Following the 1980 state election, at which the government was again returned, there was speculation that Court would retire. Rushton was considered a candidate to replace him, along with Craig, Bill Grayden, Ray Young, Jim Clarko, and Court's deputy, Ray O'Connor.[6] Court eventually resigned in early 1982. He was replaced by O'Connor, who was elected unopposed, and Rushton was elected deputy leader in a four-way contest.[7] Retaining his transport portfolio, he also served as Deputy Premier and Minister for Emergency Services in O'Connor's new ministry, which was defeated at the following year's election.[6]
With the Liberal Party now in opposition, Rushton was one of four men to contest a leadership ballot in February 1984, along with O'Connor, Bill Hassell, and Barry MacKinnon. Hassell replaced O'Connor as leader of the party and Leader of the Opposition, while MacKinnon replaced Rushton as deputy leader of the party, narrowly defeating Richard Court.[8][9] Re-elected again at the 1986 state election, Rushton underwent open-heart surgery in August 1987,[10] and, having missed much of the following parliamentary session, resigned on 25 February 1988. The resulting by-election was won by Liberal candidate Fred Tubby, with Labor not fielding a candidate.[1]
Later life
Rushton died in Perth in August 1992, aged 69, and was buried at Karrakatta Cemetery.[11] He had married Elizabeth Melva (Betty) Crouch in 1947, with whom he had four sons and a daughter. They divorced in 1976, and he then remarried to Jean Rachel Evans, in 1977.[1][12]
References
^ abcdBlack, David; Bolton, Geoffrey (2011). Biographical Register of Members of the Parliament of Western Australia, Volume Two 1930–2010 (Revised ed.). Parliament of Western Australia. p. 229. ISBN978-1920830304.
^Phillips, Harry (1991). "The Modern Parliament, 1965–1989". In Black, David (ed.). The House on the Hill: A History of the Parliament of Western Australia 1832–1990. Perth, Western Australia: Parliament of Western Australia. p. 212. ISBN0-7309-3983-9.
