<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Askin</span>

Robert Askin

<p><b>Sir Robert William Askin</b>, <a href="/en/Knight_Grand_Cross_of_the_Order_of_St_Michael_and_St_George" title="Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George" class="mw-redirect wl">GCMG</a> (4 April 1907 – 9 September 1981), was an Australian politician and the 32nd <a href="/en/Premier_of_New_South_Wales" title="Premier of New South Wales" class="wl">Premier of New South Wales</a> from 1965 to 1975, the first representing the <a href="/en/Liberal_Party_of_Australia_(New_South_Wales_Division)" title="Liberal Party of Australia (New South Wales Division)" class="wl">Liberal Party</a>. He was born in 1907 as <b>Robin William Askin</b>, but always disliked his first name and changed it by <a href="/en/Deed_poll" title="Deed poll" class="wl">deed poll</a> in 1971. Before being knighted in 1972, however, he was generally known as <b>Bob Askin</b>. Born in Sydney in 1907, Askin was educated at <a href="/en/Sydney_Technical_High_School" title="Sydney Technical High School" class="wl">Sydney Technical High School</a>. After serving as a bank officer and as a Sergeant in the <a href="/en/Second_World_War" title="Second World War" class="mw-redirect wl">Second World War</a>, Askin joined the Liberal Party and was elected to the seat of <a href="/en/Electoral_district_of_Collaroy" title="Electoral district of Collaroy" class="wl">Collaroy</a> at the 1950 election.</p>

<div class="shortdescription nomobile noexcerpt noprint searchaux" style="display:none" about="#mwt1">Australian politician</div>
<p>
</p>
<style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1066479718" typeof="mw:Extension/templatestyles mw:Transclusion">.mw-parser-output .infobox-subbox{padding:0;border:none;margin:-3px;width:auto;min-width:100%;font-size:100%;clear:none;float:none;background-color:transparent}.mw-parser-output .infobox-3cols-child{margin:auto}.mw-parser-output .infobox .navbar{font-size:100%}body.skin-minerva .mw-parser-output .infobox-header,body.skin-minerva .mw-parser-output .infobox-subheader,body.skin-minerva .mw-parser-output .infobox-above,body.skin-minerva .mw-parser-output .infobox-title,body.skin-minerva .mw-parser-output .infobox-image,body.skin-minerva .mw-parser-output .infobox-full-data,body.skin-minerva .mw-parser-output .infobox-below{text-align:center}</style><div class='mobile-collapse'><header class="mobile-collapse-header mobile-collapse-btn"><b>Quick facts: The HonourableSir Robert AskinGCMG, 32nd Prem...</b> <span class='arrow'>▼</span></header> <table class="infobox vcard mobile-collapse-element"><tbody><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-above" style="font-size: 100%;"><div class="honorific-prefix" style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="/en/The_Honourable" title="The Honourable" class="wl">The Honourable</a></div><div class="fn" style="font-size:125%;">Sir Robert Askin</div><div class="honorific-suffix" style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="/en/Knight_Grand_Cross_of_the_Order_of_St_Michael_and_St_George" title="Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George" class="mw-redirect wl">GCMG</a></div></th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-image"><span class="mw-default-size"><a href="/en/File:Robert_Askin_1966.jpg" class="mw-file-description image media-thumb" data-hash="File:Robert_Askin_1966.jpg"><img loading="lazy" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5e/Robert_Askin_1966.jpg/220px-Robert_Askin_1966.jpg" decoding="async" data-file-width="292" data-file-height="425" data-file-type="bitmap" height="320" width="220" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5e/Robert_Askin_1966.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5e/Robert_Askin_1966.jpg 2x" alt="Robert_Askin_1966.jpg"></a></span></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-full-data"></td></tr><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-header notheme" style="background:lavender;line-height:normal;padding:0.2em;">32nd <a href="/en/Premier_of_New_South_Wales" title="Premier of New South Wales" class="wl">Premier of New South Wales</a><br><span style="font-size:85%;">Elections: <a href="/en/1965_New_South_Wales_state_election" title="1965 New South Wales state election" class="wl">1965</a>, <a href="/en/1968_New_South_Wales_state_election" title="1968 New South Wales state election" class="wl">1968</a>, <a href="/en/1971_New_South_Wales_state_election" title="1971 New South Wales state election" class="wl">1971</a>, <a href="/en/1973_New_South_Wales_state_election" title="1973 New South Wales state election" class="wl">1973</a></span></th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-full-data" style="border-bottom:none"><span class="nowrap"><b>In office</b></span><br>13 May 1965<span>&nbsp;</span>–<span> </span>3 January 