David Arblaster

The Honourable David Arblaster
Member of the New South Wales Parliament for Mosman
In office 29 July 1972 – 5 March 1984
Preceded by	Pat Morton
Succeeded by	Phillip Smiles
Personal details
Born	(1929-11-16)16 November 1929 Sydney, New South Wales
Died	10 August 2006(2006-08-10) (aged 76) Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia
Political party	Liberal Party of Australia

David Amos Arblaster, (16 November 1929–10 August 2006) was a New South Wales politician, Minister for Culture, Sport and Recreation and Minister for Tourism in the cabinet of Sir Eric Willis until the Liberal party lost the 1976 election. Maddison was first elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for the Electoral district of Mosman in 1972 until his retirement in 1984.

Early life

Arblaster was born in Sydney in 1929, the only child of Hugh and Ivy Arblaster, and was educated at Manly Public School and then later at Sydney Church of England Grammar School. Upon graduating, he studied accountancy but had a varied career, becoming a salesman for Larke Hoskins Ltd in Sydney, and then a grazier in outback New South Wales and Cunnamulla in south-west Queensland. On 17 July 1954, Arblaster married and together with his wife, Mary, had two daughters. In 1968, Arblaster became a director of Noble Lowndes Australia, and later the Managing Director of Mitchell's Marina at Church Point.

Political career

Arblaster joined the Liberal Party of Australia in 1956 and held various party positions, including as a member of the State executive and then a country and metropolitan vice-president. He was actively involved in encouraging youth involvement in the Liberal Party and he was the last appointed Liberal Youth Council chairman before the Young Liberals was reconstituted in 1964 as an independent wing of the Liberal Party. During this time, his Vice-Chairman was future Prime Minister of Australia, John Howard.

Arblaster contested the 1967 Australian Senate election on the NSW Liberal ticket but was on third position and failed to gain a seat.

Arblaster then stood for, and was elected to the seat of Mosman at a July 1972 by-election caused by the mid-term retirement of former Liberal Leader and Minister of the Crown, Pat Morton. As a Member of Parliament Arblaster was re-elected at the 1973 election. When Sir Eric Willis succeeded Tom Lewis as Premier and Leader of the Liberal Party, he was appointed to the cabinet as Minister for Culture, Sport and Recreation, and Minister for Tourism.

He held this post from 23 January 1976 to 14 May 1976 until the Liberal Party lost the 1976 election to the Australian Labor Party under Neville Wran. Thereafter, he was appointed as Shadow Minister for Public Works, Ports and Housing under Opposition leader Sir Eric Willis until his resignation on 16 December 1977. Willis was replaced by Peter Coleman and Arblaster remained as Shadow Minister for Public Works and Ports from 20 December 1977 to 7 October 1978 when Coleman lost his seat at the 1978 election.

Coleman was replaced by John Mason who made him Shadow Minister for Transport, a position he held from 2 November 1978 to 12 October 1981, lasting through the successive leaderships of Bruce McDonald and John Dowd. From 29 October 1981 to 15 March 1983, Dowd appointed Arblaster as Shadow Minister for Police Services and Shadow Minister for Sport and Recreation, it was to be his last appointment. After Nick Greiner became leader, Arblaster returned to the backbenches until he retired on 5 March 1984.

In retirement, Arblaster continued his interest in sailing and yachting as a Member of the Middle Harbour Yacht Club and later as patron of the New South Wales 16-foot skiff club. The Arblasters returned to their farm in Cunnamulla, Queensland and thereafter to Singleton. They then moved to Corlette in Port Stephens, and then to Mangerton in Wollongong. He died at his wollongong residence on 10 August 2006.