Betty Thornton has spent a lifetime devoted to the Tallygaroopna branch of the National Party.
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As a 70-year member she has seen the Goulburn Valley produce some of Victoria and Australia's highest-profile politicians.
Political reporter James Bennett spoke with Miss Thornton about her time with the branch.
The National Party runs through Betty Thornton's blood.
Her parents were passionate members and she joined when it was called the Country Party in 1949.
She describes her time as "just staying there".
The 91-year-old is a proud member of the Tallygaroopna branch and has seen her fair share of changes in the party and the region.
Miss Thornton said it had provided a nice social opportunity for her.
“When I first joined the Country Party it was called the Bunbartha Women's Section Branch,” she said.
“I decided I had better be the secretary and Mrs Margaret Billingham was the president. That branch closed in 1974.
“I had a general interest into what was happening in the country and locally.
“It was also good socially. We had meetings and I went to different conferences.
“Eventually my mum and dad opened their home for afternoon or morning tea once a year.
“We invited all the surrounding lady members from the surrounding branches and there were a number of them back in those days; not so much now.
“Sometimes we'd have a guest speaker, like the wives of the politicians, or sometimes there were singers.
“Those afternoon or morning teas happened for about 10 or 12 years.”
The Goulburn Valley has been a breeding ground for hard-hitting Nationals at both the state and federal level, including Sir Murray Bourchier, Sir John McDonald, Sir John 'Black Jack' McEwen, Peter Ross-Edwards and Bruce Lloyd.
Arguably the most famous was Black Jack McEwen, who spent a brief period as prime minister but also served as Australia's first deputy prime minister.
Black Jack spent more than 20 years as the Member for Murray (now Nicholls).
“Jack McEwen was a very reserved man,” Miss Thornton said.
“Just meeting him you could tell he was very intelligent. I do remember when he was prime minister but it was so short.
“He was the minister for trade and being in portfolio he covered a lot of countries around the world to help trade from Australia.
“That opened up a lot of trade and back in those day in the 1950s and 1960s it was pretty big.
“John McDonald was premier of Victoria and had a lot to do with irrigation; the water which we don't have anymore.”
Miss Thornton has also had the opportunity to meet other big-name Nationals, including the late Tim Fischer.
“He was a brilliant man. But they're all brilliant if they're in the National Party,” she said with a laugh.
One of the most significant changes was adopting the Nationals name.
Miss Thornton said the big reason from transitioning from Country Party to National Party was to allow more openness within the towns and cities.
“From its inception it was mainly for country farmers or country business people. We didn't have branches in the towns,” she said.
“But then we found we had to move into the towns and cities to cover the people who had an interest in the Country Party.
“The politics of our party had to change and include more towns."
Later this month, the Tallygaroopna branch will celebrate its 100th anniversary.
Former and current Nationals politicians have been invited.
Miss Thornton said she was very excited for the celebrations.
“I'm looking forward to having a lot of interested people come back for the day and the opportunity to talk about the older days,” she said.
“One thing about Tallygaroopna — and I must stress this — we have never thought of folding up.
“It's remarkable and it reflects on the members that do not want to give up their opportunity to have a political party within their circle.
“We had good membership in the 1980s and then it declined. When we had a Liberal member (Sharman Stone, 1996 until 2016) a lot of people who support the National Party still supported her.
“It's a coalition so that meant people supported one or the other.”
Member for Nicholls Damian Drum has also being given the tick of approval by Miss Thornton.
She said she remembers Mr Drum when he was a little boy and never thought he would become a politician.
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