1975</td><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1066479718" typeof="mw:Extension/templatestyles"></style></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="text-align:left">Monarch</th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/en/Elizabeth_II" title="Elizabeth II" class="wl">Elizabeth II</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="text-align:left">Governor</th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/en/Eric_Woodward" title="Eric Woodward" class="wl">Sir Eric Woodward</a> (1965)<br><a href="/en/Roden_Cutler" title="Roden Cutler" class="wl">Sir Roden Cutler</a> (1965–75)</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="text-align:left">Deputy</th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/en/Charles_Cutler" title="Charles Cutler" class="wl">Sir Charles Cutler</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="text-align:left"><span class="nowrap">Preceded by</span></th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/en/Jack_Renshaw" title="Jack Renshaw" class="wl">Jack Renshaw</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="text-align:left"><span class="nowrap">Succeeded by</span></th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/en/Tom_Lewis_(Australian_politician)" title="Tom Lewis (Australian politician)" class="wl">Tom Lewis</a></td><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1066479718" typeof="mw:Extension/templatestyles"></style></tr><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-header notheme" style="background:lavender;line-height:normal;padding:0.2em;">20th <a href="/en/Leader_of_the_Opposition_(New_South_Wales)" title="Leader of the Opposition (New South Wales)" class="wl">Leader of the Opposition of New South Wales</a><br><small>Elections: <a href="/en/1962_New_South_Wales_state_election" title="1962 New South Wales state election" class="wl">1962</a>, <a href="/en/1965_New_South_Wales_state_election" title="1965 New South Wales state election" class="wl">1965</a></small></th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-full-data" style="border-bottom:none"><span class="nowrap"><b>In office</b></span><br>17 July 1959<span>&nbsp;</span>–<span> </span>13 May 1965</td><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1066479718" typeof="mw:Extension/templatestyles"></style></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="text-align:left">Deputy</th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/en/Eric_Willis" title="Eric Willis" class="wl">Eric Willis</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="text-align:left"><span class="nowrap">Preceded by</span></th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/en/Pat_Morton" title="Pat Morton" class="wl">Pat Morton</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="text-align:left"><span class="nowrap">Succeeded by</span></th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/en/Jack_Renshaw" title="Jack Renshaw" class="wl">Jack Renshaw</a></td><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1066479718" typeof="mw:Extension/templatestyles"></style></tr><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-header notheme" style="background:lavender;line-height:normal;padding:0.2em;">Member of the <span style="display: inline-block;"><a href="/en/New_South_Wales_Parliament" title="New South Wales Parliament" class="mw-redirect wl">New South Wales Parliament</a></span><br>for <a href="/en/Electoral_district_of_Pittwater" title="Electoral district of Pittwater" class="wl">Pittwater</a></th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-full-data" style="border-bottom:none"><span class="nowrap"><b>In office</b></span><br>17 November 1973<span>&nbsp;</span>–<span> </span>3 January 1975</td><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1066479718" typeof="mw:Extension/templatestyles"></style></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="text-align:left"><span class="nowrap">Preceded by</span></th><td class="infobox-data">New district</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="text-align:left"><span class="nowrap">Succeeded by</span></th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/en/Bruce_Webster_(politician)" title="Bruce Webster (politician)" class="wl">Bruce Webster</a></td><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1066479718" typeof="mw:Extension/templatestyles"></style></tr><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-header notheme" style="background:lavender;line-height:normal;padding:0.2em;">Member of the <span style="display: inline-block;"><a href="/en/New_South_Wales_Parliament" title="New South Wales Parliament" class="mw-redirect wl">New South Wales Parliament</a></span><br>for <a href="/en/Electoral_district_of_Collaroy" title="Electoral district of Collaroy" class="wl">Collaroy</a></th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-full-data" style="border-bottom:none"><span class="nowrap"><b>In office</b></span><br>17 June 1950<span>&nbsp;</span>–<span> </span>17 November 1973</td><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1066479718" typeof="mw:Extension/templatestyles"></style></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="text-align:left"><span