Mervyn Lee
Australian politician
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mervyn William Lee (18 August 1920 – 13 December 2009) was an Australian politician who served as the Liberal member for Lalor from 1966 to 1969. He died in December 2009 at the age of 89.[1]
Mervyn Lee | |
|---|---|
| |
| Member of the Australian Parliament for Lalor | |
| In office 26 November 1966 – 25 October 1969 | |
| Preceded by | Reg Pollard |
| Succeeded by | Jim Cairns |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 18 August 1920 |
| Died | 13 December 2009 (aged 89) |
| Party | Liberal Party of Australia |
| Occupation | Drapery and hardware merchant |
Early life and war service
Born in Broadford, Victoria in August 1920, he was educated at Kingswood College in Melbourne before becoming a Commonwealth public servant. After serving in the Royal Australian Navy in World War II 1941–46, he became a drapery and hardware merchant. He played Australian rules football for Acton in the Canberra Australian National Football League and while captain of Acton in 1947 won the Mulrooney Medal.[2]
Political career
In 1966, he was elected to the Australian House of Representatives as the Liberal member for Lalor, defeating long-serving Labor member Reg Pollard.
Prior to the 1969 election, a redistribution shrunk Lalor to a quarter of its size in south-western Melbourne.[3] The redistribution erased his majority and gave Labor a notional six-percent majority.[4] Broadford and the surrounding areas where Lee was based in was also transferred from Lalor to the Division of Bendigo.[5] As a result, Lee went to unsuccessfully contest Bendigo instead.[4] He had early considered standing as the Liberal candidate at the 1969 Bendigo by-election, which would have required a by-election in Lalor.[6]
