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James Corbett (politician)
James Corbett, MBE (17 July 1906 – 3 March 2005) was an Australian politician. He was a member of the National Country Party and served in the House of Representatives from 1966 to 1980, representing the Queensland seat of Maranoa. Outside of politics he was a farmer and grazier on the Darling Downs. Early lifeCorbett was born on 17 July 1906 in Temora, New South Wales.[1] He was educated at state and Catholic schools.[2] Corbett was a grazier and wheat farmer in Queensland before entering politics, with properties on the Darling Downs near Miles and Dulacca.[3] He was active in agricultural circles, serving as vice-president of the Graziers Association of South Eastern Queensland and on the executive of the United Graziers Association of Queensland.[4] He also served as deputy chairman of the Murilla Shire Council from 1958 to 1967.[1] PoliticsCorbett was a state vice-president of the Country Party. He was an unsuccessful preselection candidate prior to the 1961 federal election, opposing the incumbent Country Party MP Wilfred Brimblecombe in the seat of Maranoa.[5] In September 1965, following Brimblecombe's retirement, he defeated Sir William Gunn in the Maranoa preselection ballot in a contest that attracted national attention due to Gunn's high profile as chairman of the Australian Wool Board.[6] His victory came despite Gunn being the preferred candidate of Country Party leader John McEwen, and was attributed in part to the perception of Gunn as a parachute candidate.[7] Corbett was elected to the House of Representatives at the 1966 federal election, retaining Maranoa for the Country Party.[1] In parliament he served on a number of committees and was a deputy chairman of committees from 1970 to 1972.[1] He was mostly concerned with rural issues, including water conservation, improvements to rural communications, and distance education where he advocated on behalf of the Isolated Children's Parents' Association.[4][8] Corbett served as the National Country Party's whip from 1976 to 1980.[1] According to The Canberra Times, he kept a low profile and after announcing his retirement in 1980 remarked to a reporter that it was the first time he had spoken to a member of the Canberra Press Gallery.[9] He retired from parliament at the 1980 federal election.[1] Personal lifeCorbett was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 1986 New Year Honours "in recognition of service to the community".[10] He died on 3 March 2005, aged 98.[1] References
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