class="nowrap">Preceded by</span></th><td class="infobox-data">New district</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="text-align:left"><span class="nowrap">Succeeded by</span></th><td class="infobox-data">Seat abolished</td><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1066479718" typeof="mw:Extension/templatestyles"></style></tr><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-header notheme" style="background:lavender;line-height:normal;padding:0.2em;">6th <a href="/en/Leader_of_the_New_South_Wales_Liberal_Party" title="Leader of the New South Wales Liberal Party" class="mw-redirect wl">Leader of the New South Wales Liberal Party</a></th></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-full-data" style="border-bottom:none"><span class="nowrap"><b>In office</b></span><br>17 July 1959<span>&nbsp;</span>–<span> </span>3 January 1975</td><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1066479718" typeof="mw:Extension/templatestyles"></style></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="text-align:left">Deputy</th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/en/Eric_Willis" title="Eric Willis" class="wl">Eric Willis</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="text-align:left"><span class="nowrap">Preceded by</span></th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/en/Pat_Morton" title="Pat Morton" class="wl">Pat Morton</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label" style="text-align:left"><span class="nowrap">Succeeded by</span></th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/en/Tom_Lewis_(Australian_politician)" title="Tom Lewis (Australian politician)" class="wl">Tom Lewis</a></td></tr><tr style="display:none"><td colspan="2">
</td></tr><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-header notheme" style="background:lavender">Personal details</th></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Born</th><td class="infobox-data"><div style="display:inline" class="nickname">Robin William Askin</div><br><span style="display:none">(<span class="bday">1907-04-04</span>)</span>4 April 1907<br><a href="/en/Sydney" title="Sydney" class="wl">Sydney</a>, New South Wales</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Died</th><td class="infobox-data">9 September 1981<span style="display:none">(1981-09-09)</span> (aged<span>&nbsp;</span>74)<br>Sydney, New South Wales</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Political party</th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/en/Liberal_Party_of_Australia_(New_South_Wales_Division)" title="Liberal Party of Australia (New South Wales Division)" class="wl">Liberal Party</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Spouse(s)</th><td class="infobox-data">Mollie Underhill<br>(Lady Askin)</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Awards</th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/en/Knight_Grand_Cross_of_the_Order_of_St_Michael_and_St_George" title="Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George" class="mw-redirect wl">Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George</a><br><a href="/en/National_Order_of_the_Cedar" title="National Order of the Cedar" class="wl">Officer of the National Order of the Cedar</a> (Lebanon)</td></tr><tr><th colspan="2" class="infobox-header notheme" style="background:lavender">Military service</th></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Allegiance</th><td class="infobox-data">Australia</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Branch/service</th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/en/Australian_Army" title="Australian Army" class="wl">Australian Army</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Years<span>&nbsp;</span>of service</th><td class="infobox-data">1925–1929<br>1942–1946</td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Rank</th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/en/Sergeant" title="Sergeant" class="wl">Sergeant</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Unit</th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/en/55th_Battalion_(Australia)" title="55th Battalion (Australia)" class="wl">55th Battalion</a>, <a href="/en/Australian_Army_Reserve" title="Australian Army Reserve" class="wl">CMF</a><br><a href="/en/2/31st_Battalion_(Australia)" title="2/31st Battalion (Australia)" class="wl">2/31st Infantry Battalion</a></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="infobox-label">Battles/wars</th><td class="infobox-data"><a href="/en/World_War_II" title="World War II" class="wl">World War II</a>
<ul><li><a href="/en/New_Guinea_campaign" title="New Guinea campaign" class="wl">New Guinea campaign</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Borneo_campaign_(1945)" title="Borneo campaign (1945)" class="mw-redirect wl">Borneo campaign</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Battle_of_Balikpapan_(1945)" title="Battle of Balikpapan (1945)" class="wl">Battle of Balikpapan</a></li></ul>
