Col Fisher
Encyclopedia
Colin Murray "Col" Fisher, OAM
(23 January 1923 – 7 July 2003) was an Australia
n politician. He was the National Party
member for Upper Hunter
in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
from 1970 to 1988, and held ministerial positions from 1975 to 1976.
Fisher was born in Leura
, the son of dairy farmer Leslie Fisher and his wife Florence Lipscomb. He was educated at Seaham
Public School, Sydney Church of England Grammar School
and Hawkesbury Agricultural College
before running a beef and dairy farm at Jerrys Plains.In 1942 he enlisted in the AIF
and served in New Guinea
, Borneo
and Celebes
, rising to the rank of captain. He left the armed forces in 1946. On 6 January 1949, Fisher married Adrienne Goldring, with whom he would have two children.
In 1956, Fisher was elected to Patrick's Plains Shire Council. He served on the council until 1970, when the Country Party
member for the state seat of Upper Hunter
, Frank O'Keefe
, resigned to contest the Australian House of Representatives
seat of Paterson
. Fisher was selected as the Country candidate for the by-election, and narrowly defeated Labor
candidate Roger Nott
in a three-cornered contest. In 1975, he was appointed Minister for Local Government; he was transferred to Lands and Forests early in 1976. He lost his position when Labor won power at the 1976 state election
. Fisher continued in the shadow ministry until 1986, and retired from politics in 1988.
Fisher died in Singleton
in 2003.
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
(23 January 1923 – 7 July 2003) was an Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n politician. He was the National Party
National Party of Australia
The National Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Traditionally representing graziers, farmers and rural voters generally, it began as the The Country Party, but adopted the name The National Country Party in 1975, changed to The National Party of Australia in 1982. The party is...
member for Upper Hunter
Electoral district of Upper Hunter
Upper Hunter is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is represented by George Souris of the National Party of Australia....
in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
New South Wales Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of New South Wales, an Australian state. The other chamber is the Legislative Council. Both the Assembly and Council sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney...
from 1970 to 1988, and held ministerial positions from 1975 to 1976.
Fisher was born in Leura
Leura, New South Wales
Leura is a suburb in the City of Blue Mountains Local Government Area 109 km west of Sydney in New South Wales, Australia. It is one of the series of small towns stretched along the Blue Mountains railway line and Great Western Highway that bisects the Blue Mountains National Park. It is...
, the son of dairy farmer Leslie Fisher and his wife Florence Lipscomb. He was educated at Seaham
Seaham, New South Wales
Seaham is a suburb of the Port Stephens Local Government Area in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia. It is located on the Williams River which flows into the Hunter River downstream from Seaham village at Raymond Terrace....
Public School, Sydney Church of England Grammar School
Sydney Church of England Grammar School
Sydney Church of England Grammar School is an independent, Anglican, day and boarding school for boys, located in North Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
and Hawkesbury Agricultural College
Hawkesbury Agricultural College
Hawkesbury Agricultural College was the first agricultural college of New South Wales, Australia. Established by Sydney Smith in Richmond, New South Wales in 1891, the college was incorporated into the University of Western Sydney in 1989....
before running a beef and dairy farm at Jerrys Plains.In 1942 he enlisted in the AIF
Australian Imperial Force
The Australian Imperial Force was the name given to all-volunteer Australian Army forces dispatched to fight overseas during World War I and World War II.* First Australian Imperial Force * Second Australian Imperial Force...
and served in New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
, Borneo
Borneo
Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located north of Java Island, Indonesia, at the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia....
and Celebes
Sulawesi
Sulawesi is one of the four larger Sunda Islands of Indonesia and is situated between Borneo and the Maluku Islands. In Indonesia, only Sumatra, Borneo, and Papua are larger in territory, and only Java and Sumatra have larger Indonesian populations.- Etymology :The Portuguese were the first to...
, rising to the rank of captain. He left the armed forces in 1946. On 6 January 1949, Fisher married Adrienne Goldring, with whom he would have two children.
In 1956, Fisher was elected to Patrick's Plains Shire Council. He served on the council until 1970, when the Country Party
National Party of Australia
The National Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Traditionally representing graziers, farmers and rural voters generally, it began as the The Country Party, but adopted the name The National Country Party in 1975, changed to The National Party of Australia in 1982. The party is...
member for the state seat of Upper Hunter
Electoral district of Upper Hunter
Upper Hunter is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is represented by George Souris of the National Party of Australia....
, Frank O'Keefe
Frank O'Keefe
Frank Lionel O'Keefe, AM was an Australian politician. Born in Gunnedah, New South Wales, he attended state schools before becoming a farm machinery distributor and oil merchant. He was mayor of Gunnedah Shire Council for 18 years, and also served on Namoi Valley County Council...
, resigned to contest the Australian House of Representatives
Australian House of Representatives
The House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia; it is the lower house; the upper house is the Senate. Members of Parliament serve for terms of approximately three years....
seat of Paterson
Division of Paterson
The Division of Paterson is an Australian Electoral Division in the state of New South Wales. It is located just north of Newcastle, on the coast of the Pacific Ocean. It extends to the Hunter Valley in the south, the Manning River in the north, and the Great Dividing Range in the west...
. Fisher was selected as the Country candidate for the by-election, and narrowly defeated Labor
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
candidate Roger Nott
Roger Nott
The Hon. Roger Bede Nott was an Australian politician and a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1941 until 1961. He was a member of the Australian Labor Party and held numerous ministerial positions between 1954 and 1961...
in a three-cornered contest. In 1975, he was appointed Minister for Local Government; he was transferred to Lands and Forests early in 1976. He lost his position when Labor won power at the 1976 state election
New South Wales state election, 1976
A general election for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly was held in the state of New South Wales, Australia, on Saturday 1 May 1976. The result was a narrow win for the Australian Labor Party under Neville Wran—the party's first in the state in more than a decade.- Issues :The incumbent...
. Fisher continued in the shadow ministry until 1986, and retired from politics in 1988.
Fisher died in Singleton
Singleton, New South Wales
-Industry & Commerce:Major industries near Singleton include coal mining, energy generation, light industry, vineyards, horse breeding and cattle production. Dairying was once a mainstay in the area, but has declined....
in 2003.