Roger Nott

Roger Bede Nott CBE (20 October 1908 – 28 September 2000) was an Australian politician and a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1941 until 1961. He was a member of the Labor Party and held numerous ministerial positions between 1954 and 1961. He was the Administrator of the Northern Territory between 1961 and 1964.

The Honourable Roger Nott CBE
Minister for Agriculture
In office 14 November 1957 – 3 March 1961
Premier	Joseph Cahill Bob Heffron
Preceded by	Eddie Graham
Succeeded by	Jack Renshaw
Member of the New South Wales Parliament for Liverpool Plains
In office 10 May 1941 – 3 March 1961
Preceded by	Harry Carter
Succeeded by	Frank O'Keefe
Personal details
Born	(1908-10-20)20 October 1908 Gulgong, New South Wales, Australia
Died	28 September 2000(2000-09-28) (aged 91) Dunedoo, New South Wales, Australia
Political party	Labor
Spouse(s)	Mary Rope
Occupation	shearer, farmer

Early life

Nott was born at Gulgong, New South Wales and was the son of a farmer. Leo Nott, Gulgong Shire President and member of the Legislative Assembly for Mudgee and Burrendong, was his brother. He was educated to elementary level at Gulgong Public School and initially worked as a shearer and farm hand. He later became a wheat farmer at Dunedoo.[1]

Political career

Nott was elected to the parliament as the Labor member for Liverpool Plains at the 1941 state election.[2] He replaced the Country Party member Harry Carter and defeated the Country Party candidate Alfred Yeo who had been the member for Castlereagh. Liverpool Plains was one of a number of rural seats that Labor won at the 1941 election and these victories contributed to the formation of the Labor government of William McKell.[1]

Nott was a member of the governments of Joseph Cahill and Robert Heffron. He was appointed as a Minister without Portfolio in 1954 and between 1956 and 1957 was the Secretary for Lands and Secretary for Mines. From 1957 until his retirement he was the Minister for Agriculture.

Later life and career

Nott retained his seat in parliament at a further six elections but controversially resigned in 1961 to accept an appointment from the Federal government as the Administrator of the Northern Territory.[2] This position was often a sinecure for retiring members of the ruling party but the government of Robert Menzies offered it to Nott to force his resignation from parliament and cause a by-election. The Country Party's Frank O'Keefe, who had been an unsuccessful candidate at four previous elections and a rising star for the party, was successful.

Nott was the unsuccessful Labor candidate by a narrow margin at the 1970 Upper Hunter by-election caused by O'Keefe's transfer to the federal seat of Paterson.[3]

Granted retention of the "Honourable" in 1961, Nott was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1977.[4][5]

References

1. "The Hon. Roger Bede Nott (1908–2000)". Former Members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
2. Green, Antony. "Elections for the District of Liverpool Plains". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
3. Green, Antony. "Upper Hunter by-election 1970". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
4. "No. 42406". The London Gazette. 7 July 1961. p. 5002.
5. "No. 47234". The London Gazette (1st supplement). 10 June 1977. p. 7103.

 

New South Wales Legislative Assembly
Preceded by Harry Carter	Member for Liverpool Plains 1941–1961	Succeeded by Frank O'Keefe
Political offices
Preceded by William Gollan	Secretary for Mines 1956–1957	Succeeded by John McMahon
Preceded by Frank Hawkins	Secretary for Lands 1956–1957	Succeeded by William Gollan
Preceded by Eddie Graham	Minister for Agriculture 1957–1961	Succeeded by Jack Renshaw
Government offices
Preceded by James Archer	Administrator of the Northern Territory 1961–1964	Succeeded by Roger Dean
Preceded by Robert Hurley Wordsworth	Administrator of Norfolk Island 1964–1966	Succeeded by Reginald Marsh