</td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="infobox-below" style="border-top: 1px solid right; font-size: 95%"><div></div></td></tr></tbody></table> <footer class='mobile-collapse-footer mobile-collapse-btn'><b>Close</b> <span class='arrow'>▲</span></footer></div>
<p>Askin quickly rose through party ranks, eventually becoming Deputy Leader following <a href="/en/Walter_Howarth" title="Walter Howarth" class="wl">Walter Howarth</a>'s resignation in July 1954. When long-serving party leader <a href="/en/Vernon_Treatt" title="Vernon Treatt" class="wl">Vernon Treatt</a> announced his resignation in August 1954, Askin put his name forward to replace him. At the vote, he became deadlocked against <a href="/en/Pat_Morton" title="Pat Morton" class="wl">Pat Morton</a> and Askin asked his former commanding officer <a href="/en/Murray_Robson" title="Murray Robson" class="wl">Murray Robson</a> to take the leadership instead. Robson did not live up to expectations and was deposed in September 1955 by Morton, who then became Leader. Askin remained as Deputy until, after leading the party to a second electoral defeat in 1959, Morton was deposed and Askin was elected to succeed him. At the <a href="/en/1965_New_South_Wales_state_election" title="1965 New South Wales state election" class="wl">May 1965 election</a>, Askin presented the Liberal Party as a viable alternative government.  He won a narrow victory, ending a 24-year <a href="/en/Australian_Labor_Party_(New_South_Wales_Branch)" title="Australian Labor Party (New South Wales Branch)" class="wl">Labor</a> hold on government.</p>

<p>Askin's time in office was marked by a significant increase in public works programs, strong opposition to an increase in Commonwealth powers, <a href="/en/Laissez-faire" title="Laissez-faire" class="wl">laissez-faire</a> economic policies and wide-ranging reforms in laws and regulations such as the <a href="/en/Law_Reform_Commission_of_New_South_Wales" title="Law Reform Commission of New South Wales" class="wl">Law Reform Commission</a>, the introduction of consumer laws, legal aid, breath-testing of drivers, the liberalisation of liquor laws and the restoration of <a href="/en/Postal_voting" title="Postal voting" class="wl">Postal voting</a> in NSW elections. More controversial changes included the 1967 abolition of <a href="/en/Sydney_City_Council" title="Sydney City Council" class="mw-redirect wl">Sydney City Council</a> and increased rates of development in Sydney, often at the expense of architectural heritage and historic buildings. This culminated in the '<a href="/en/Green_ban" title="Green ban" class="wl">Green ban</a>' movement of the 1970s led by the Union movement to conserve the heritage of Sydney.</p>

<p>At the end of his term, after winning another three elections, Askin was the second longest serving Premier of New South Wales (after <a href="/en/Henry_Parkes" title="Henry Parkes" class="wl">Henry Parkes</a>) and served the longest consecutive term of any Premier. This record has since been overtaken by <a href="/en/Neville_Wran" title="Neville Wran" class="wl">Neville Wran</a> and <a href="/en/Bob_Carr" title="Bob Carr" class="wl">Bob Carr</a>. Askin remains the longest-serving <a href="/en/Leader_of_the_New_South_Wales_Liberal_Party" title="Leader of the New South Wales Liberal Party" class="mw-redirect wl">Leader of the New South Wales Liberal Party</a>. Since his death in 1981, however, Askin's legacy has been tarnished by persistent allegations that he was involved in organised crime and official corruption.</p>



Sir Robert William Askin, GCMG , was an Australian politician and the 32nd Premier of New South Wales from 1965 to 1975, the first representing the Liberal Party. He was born in 1907 as Robin William Askin, but always disliked his first name and changed it by deed poll in 1971. Before being knighted in 1972, however, he was generally known as Bob Askin. Born in Sydney in 1907, Askin was educated at Sydney Technical High School. After serving as a bank officer and as a Sergeant in the Second World War, Askin joined the Liberal Party and was elected to the seat of Collaroy at the 1950 election. Askin quickly rose through party ranks, eventually becoming Deputy Leader following Walter Howarth's resignation in July 1954. When long-serving party leader Vernon Treatt announced his resignation in August 1954, Askin put his name forward to replace him. At the vote, he became deadlocked against Pat Morton and Askin asked his former commanding officer Murray Robson to take the leadership instead. Robson did not live up to expectations and was deposed in September 1955 by Morton, who then became Leader. Askin remained as Deputy until, after leading the party to a second electoral defeat in 1959, Morton was deposed and Askin was elected to succeed him. At the May 1965 election, Askin presented the Liberal Party as a viable alternative government.  He won a narrow victory, ending a 24-year Labor hold on government. 