lieutenant colonel sir march march australian politician soldier serving years leader predecessors born educated started studies later dropped employment station agent serving enlisted australian light horse outbreak world war serving distinction gallipoli egypt palestine promoted lieutenant colonel awarded returning australia sold business joined elected election came political prominence led rural true blues faction went leader decision form coalition sir short lived government emerged leader reduced consisted members faction joined fuller nationalists form government involved new england new state movement resigned party leadership renamed end election abandonment proportional representation won new seat unopposed included new premier cabinet minister local government included responsibility transport served labor won election april elected new party leader hold continuously sir dismissed called leader opposition form government stevens formed coalition named deputy premier new_south_wales sworn minister transport briefly resumed portfolio worked long time friend minister education establish later central ensuring premier stevens defeated house august coalition lost government election serve government rest parliamentary career opposition benches leading elections instability larger opposition parties eventually united formally resigned leader having served continuously role continued serve capacity member term retiring politics election served capacities boards continued passion horses death aged march early life military career born near second son english born wife initially educated private tuition soon sent point sydney school captain studied arts law resident expelled non attendance lectures returning home work eventually moved set business stock station agent purchased grazing property near bred cattle june christ church married vice president local agricultural society cricket rugby clubs owner rose president commissioned justice peace started military career commissioned second lieutenant september 6th australian new_england light horse redesignated 5th following year world war broke september joined soon october 6th light horse regiment promoted captain sent unit wounded times later commanded 6th served distinction mentioned despatches twice appointed president france recognition distinguished services campaign appointed general headquarters rose assistant adjutant general service promoted lieutenant colonel appointed companion distinguished service order july returned australia discharged month later august returned sold stock station agency went property eventually raised family having daughter sons early political career prominent member local community involved emerging movements political force regional areas joined convinced friends stand candidate new south wales state election elected proportional representation second member district northern alongside friend december premier cabinet resigned having lost vote week governor sir commissioned leader opposition sir premier fuller majority initiated attempts form coalition split join fuller government urban wing led leader deputy leader agreed enter fuller coalition rural wing true blues led offered fuller support seven hours government majority fuller requested double dissolution refused basis majority lower house fuller resigned commissioned granted dissolution election march permanently divided true blues opposed coalition maintained separate identity urban members party joined fuller elected leader election reduced rural members election entered coalition nationalists increased margin electorate member involved new england new state movement helped pass formal request commonwealth establish new state northern new_south_wales request resulted election retained seat increased margin nationalist progressive government lost office election renamed reflecting electoral base party resigned leadership end citing difficulty balancing needs family commitments political career succeeded minister crown election abandonment proportional representation won new seat unopposed election defeated included new premier cabinet minister local government included responsibility transport minister responsible amendment gave powers provided principal roads state roads state classified accordance order importance formed basis road development funded view transport public asset reinforced brought passage transport act regulated private bus services prevent collapse government owned railways remained minister defeated election election retained seat december granted king george retention title honourable having served years member political climate new_south_wales volatile attempts abolish conflict debts emphasised need remain independent succeeded amidst calls opposition unite april leader notified party intention resign elected new party leader deputy premier long governor sir dismissed government called leader opposition leader form government stevens formed coalition immediately called election heavily defeated gained seats held seats cabinet retained seat unopposed elected unopposed total times term time equal partner coalition named deputy premier new_south_wales sworn minister transport briefly resumed portfolio period june party equal role coalition government formed good working relationship long lasting friendship stevens ensure government stability stevens government significant success reducing million pound deficit significant problem stevens trouble increasingly depended deputy premier saw loyal stevens managed push initiatives specifically benefited rural areas including royal commission question new states election saw stevens retaining government divided labor opposition returned unopposed seat deputy leader minister public works local government saw trying undermine confidence leadership reducing influence government stevens went visit london march months october acting premier acting deputy animosity pronounced time petty issues visited united_kingdom member parliamentary delegation coronation king march election stevens government power divided elected vote worked long time friend minister education establish regional education institution election moved establish constituent college city appointed served july stevens colonial attempted address cabinet decisions ministerial expenditure creating committee consisting stevens approve expenditure furious gesture resigned july minister deputy leader citing disagreement government policy relief works reason despite departure stability government short august carried motion confidence stevens house unexpectedly passed votes owing absence ministers august stevens resignation governor lord granted days remain successor chosen resignation touted stevens possible successor refused form coalition government party meeting august chose nominate favoured candidate defeated votes leader sworn premier lord day got ensured survival coalition government attempted shore unity party save government months government preoccupied preparation australia entry second world war equipped railway workshops modern machine tools established deal air raids despite efforts controversy surrounding stevens departure led moderate ensured popularity government recovered campaign election government performed poorly finding difficult distinguish past proposing policies promising action war opposite leaving war matters federal government promising current reforms election polled half vote lost seats lost seats retained seat hold ministerial office conservative political forces government won election opposition rest parliamentary career opposition benches largely larger opposition party federal election large number members formed democratic_party new_south_wales led continued opposition leader resigned democratic_party leader february replaced assembly speaker election stable leadership ensured retained seats retained seat witnessed fragmented opposition parties forming leadership justice minister march led party elected unopposed election achieving overall gain seats led recognising importance larger liberals opposing labor responsive needs rural voters maintained coalition liberals trying prevent seat conflicts parties persistence tri contested seats labor candidates prove problematic maintaining coalition attempting government labor led coalition june election resulted hung parliament gained seats total coalition total seats holding seats balance power lay elected members expelled previous parliament support labor able stay power retained seat sold property bought homestead section station dividing time sydney residence near loss election labor weakened position replaced premier april won popular support vigorous impressive minister resolved problems electricity supply months premier party brought order government chaotic public works program addition attacked increasingly unpopular federal coalition government combined constantly policy candidate issues contributed defeated february election amounted total loss seats seats swing retained seat replaced august like senior members liberals having conservative government experience government little interest policy cold war anti communism ignored majority views party fellow parliamentary colleagues attempts forge closer alliance failed alienated party replaced leader september aged having fallen ill times led time march election resulted labour victory regained seat overall government majority fell retained unopposed formally resigned leader having served continuously role continued serve capacity member retaining seat final time march election vote final term retired assembly election retirement legacy retirement youngest son tim served distinction 2nd royal_australian_air_force world war gained father vacated seat allegedly parent advice won election went member lewis including father old portfolio minister transport deputy leader eldest son having graduated honours law admitted bar served 2nd officer june appointed judge retiring politics appointed knight commander order british empire political public services november named highway spanning highway recognition services transport roads life maintained passion horses including member australian deputy president wife having died year died march survived daughter sons portrait offices sydney sketch australian war memorial canberra
Michael Bruxner