Mervyn Lee

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	(1920-08-18)18 August 1920 Broadford, Victoria
Died	13 December 2009(2009-12-13) (aged 89) Kilmore, Victoria
Nationality	Australian
Political party	Liberal Party of Australia
Occupation	Drapery and hardware merchant

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]

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]

References

1. Herald Sun. Retrieved 15 January 2019
2. "MP was noted Rules player". The Canberra Times. ACT: National Library of Australia. 8 December 1966. p. 44. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
3. "Lalor". Parliamentary Handbook. Retrieved 8 June 2025.
4. Carr, Adam (2008). "Commonwealth of Australia Lesiglative Election of 25 October 1969". Psephos, Adam Carr's Election Archive. Archived from the original on 3 August 2008. Retrieved 20 June 2008.
5. "Bendigo". Parliamentary Handbook. Retrieved 8 June 2025.
6. "Lee out of Bendigo contest". The Canberra Times. 22 April 1969.

Parliament of Australia
Preceded by Reg Pollard	Member for Lalor 1966–1969	Succeeded by Jim Cairns