Editing Robert Askin (section)

==Premier of New South Wales==
The Askin Government was sworn in by the [[governor of New South Wales]], [[Eric Woodward|Sir Eric Woodward]], on 13 May 1965 at [[Government House, Sydney|Government House]].  It was the first to be headed by the Liberal Party since the main non-Labor party in the state adopted the Liberal banner; being one of only three Liberals to win power from Labor.  Askin, who served as his own [[Treasurer of New South Wales|treasurer]], heavily involved himself in the business of Government, while also maintaining a range of social agendas and regular outings to the racetrack or Rugby League games.{{sfnp|Hancock|2006|page=354}} One of the privileges of office was the access to a Ministerial car and personal driver, which became particularly important for Askin, who did not drive. On one occasion when Askin was supposed to drive a new [[Holden (automobile)|Holden]] from the factory assembly line during a visit, Askin arranged for his driver, Russ Ferguson, to be hidden on the car floor working the controls while Askin held the wheel.{{sfnp|Hancock|2006|page=354}}
[[File:06 Sydney Opera House, Australia.jpg|thumb|Askin opposed Sydney Opera House construction]]
Askin's government was marked by strong opposition to an increase in Commonwealth powers, a tough stance on "law and order" issues, laissez-faire economic policies, and aggressive support for industrial and commercial development. At his first Cabinet meeting, Askin restored direct air services between Sydney and Dubbo, and required [[Jørn Utzon]], the Danish architect then working on the [[Sydney Opera House]], to provide a final price and completion date for the Opera House, which had gone past the original estimates for both.{{sfnp|Hancock|2006|page=354}} His Public Works Minister [[Davis Hughes]] began to assert control over the project and demanded that costs be reined in. This brought him into direct conflict with Utzon and in February 1966, after a bitter standoff and the suspension of progress payments by Hughes, Utzon resigned, sparking a major public outcry.<ref name=ADB/> Two weeks after the first Government meeting, the Askin Government abolished the tow-away system for [[Sydney]] and [[Newcastle, New South Wales|Newcastle]].{{sfnp|Hancock|2006|page=354}} In 1966 the [[University of New South Wales]] awarded him an honorary [[Doctor of Letters]] (D.Litt.).<ref name=ADB/>

===Law reform===
Despite a hostile [[New South Wales Legislative Council|Legislative Council]], an extended drought and various industrial disputes, Askin and his Government passed several reforms. Among them were the removal of trading-hours restrictions on small businesses, abolishing juries for motor accident damage cases, extending the hours for liquor trading, thereby bringing an end to the "Six o'clock swill". The Government also moved into legal and local government reforms, attacking pollution and restoring the previously abolished [[postal voting]] rights in state elections. Askin also addressed the demands of the [[New England New State Movement]] by holding a referendum in 1967, which was defeated by a large margin.{{sfnp|Hancock|2006|pages=355-356}}

Many of his government's reforms were due to his minister for justice, [[John Maddison]], and Attorney-General [[Kenneth McCaw|Sir Kenneth McCaw]], who initiated the establishment of the [[Law Reform Commission of New South Wales]], the introduction of consumer laws, an ombudsman, legal aid, health labels on cigarette packs, breath-testing of drivers, limits on vehicle emissions, the liberalisation of liquor laws, and compensation for victims of violent crime. There was also a new [[National Parks and Wildlife Service (New South Wales)|National Parks and Wildlife Service]] to assist environment conservation and protection. Despite these positive reforms, Askin's government maintained a brutal prison and corrective regime that was to culminate in the [[Bathurst Correctional Complex|Bathurst Gaol]] riots in 1970 and 1974.<ref name=ADB/>

===Local government and planning===
[[File:Robert_Askin_1966.jpg|thumb|left|Askin in 1966]]
Askin, along with his minister for local government, Pat Morton, oversaw the rapid escalation of building development in inner-city Sydney and the central business district, which followed in the wake of his controversial 1967 abolition of [[Sydney City Council]] and a redistribution of municipal electoral boundaries that was aimed at reducing the power of the rival [[Australian Labor Party (New South Wales Branch)|Labor Party]]. On its abolition, Morton commented that it was "essential for Sydney's progress" and replaced the city council with a commission, headed by another former Liberal leader, [[Vernon Treatt]].<ref>{{cite web|url= https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=2ngQAAAAIBAJ&pg=1166,3332500&dq=pat+morton&hl=en|title= The Battle of Sydney|work=The Age 19 September 1967 pg 3|access-date=2 February 2011}}</ref>

