Garry Barr Nehl, AM

Order of Australia

The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...

 (born 19 February 1934) was an Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

n politician. Born in Newcastle, New South Wales

Newcastle, New South Wales

The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...

, he was a station overseer, newspaper proprietor, and marketing and public relations officer before his election to Armidale City Council. He contested the state seat of Clarence

Electoral district of Clarence

Clarence is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales.It was represented by Steve Cansdell of the National Party of Australia until he resigned on 16th September 2011 due to issues relating to a statutory declaration related to a speeding offence...

 in 1968 for the New England New State Movement

New England New State Movement

The New England New State Movement was an Australian political movement in the twentieth century. Originally called the Northern Separation Movement, the aim of the movement was to seek the secession of the New England region and surrounding areas from the State of New South Wales and the...

, winning 35.72% of the vote compared to sitting MP Bill Weiley

Bill Weiley

William Robert Weiley was an Australian politician and a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1955 until 1971. He was a member of the Country Party....

's 64.28%. In 1984, he was elected to the Australian House of Representatives

Australian House of Representatives

The House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia; it is the lower house; the upper house is the Senate. Members of Parliament serve for terms of approximately three years....

 for the seat of Cowper

Division of Cowper

The Division of Cowper is an Australian Electoral Division in New South Wales. The division was created in 1900 and was one of the original 75 divisions contested at the first federal election and is named for Charles Cowper, an early Premier of New South Wales...

, representing the National Party

National Party of Australia

The National Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Traditionally representing graziers, farmers and rural voters generally, it began as the The Country Party, but adopted the name The National Country Party in 1975, changed to The National Party of Australia in 1982. The party is...

. He held the seat until his retirement in 2001.