Ray Fitzgerald (politician)
Encyclopedia
Raymond Leo Fitzgerald was an Australian politician. He was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
from 1941 until 1962 and served as an independent member until 1950 and then as a member of the Country Party
.
Fitzgerald was born in Dungog, New South Wales
. He was the son of a dairy farmer and was educated to elementary level at Dungog Public School. He initially worked on his father's farm but eventually owned substantial dairy farms in the Hunter Valley
. He was an official with local dairy farmers' organizations and was a councillor on Dungog Shire
council from 1901 to 1942. He was the mayor on several occasions. After one unsuccessful attempt, Fitzgerald was elected to the New South Wales Parliament at the 1941
as the Independent member for Gloucester
. He defeated the United Australia Party
sitting member Charles Bennett. Fitzgerald retained the seat at the next 6 elections and retired at the 1962
election. He joined the caucus of the
Country Party
prior to the 1950
election. He did not hold party, parliamentary or ministerial office
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 1941 until 1962 and served as an independent member until 1950 and then as a member of 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...
.
Fitzgerald was born in Dungog, New South Wales
Dungog, New South Wales
Dungog is a country town on the Williams River in the upper Hunter Valley in New South Wales, Australia. Located in the middle of dairy and timber country, it is the centre of the Dungog Shire Local Government Area and at the 2006 census it had a population of 2,102 people. The area includes the...
. He was the son of a dairy farmer and was educated to elementary level at Dungog Public School. He initially worked on his father's farm but eventually owned substantial dairy farms in the Hunter Valley
Hunter Valley
The Hunter Region, more commonly known as the Hunter Valley, is a region of New South Wales, Australia, extending from approximately to north of Sydney with an approximate population of 645,395 people. Most of the population of the Hunter Region lives within of the coast, with 55% of the entire...
. He was an official with local dairy farmers' organizations and was a councillor on Dungog Shire
Dungog Shire
Dungog Shire is a Local Government Area in the Hunter Valley of New South Wales, Australia. It is situated in the Barrington Tops region and consists predominantly of very rugged to hilly country which becomes less rugged from north to south.- Incomes :...
council from 1901 to 1942. He was the mayor on several occasions. After one unsuccessful attempt, Fitzgerald was elected to the New South Wales Parliament at the 1941
New South Wales state election, 1941
The 1941 New South Wales state election was held on 10 May 1941. This election was for all of the 90 seats in the 33nd New South Wales Legislative Assembly and was conducted in single member constituencies with compulsory preferential voting....
as the Independent member for Gloucester
Electoral district of Gloucester
Gloucester was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales, originally created in 1880, partly replacing Williams, and named after Gloucester or Gloucester County . In 1920, with the introduction of proportional representation, it was absorbed into...
. He defeated the United Australia Party
United Australia Party
The United Australia Party was an Australian political party that was founded in 1931 and dissolved in 1945. It was the political successor to the Nationalist Party of Australia and predecessor to the Liberal Party of Australia...
sitting member Charles Bennett. Fitzgerald retained the seat at the next 6 elections and retired at the 1962
New South Wales state election, 1962
The 1962 New South Wales state election was held on 3 March 1962. It was conducted in single member constituencies with compulsory preferential voting and was held on boundaries created at a 1961 redistribution...
election. He joined the caucus of 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...
prior to the 1950
New South Wales state election, 1950
The 1950 New South Wales State state election was held on 17 June 1950. It was conducted in single member constituencies with compulsory preferential voting and was held on boundaries created at a 1949 redistribution...
election. He did not hold party, parliamentary or ministerial office