industry Minister for Federal Affairs Minister for Consumer Affairs | {{sortname|Frederick|Hewitt}}, MLC{{hsp}}{{efn|name=retained}} | rowspan=4 {{Australian party style|Liberal NSW}} | | rowspan=4 | {{Australian politics/name|Liberal NSW}} |
Minister for Health
| {{sortname|Dick|Healey}}{{hsp}}{{efn|name=retained}} |
Minister for Local Government
| {{sortname|Tom|Lewis|dab=Australian politician}} |
Minister for Decentralisation and Development
| {{sortname|Milton|Morris}} |
Minister for Mines Minister for Energy | {{sortname|George|Freudenstein}}{{hsp}}{{efn|name=retained}} | {{Australian party style|Country NSW}}| | {{Australian politics/name|Country NSW}} |
Chief Secretary
| {{sortname|Peter|Coleman}} | rowspan=2 {{Australian party style|Liberal NSW}} | | rowspan=2 | {{Australian politics/name|Liberal NSW}} |
Minister for Education
| {{sortname|Neil|Pickard}} |
Minister for Agriculture Minister for Water Resources | {{sortname|Bruce|Cowan}} | {{Australian party style|Country NSW}}| | {{Australian politics/name|Country NSW}} |
Assistant Treasurer Minister for Revenue | {{sortname|Max|Ruddock}} | rowspan=2 {{Australian party style|Liberal NSW}} | | rowspan=2 | {{Australian politics/name|Liberal NSW}} |
Minister for Housing Minister for Co-operative Societies | {{sortname|Ian|Griffith}} |
Minister for Lands Minister for Forests | {{sortname|Col|Fisher}} | {{Australian party style|Country NSW}}| | {{Australian politics/name|Country NSW}} |
Minister for Youth, Ethnic and Community Affairs
| {{sortname|Jim|Clough}} | rowspan=2 {{Australian party style|Liberal NSW}} | | rowspan=2 | {{Australian politics/name|Liberal NSW}} |
Minister for Culture, Sport and Recreation Minister for Tourism | {{sortname|David|Arblaster}} |
Ministers are members of the Legislative Assembly unless otherwise noted.
See also
{{stack|{{portal|New South Wales|Politics}}}}
Notes
{{Notelist|refs=
{{efn|name=retained|Retained portfolios from the Lewis–Punch ministry.}}
}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{s-start}}
{{succession box | before=Lewis–Punch ministry | title=Willis ministry | years=1976 | after=First Wran ministry}}
{{s-end}}
{{Ministries of New South Wales}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Willis-Punch ministry}}
Category:New South Wales ministries