Editing Robert Askin (section)

==Early political career==
Upon demobilisation, Askin returned to work at the Rural Bank, managing its travel department. However, his interest in politics arose again when he assisted his former commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Robson, in retaining his seat of [[Electoral district of Vaucluse|Vaucluse]] at the [[1947 New South Wales state election|1947 state election]] for the newly formed [[Liberal Party of Australia (New South Wales Division)|Liberal Party]], which Askin then joined. Rapidly rising through the party ranks, Askin soon became President of the Liberals' [[Manly, New South Wales|Manly]] branch and supported [[Bill Wentworth]]'s successful bid for the new seat of [[Division of Mackellar|Mackellar]] at the [[1949 Australian federal election|1949 election]].{{sfnp|Hancock|2006|pages=347–352}}

Askin gained preselection for and won the newly created seat of [[Electoral district of Collaroy|Collaroy]], located in the [[Northern Beaches]], at the [[1950 New South Wales state election|17 June 1950 election]], gaining 63.69% of the vote.<ref name="Green 1950 Collaroy">{{cite NSW election |year=1950 |district=Collaroy |access-date=22 May 2020}}</ref> The leader of the Liberal Party since 1946, [[Vernon Treatt]] led the Liberal/Country Coalition at the election, which resulted in a [[hung parliament]], with Treatt's Coalition gaining 12 seats and a swing of 6.7% for a total of 46 seats. With the [[Australian Labor Party (New South Wales Branch)|Labor Party]] also holding 46 seats, the balance of power lay with the two re-elected Independent Labor member, [[James Geraghty]] and [[John Seiffert]], who had been expelled from the party for disloyalty during the previous parliament. Under a legalistic interpretation of the ALP rules, Seiffert was readmitted to the party and, together with the support of Geraghty, Premier [[James McGirr]] and Labor were able to stay in power.<ref name="Green 1950 Totals">{{cite NSW election |year=1953 |district=Totals |access-date=22 May 2020}}</ref> As the new local member for a constituency covering most of the Northern Beaches from North Manly to Pittwater, Askin protested against the lack of government development and services in the area, such as sewerage, education, and transport.{{sfnp|Hancock|2006|pages=347–352}}

Labor's near-defeat weakened McGirr's position and he was replaced as premier by [[Joseph Cahill]] in April 1952. Cahill had won popular support as a vigorous and impressive minister who had resolved problems with New South Wales' electricity supply and in his first 10 months as premier had reinvigorated the party. He appeared decisive and brought order to the government's chaotic public works program. In addition, he attacked the increasingly unpopular federal Coalition government of [[Robert Menzies]].<ref>{{cite book|last = McMullin|first = Ross|title = The Light on the Hill: The Australian Labor Party 1891–1991|publisher = [[Oxford University Press]]|year = 1991|isbn = 0-19-554966-X|pages = 266–7}}</ref> All this contributed to Treatt's Coalition being defeated at the [[1953 New South Wales state election|14 February 1953 election]], with a total loss of ten seats and a swing against them of 7.2%.<ref name="Green 1950 Totals"/> Askin retained his seat with 63.35%.<ref name="Green 1953 Collaroy">{{cite NSW election |year=1953 |district=Collaroy |access-date=22 May 2020}}</ref>

===Deputy Leader===
With confidence in his leadership demolished, Treatt's Liberal Party descended into factional in-fighting culminating in the resignation of Deputy Leader [[Walter Howarth]] on 22 July 1954, who publicly announced it on 4 July citing that he felt that Treatt doubted his loyalty. He was replaced by now-Party Whip Askin.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article23423453 |title=Leader quits L.C.P. post |newspaper=[[The Argus (Melbourne)|The Argus]] |date=5 July 1954 |access-date=22 May 2020 |page=10 |via=Trove}}</ref> The resignation split the party and sparked a leadership challenge from [[Pat Morton]]. At the party meeting on 6 July, Treatt narrowly defeated Morton with 12 votes to 10.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article50593573 |title= Treatt by 12–10 vote |newspaper=[[The Courier-Mail]] |date=7 July 1954 |page=3 |via=Trove |access-date=12 January 2011}}</ref> With party support eroded, Treatt did not remain long as leader afterwards. On Friday 6 August 1954, Treatt announced that he would resign as leader.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article18429142 |title= Treatt to Resign as Leader |newspaper=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]] |date=7 August 1954 |page=1 |via=Trove |access-date=12 January 2011}}</ref> At the following party meeting, after a deadlocked vote between Askin and Morton, Askin asked his friend Murray Robson to nominate and subsequently he was elected to succeed Treatt.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article18442153 |title= Liberals Elect Robson As Leader |newspaper=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]] |date=18 August 1954 |page=1 |via=Trove |access-date=15 January 2011}}</ref>

Like other senior members of the party, after having no conservative government since [[Alexander Mair]] in 1941, Robson had no experience in government, had little interest in policy and alienated many party members by trying to forge a closer alliance with [[Michael Bruxner]]'s [[National Party of Australia – NSW|Country Party]].{{sfnp|Hancock|2007|page=97}} Over a year after Robson assumed the leadership, at a party meeting on 20 September 1955, senior party member [[Ken McCaw]] moved that the leadership be declared vacant, citing that Robson's leadership lacked the qualities necessary for winning the next election. The motion was carried 15 votes to 5. Morton was then elected unopposed as leader, with Askin remaining as deputy leader.{{sfnp|Hancock|2007|page=97}}

Morton then led the party to defeat at the [[1956 New South Wales state election|election]] on 3 March 1956. The Coalition gained six seats, reducing the government's majority from twenty to six.{{sfnp|Hancock|2007|page=98}} Askin retained Collaroy with 70.14%.<ref>{{Cite NSW election |year=1956 |district=Collaroy |access-date=4 May 2019}}</ref> Morton again led the opposition to the ballot at the [[1959 New South Wales state election|21 March 1959 election]], which resulted in an overall gain of three seats but the loss of two seats to Labor. After counting was finalised the Cahill Government was left with an overall majority of four seats.<ref>{{Cite NSW election |title=1959 NSW Elections |year=1959 |district=Home |access-date=4 May 2019}}</ref> Askin retained his seat with 71.09%.<ref>{{Cite NSW election |year=1959 |district=Collaroy |access-date=4 May 2019}}</ref>