Michael Bruxner

Lieutenant Colonel The Honourable Sir Michael Bruxner KBE, DSO, JP
Bruxner in 1951
1st Deputy Premier of New South Wales
In office 16 May 1932 – 16 May 1941
Premier	Bertram Stevens Alexander Mair
Preceded by	New title
Succeeded by	Jack Baddeley
Minister for Transport
In office 16 May 1932 – 16 May 1941
Premier	Bertram Stevens Alexander Mair
Preceded by	James McGirr
Succeeded by	Maurice O'Sullivan
Minister for Local Government
In office 18 October 1927 – 3 November 1930
Premier	Thomas Bavin
Preceded by	Tom Keegan
Succeeded by	William McKell
In office 16 May 1932 – 17 June 1932
Premier	Bertram Stevens
Preceded by	James McGirr
Succeeded by	Joseph Jackson
Member of the New South Wales Parliament for Tenterfield
In office 14 September 1927 – 5 February 1962
Preceded by	New district
Succeeded by	Tim Bruxner
Personal details
Born	(1882-03-25)25 March 1882 Tabulum, Colony of New South Wales, British Empire
Died	28 March 1970(1970-03-28) (aged 88) Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Spouse	Winnifred Caird
Children	James Caird Bruxner John Michael Bruxner Helen Elizabeth Helps
Military service
Allegiance	Australia
Branch/service	Australian Army
Years of service	1911–1919
Rank	Lieutenant Colonel
Commands	6th Light Horse Regiment
Battles/wars	First World War Gallipoli Campaign Sinai and Palestine
Awards	Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire Distinguished Service Order Mentioned in Despatches (2) Chevalier of the Légion d'honneur (France)

Lieutenant Colonel Sir Michael Frederick Bruxner KBE, DSO, JP (25 March 1882 – 28 March 1970) was an Australian politician and soldier, serving for many years as leader of the Country Party (and its predecessors) in New South Wales. Born in the north of the state, Bruxner was educated at The Armidale School and started studies at University of Sydney but later dropped out to take up employment as a grazier and station agent in Tenterfield. After serving in the Citizen Military Forces from 1911, Bruxner enlisted into the Australian Light Horse upon the outbreak of the First World War in 1914. Serving with distinction in Gallipoli, Egypt and Palestine, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel and awarded the Distinguished Service Order.

Returning to Australia in 1919, Bruxner sold his business and joined the Progressive Party, being elected to the Parliament of New South Wales for Northern Tablelands at the 1920 election. Bruxner came to political prominence when he led the rural "True Blues" faction of the Progressive Party that went against their Leader's decision to form a coalition in Sir George Fuller's short-lived government in 1921. Bruxner emerged as the leader of the reduced Progressive Party, which consisted of the members of his faction, but they nevertheless joined with Fuller's Nationalists to form government in 1922. Bruxner also became involved in the New England New State Movement. Bruxner resigned the party leadership, now for the renamed Country Party, at the end of 1925.

At the 1927 election, with the abandonment of proportional representation, he won the new seat of Tenterfield unopposed. Bruxner was included in new Premier Thomas Bavin's cabinet as Minister for Local Government, which included the responsibility for transport. He served until Labor won the 1930 election. In April 1932 Bruxner was elected again as the new Country Party Leader, which he would hold continuously until 1958. When Sir Philip Game dismissed Jack Lang and called upon the Leader of the Opposition Bertram Stevens to form a caretaker government in 1932, Stevens formed a coalition with Bruxner's Country Party and Bruxner was named as the first Deputy Premier of New South Wales. Bruxner was also sworn in as Minister for Transport and briefly resumed his former Local Government portfolio. Bruxner also worked with his long-time friend and Minister for Education David Drummond, to establish the New England University College in 1938, which was later to become the University of New England.

Bruxner was central in ensuring Alexander Mair became Premier after Stevens was defeated in the house in August 1939. The Coalition lost government at the 10 May 1941 election and Bruxner would never again serve in government. The rest of Bruxner's parliamentary career was to be on the opposition benches, leading the Country Party through five more elections and through the instability of the larger opposition parties that eventually united as the Liberal Party. On 6 May 1958, Bruxner formally resigned as Leader of the Country Party, having served continuously in that role since 1932. He continued to serve in his capacity as Member for Tenterfield for one more term before retiring from politics before the 1962 election. Bruxner was Knighted as a KBE in 1962,^[1] and thereafter served in various capacities on boards and continued his passion for horses before his death aged 88 on 28 March 1970.