Leon Punch - Early Political Career

Early Political Career

On 16 February 1959, the Member for Upper Hunter, D'Arcy Rose, retired and Punch was preselcted to contest the seat for the Country Party. He was duly elected on 21 March 1959 at the election, gaining 52.48% of the vote.

He represented Upper Hunter until 5 February 1962 when he contested the nearby seat of Gloucester at the 1962 election, which had been left vacant by the retirement of the sitting member, Ray Fitzgerald. Punch contested preselection for Gloucester against Alan Borthwick, who had contested Gloucester previously 1959 as an Independent candidate. Borthwick won the ballot, but Punch appealed to the State Executive claiming irregularities in the vote. The party eventually resolved the matter by endorsing both Borthwick and Punch for the election, creating the unusual situation where two Country Party candidates contested the same seat. Despite this, Borthwick was excluded on the second count and Punch was elected with 64.09% against Labor. Punch was re-elected a further eight times with a significant majority.

In 1966 he was appointed as a Councillor for the University of Newcastle, an office which he held until 1974. In his early political years he remained on the backbench and gained parliamentary experience as Chairman of Committees from 26 March 1968 to 13 January 1971 and 16 March 1971 to 17 January 1973.