The Sydney metropolitan area at the time was marked by increasing strains on state infrastructure and Askin's Government's pro-development stance was largely attributed as an attempt to alleviate these problems. Despite this, the newly established State Planning Authority were continuously criticised for not being totally accountable to the public, particularly as the pro-business Sydney Commissioners worked side by side with the Planning authority to increase developments in the Sydney CBD to their highest levels ever, embodied by the construction of the [[MLC Centre]], the demolition of the [[Theatre Royal, Sydney]] and the [[Australia Hotel]].<ref name=retire/> Other controversial schemes proposed by his government were a massive freeway system that was planned to be driven through the hearts of historic inner-city suburbs including [[Glebe, New South Wales|Glebe]] and [[Newtown, New South Wales|Newtown]] and an equally ambitious scheme of 'slum clearance' that would have brought about the wholescale destruction of the historic areas of [[Woolloomooloo]] and [[The Rocks, New South Wales|The Rocks]]. This eventually culminated in the 1970s [[Green ban]] movement led by Unions Leader [[Jack Mundey]], to protect the architectural heritage of Sydney.<ref name=ADB/><ref name=retire>{{cite web|url= https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=acpQAAAAIBAJ&pg=2298,5630604&dq=pat+morton&hl=en|title= A Free Enterpriser Bows Out|work=The Sydney Morning Herald 16 June 1972 pg 4|access-date=2 February 2011}}</ref>

===Second term===
At the [[1968 New South Wales state election|24 February 1968 election]], Askin increased his previously tenuous majority, scoring a six-seat swing against Labor's Renshaw and an overall majority of 12 over the Labor Party and the two Independents. Askin retained his seat with 70.97%.<ref>{{cite NSW election |year=1968 |district=Collaroy |access-date=22 May 2020}}</ref> It was the first time since the [[United Australia Party|UAP]]/Country Coalition won three consecutive elections from 1932 to 1938 that a non-Labor government in New South Wales had been reelected.

In mid-1968 Askin famously became embroiled in a media controversy over the reporting of several words spoken to the [[United States Chamber of Commerce]] lunch in Sydney on 32 July 1968 (also the day Opposition Leader Renshaw resigned, to be replaced by [[Pat Hills]]), in which he spoke of the October 1966 state visit by United States president [[Lyndon B. Johnson]].{{sfnp|Hancock|2006|pages=347–352}} Askin had joined Prime Minister [[Harold Holt]], President Johnson and the American ambassador, [[Edward Clark (diplomat)|Ed Clark]], in a drive through the Sydney CBD. As Johnson's motorcade drove into [[Liverpool Street, Sydney|Liverpool Street]], several anti-[[Vietnam War]] protesters, including [[Graeme Dunstan]], threw themselves in front of the car carrying them. As Askin later recalled, a police officer had informed him that some communists were obstructing the route. Askin claimed he had instructed the officer to drag them off. As the car moved on, he then said to Johnson "half-jocularly": "what I ought to have told him was to ride over them", to which Johnson replied "a man after my own heart". At the subsequent luncheon, Askin instead reported that he had said the remark to the police officer, which a journalist attending the event later reported it as "Run over the bastards."{{sfnp|Hancock|2006|pages=355-356}}

===Federal relations===
[[File:Gorton_and_Askin_1971_(1).jpg|thumb|left|Askin with Prime Minister [[John Gorton]] at the Premier's Conference on 4 February 1971. The two were never close.]]
As Treasurer, Askin focused on the state budget and on [[Commonwealth-State financial relations]]. His attitude towards the Commonwealth and the Federal Government was shaped by his first premiers' conference in 1965 when Prime Minister Menzies negotiated with the Victorian premier [[Henry Bolte]] to achieve an extra grant of funds for Victoria at the expense of the other states and closed the conference before the other Premiers could object. At subsequent premiers' conferences he opposed the 'centralising' tendencies of Canberra and became a strong advocate of the rights of the states.{{sfnp|Hancock|2006|page=354}}

