{{Short description|Australian politician}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}} {{Use Australian English|date=August 2021}} {{Infobox officeholder |honorific_prefix = |name = Adrian Cruickshank |honorific_suffix = |image = |constituency_MP = Murrumbidgee |parliament = New South Wales |term_start = 24 March 1984 |term_end = 27 March 1999 |predecessor = Lin Gordon |successor = Adrian Piccoli |majority = |birth_name = Adrian John Cruickshank |birth_date = 16 December 1936 |birth_place = Hobart, Tasmania |death_date = {{Death date and age|2010|5|21|1936|12|16|df=yes}} |death_place = Sydney, New South Wales |resting_place = Griffith City Cemetery |party = National Party |relations = |spouse = Margaret |children = 5 |occupation = |website = |footnotes = <ref name="TSH"/> }} '''Adrian John Cruickshank''' (16 December 1936 – 21 May 2010) was an Australian politician and philanthropist.<ref name="DA">{{cite news|author1=Tinker, Emily |author2=Tyson, Ross |title=Former MP remembered |newspaper=Area News |date=24 May 2010 |url=http://www.areanews.com.au/news/local/news/general/former-mp-remembered/1838149.aspx |accessdate=24 May 2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706101147/http://www.areanews.com.au/news/local/news/general/former-mp-remembered/1838149.aspx |archivedate=6 July 2011 }}</ref> He was the National Party member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for Murrumbidgee from 1984 to 1999.
Cruickshank was born in Hobart, Tasmania. He spent time in countries in the southern and eastern parts of the African Continent as a miner and prospector before returning to Australia to farm.<ref name="DA"/> In 1966, he became New South Wales State Chairman of the Young Australian Country Party, holding the position until 1968 when he was appointed to the state council, serving until 1984.<ref name="TSH">{{cite news|title=Farmer and politician who went his own way|url=http://www.smh.com.au/national/obituaries/farmer-and-politician-who-went-his-own-way-20100630-zmo5.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160904100831/http://www.smh.com.au/comment/obituaries/farmer-and-politician-who-went-his-own-way-20100630-zmo5.html|archivedate=4 September 2016|first=Barry|last=Everingham |accessdate=4 April 2011|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |publisher=Fairfax Media|date=1 July 2010}}</ref> He was elected to Carrathool Shire Council in 1970 and remained until 1974.<ref name="DA"/> He was chairman of the Rankins Springs branch of the party from 1972 to 1984.<ref name=nsw>{{Cite NSW Parliament |id=1942 |name=Mr Adrian John Cruickshank (1936-2010) |former=Yes |access-date=13 May 2019}}</ref>
In 1984, Cruickshank was selected as the National candidate for the state seat of Murrumbidgee, which was being vacated by sitting Labor member Lin Gordon. Cruickshank finished third on the primary votes behind Labor candidate Margaret Delves and independent Thomas Marriott, but with Liberal preferences pushed into second place and was elected the victor on Marriott's preferences, with a margin of 51.52%.<ref name="Green 1984">{{cite NSW election |year=1984 |district=Murrumbidgee |accessdate=26 June 2020}}</ref>
Partly due to redistributions which greatly strengthened the National Party in Murrumbidgee, Cruickshank faced no further serious challenges and was re-elected in 1988,<ref name="Green 1988">{{cite NSW election |year=1988 |district=Murrumbidgee |accessdate=26 June 2020}}</ref> 1991,<ref name="Green 1991">{{cite NSW election |year=1991 |district=Murrumbidgee |accessdate=26 June 2020}}</ref> and 1995.<ref name="Green 1995">{{cite NSW election |year=1995 |district=Murrumbidgee |accessdate=26 June 2020}}</ref> He retired in 1999, and was succeeded as National MP for the seat by Adrian Piccoli.<ref name="Green 1999">{{cite NSW election |year=1999 |district=Murrumbidgee |accessdate=26 June 2020}}</ref>
On 21 May 2010, Cruickshank died at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital from pneumonia.<ref name="DA"/>
==References== {{reflist}} {{s-start}} {{s-par|au-nsw-la}} {{succession box | title=Member for Murrumbidgee | before=Lin Gordon | after=Adrian Piccoli | years=1984–1999}} {{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cruickshank, Adrian}} Category:1936 births Category:2010 deaths Category:National Party of Australia members of the Parliament of New South Wales Category:Members of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly Category:Politicians from Hobart Category:People from Griffith, New South Wales