- Charles Cutler
-
The Honourable
Sir Charles Cutler
KBE, EDDeputy Premier of New South Wales In office
13 May 1965 – 16 December 1975Premier Sir Robert Askin
Tom LewisPreceded by Patrick Hills Succeeded by Leon Punch Member of the New South Wales Parliament
for OrangeIn office
3 May 1947 – 16 December 1975Preceded by Robert O'Halloran Succeeded by Garry West Personal details Born 20 April 1918
Forbes, New South WalesDied 23 September 2006 (aged 88)
Orange, New South WalesPolitical party Country Party Spouse(s) Dorothy, Lady Cutler Relations Sir Roden Cutler Occupation Politician Religion Anglican Sir Charles Benjamin Cutler KBE, ED (20 April 1918 - 23 September 2006) was an Australian politician, holding office for 28 years as an elected member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for Orange. Cutler was Country Party leader for sixteen years and became Minister for Education and Deputy Premier for the next ten years under Premier Robert Askin.
Contents
Early life
Charles Cutler was born in Forbes in 1918, the son of George Cutler and Elizabeth Booth Cutler. His cousin, Sir Arthur Roden Cutler, was a Victoria Cross recipient and a long-serving Governor of New South Wales. At an early age, Charles moved to the nearby regional city of Orange with his family, where he was educated at Orange Rural School and Orange High School. After completing his schooling he gained employment from 1934 until 1939 as an office worker with the Producers Co-Operative Distributing Society Limited of Orange.[1]
Military service
Cutler served in World War II, first as a member of the Citizens Military Force (CMF; now known as the Australian Army Reserve) from 1938 to 1940. He went on to serve with the 2nd Australian Imperial Force (2nd AIF) from 1940 until 1945 and also the 2/17th Battalion in Tobruk and Syria. He was wounded at El Alamein.[1]
Following the war, Charles Cutler was a Lieutenant-Colonel in the CMF from 1948 to 1960 at which time he transferred to the Reserve Forces. Cutler was awarded the Efficiency Decoration (ED) in 1959.
Personal life
Charles Cutler married Dorothy Pascoe on 4 March 1943 in the Holy Trinity Church at Orange; they had one daughter and three sons. Following World War II, Cutler returned to his employment at Producers Co-operative Distributing Society Limited in Orange from 1946 to 1947. During this time, he was also a sportswriter for the Bathurst Times newspaper. He also became the vice president of the Orange Returned Serviceman's League Club and also president of the Orange Apex Club and district rugby union.
Political career
Charles Cutler joined the Country Party in 1944. He was elected as the Member for the Electoral district of Orange at the New South Wales Legislative Assembly on 3 May 1947. He was re-elected in 1950, 1953, 1956, 1959, 1962, 1965, 1968, 1971 and 1973 – ten times in total. In 1958, he was elected as the Deputy Leader of the Country Party, and in 1959, he became party leader, a position he held for 16 years.[2]
On 13 May 1965, he became Deputy Premier, Minister for Education and Minister for Science under the newly elected Liberal Party Premier Robert Askin. In later years, he also held portfolios as Minister for Local Government, Minister for Highways and Minister for Tourism. For several months in 1968 and 1972, he was Acting Premier and Treasurer in the absence of Robert Askin.[1]
In 1973, Cutler was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE). In 1974, Sir Charles led New South Wales at the Premier's Conference and Loan Council. On 16 December 1975, Sir Charles retired from the New South Wales Parliament after serving continuously as a member for 28 years, 7 months and 14 days.[1]
Later life
Sir Charles Cutler retired to his home at Orange. He became a member of the Former Members of New South Wales Parliament Association. From 1976 to 1978, he was a director of the Sun Alliance Insurance Group. From 1978 to 1988, he was the Chairman of that organisation.
Sir Charles, who had been suffering from cancer, died at the age of 88 on 23 September 2006 in hospital in Orange.
New South Wales National Party of Australia Leader Andrew Stoner said that Sir Charles Cutler's commitment to building stronger rural communities was legendary.
"He was responsible for creating a separate Department of Decentralisation and Development and helping strengthen country communities through the establishment of a Country Industries Assistance Fund."
Former Nationals Leader and Deputy Prime Minister Tim Fischer, who served under Sir Charles Cutler, says his contribution to education and infrastructure in rural areas was underestimated. "He made a giant contribution to the educational resources of the state of New South Wales," Mr Fischer said.
Honours
- For his service as Deputy Premier of New South Wales he was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) in the Civil division on 1 January 1973.[3]
- On 1 January 2001, Cutler was awarded the Centenary Medal "For service to Australian society through parliament"[4]
References
- ^ a b c d "Former deputy premier Cutler dead". The Sydney Morning Herald. 24 September 2006. http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/former-deputy-premier-cutler-dead/2006/09/24/1159036404865.html. Retrieved 2009-02-12.
- ^ "Sir Charles Benjamin Cutler (1918 - 2006)". Members of Parliament. Parliament of New South Wales. http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/members.nsf/1fb6ebed995667c2ca256ea100825164/503af656c971209dca256e230004c868. Retrieved 23 February 2010.
- ^ "Its an Honour: KBE". Australian Government. http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au/honours/honour_roll/search.cfm?aus_award_id=1082261&search_type=quick&showInd=true. Retrieved 2009-02-12.
- ^ "Its an Honour: Centenary Medal". Australian Government. http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au/honours/honour_roll/search.cfm?aus_award_id=1123165&search_type=quick&showInd=true. Retrieved 2009-02-12.
Parliament of New South Wales Preceded by
Robert O'HalloranMember for Orange
1947 – 1975Succeeded by
Garry WestParty political offices Preceded by
Doug DicksonDeputy Leader of the New South Wales Country Party
1958 – 1959Succeeded by
William ChaffeyPreceded by
Davis HughesLeader of the New South Wales Country Party
1959 – 1975Succeeded by
Leon PunchPolitical offices Preceded by
Patrick HillsDeputy Premier of New South Wales
1965 – 1975Succeeded by
Leon PunchPreceded by
Ernest WetherellMinister for Education
1965 – 1972Succeeded by
Sir Eric WillisNew title Minister for Science
1965 – 1972Position abolished Preceded by
Pat MortonMinister for Highways
1972 – 1975Succeeded by
Wallace FifeMinister for Local Government
1972 – 1975Succeeded by
Col FisherPreceded by
Tom LewisMinister for Tourism
1975Succeeded by
Tim BruxnerCategories:- 1918 births
- 2006 deaths
- People educated at Orange High School (New South Wales)
- Australian Anglicans
- Australian military personnel of World War II
- Australian Army officers
- Corporate directors
- Australian journalists
- Sports journalists
- Members of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
- New South Wales National politicians
- Deputy Premiers of New South Wales
- Australian knights
- Knights Commander of the Order of the British Empire
- Recipients of the Centenary Medal
- Cancer deaths in New South Wales
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