With [[John Gorton]] becoming prime minister after Holt's death, Askin came into conflict with the Commonwealth Government over Gorton's determination to maintain federal command over taxation and in June 1968 declared that he could veto any form of state taxation. In late 1969, Askin, with Bolte, organised an 'emergency' premiers' conference, without Gorton, to publicise the disadvantages of the States, a move that was partly responsible for the party deposition of Gorton in 1971.<ref name=ADB/>

Askin had a greater dislike for Gorton's successor, [[William McMahon]] and received financial support from McMahon only when Askin threatened to release a NSW "horror budget" that could damage Federal Liberal voting intentions. However, when McMahon lost the 1972 election to Labor Leader [[Gough Whitlam]], relations between Sydney and Canberra got even worse. Whitlam's centralising economic policies and decision to end legal appeals to the [[Judicial Committee of the Privy Council]] drew criticism from Askin.

===Third and Fourth terms===
At the [[1971 New South Wales state election|13 February 1971 state election]], the Coalition suffered a swing of four seats, but still managed a narrow win against Labor and new leader [[Pat Hills]], taking 49 seats – a bare majority of one – in the expanded 96-seat Legislative Assembly.

Throughout his time as premier, Askin was assisted by [[Charles Cutler]] as deputy premier and leader of the Country Party. Cutler served as acting premier at times when Askin was suffering from illness, having suffered two heart attacks in 1969 and 1973. In 1972 the [[Eastern Orthodox Church of Antioch]] presented Askin with the Order of St Peter and St Paul for his services to ethnic minorities.

In 1971 Askin changed his name from "Robin" to "Robert" by a deed poll. On 1 January 1972, he was appointed a [[Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George]] (KCMG).<ref name=KCMG>{{Cite web |url=https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/1082616 |archive-date=2 April 2024 |date=1 January 1972 |title=Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (Imperial) (KCMG) entry for Sir Robert William Askin |work=[[Australian honours and awards system|Australian Honours Search Facility]] |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240402105136/https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/1082616 |url-status=live |access-date=22 May 2020}}</ref> Later that year, taking advantage of unease at the increasingly erratic Labor government of Gough Whitlam and the increasing economic problems seen to be caused by it, Askin called an early election for 1973. A setback arose for the government in the northern Sydney seat of [[Electoral district of Gordon (New South Wales)|Gordon]], when the Liberal member and education minister, [[Harry Jago]], forgot to lodge a formal nomination of his candidacy. This resulted in the Liberals losing the seat to the [[Democratic Labor Party (Australia, 1955)|Democratic Labor Party]] before the election took place. Nevertheless, Askin's government went to a record fourth win against the ALP (still led by [[Pat Hills]]), increasing the Liberal/Country majority by four seats and making Askin the only major party leader to win four consecutive terms for premier until Neville Wran of the ALP. At this election, Askin ran in [[Electoral district of Pittwater|Pittwater]], essentially a reconfigured version of his old seat of Collaroy, which had been abolished in a redistribution. Pittwater was as safely Liberal as Collaroy, and Askin retained it easily. In 1973 he was appointed an Officer of the Lebanese [[National Order of the Cedar]].

Askin's last term in office was marked by tension between the NSW and Victorian Governments, and by a widespread view that Askin was getting out of touch with the voters. Late in 1974, Askin announced his resignation, and his last intervention was to support his minister for lands, [[Thomas Lewis (Australian politician)|Thomas Lewis]], in his bid to be Askin's successor instead of the deputy leader and minister for education, [[Eric Willis|Sir Eric Willis]]. It was reported that Lewis had offered to upgrade Askin's knighthood from Knight Commander (KCMG) to Knight Grand Cross (GCMG) of the Order of St Michael and St George, while Willis was uncommitted on the topic. In any event, Askin retired from politics in January 1975 and was succeeded by Lewis as premier.<ref>Sydney Morning Herald, 12 May 1999, pg 8</ref> On 14 June 1975 he was elevated to Knight Grand Cross, for his service as premier.<ref name=GCMG>{{Cite web |url=https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/1073799 |date=14 June 1975 |title=Knight/Dame Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George (Imperial) (GCMG) entry for Sir Robert William Askin |archive-date=2 April 2024 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240402105449/https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/1073799 |access-date=22 May 2020}}</ref>

The departure of Askin began a turbulent year for the government. Lewis was ousted in a party room coup by Willis in 1976, but Willis only lasted four months before losing the 1976 election to Labor, ending the longest unbroken run for a non-Labor government since [[World War I]].