Roger Corfield Anson Wotton (14 June 1919 – 6 September 2012) was an Australian politician. He was the Country Party (later National Party) member for Burrendong from 1968 to 1971 and from 1973 to 1981, and then for Castlereagh from 1981 to 1991 in the

New South Wales Legislative Assembly The New South Wales Legislative Assembly is the lower of the two houses of the Parliament of New South Wales, an Australian state. The upper house is the New South Wales Legislative Council. Both the Assembly and Council sit at Parliament House ...

. Wotton was born in Ardlethan,

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, and attended the local public school and then Yanco Agricultural High School. He served in the 2nd Australian Imperial Force 1940–45, rising to the rank of

lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often ...

and serving in

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Morotai Morotai Island ( id, Pulau Morotai) is an island in the Halmahera group of eastern Indonesia's Maluku Islands (Moluccas). It is one of Indonesia's northernmost islands. Morotai is a rugged, forested island lying to the north of Halmahera. It ha ...

and

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. He married Shirley Crick on 3 February 1945, with whom he had five children. He became a farmer and grazier after the

war War is an intense armed conflict between states, governments, societies, or paramilitary groups such as mercenaries, insurgents, and militias. It is generally characterized by extreme violence, destruction, and mortality, using regular o ...

, and joined the Country Party in 1950. He served on Coonabarabran Shire Council from 1963 to 1968, and as Deputy Shire President from 1965.

Political career

In 1968, Wotton was selected as the Country Party's candidate for the new state seat of Burrendong, which largely replaced the old seat of

Mudgee Mudgee is a town in the Central West of New South Wales, Australia. It is in the broad fertile Cudgegong River valley north-west of Sydney and is the largest town in the Mid-Western Regional Council local government area as well as being ...

. He was elected without difficulty on Liberal preferences. In 1971, however, he was challenged by Leo Nott, the former

Labor Labour or labor may refer to: * Childbirth, the delivery of a baby * Labour (human activity), or work ** Manual labour, physical work ** Wage labour, a socioeconomic relationship between a worker and an employer ** Organized labour and the labour ...

member for Mudgee who had retired at the previous election. Nott was narrowly successful, but Wotton defeated him in 1973. In 1981, Burrendong was abolished, and Wotton contested the seat of Castlereagh, which, despite being held by Labor MP Jim Curran, now had a notional NCP majority. Wotton was successful, and held the seat until its abolition in 1991, when he retired.

Cricket career

Wotton was a talented cricketer who represented the New South Wales Country side and played Sydney grade cricket. Later, he managed the

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's 1977 tour of

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Honours and recognition

In the

1994 Queen's Birthday Honours Queen's Birthday Honours are announced on or around the date of the Queen's Official Birthday. Publication dates vary from year to year. Most are published in supplements to the ''London Gazette'' and many are formally conferred by the monarch (or ...

Wotton was made a

Member of the Order of Australia The Order of Australia is an honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. It was established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, on the advice of the Australian ...

for "service to the community and to the New South Wales Parliament" and was awarded the

Australian Sports Medal The Australian Sports Medal is an award given to recognise achievements in Australian sport to commemorate Australian participation in major sporting events. Original recipients of the award included competitors, coaches, sports scientists, offi ...

in 2000 in recognition of "27 years voluntary service to cricket administration at state level".

Death

Wotton died in September 2012, shortly before his 93rd birthday.

References

Sources

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wotton, Roger 1919 births 2012 deaths National Party of Australia members of the Parliament of New South Wales Members of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly Members of the Order of Australia Recipients of the Australian Sports Medal Australian Army personnel of World War II Australian Army officers