Early Political Career
| Parliament of New Zealand | ||||
| Years | Term | Electorate | Party | |
| 1957–1960 | 32nd | Wallace | National | |
| 1960–1963 | 33rd | Wallace | National | |
| 1963–1966 | 34th | Wallace | National | |
| 1966–1969 | 35th | Wallace | National | |
| 1969–1972 | 36th | Wallace | National | |
| 1972–1975 | 37th | Wallace | National | |
| 1975–1978 | 38th | Wallace | National | |
| 1978–1981 | 39th | Wallace | National | |
In the 1957 election, Talboys contested the Wallace electorate as the National Party candidate. He was successful, defeating a Labour Party challenger to succeed incumbent National MP Thomas Lachlan MacDonald. He held the Wallace electorate for his entire parliamentary career, usually gaining an outright majority.
In 1961 he was one of ten National MPs to vote with the Opposition and remove capital punishment for murder from the Crimes Bill that the Second National Government had introduced. In 1962, Talboys was elevated to Cabinet, becoming Minister of Agriculture. At the end of 1963, he gained the additional role of Minister of Science. In 1969, he dropped the agriculture portfolio, and became Minister of Education instead. For most of 1972, he was Minister of Industries and Commerce, and Minister of Overseas Trade. He was also briefly Minister of Trade and Industry towards the end of 1972, but National's loss of the 1972 elections ended all his ministerial roles and put him into Opposition.
In 1974, Talboys was elected deputy leader of the National Party, and so when National won the 1975 elections, Talboys became Deputy Prime Minister. He also became Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Overseas Trade, and Minister of National Development.
Read more about this topic: Brian Talboys
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