# Perc Tucker > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Perc_Tucker > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Perc_Tucker.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perc_Tucker > Source revision: 1348250431 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Not to be confused with [Percy Tucker](/source/Percy_Tucker). **Percy John Robert "Perc" Tucker** (5 December 1919 – 20 August 1980) was a member of the [Queensland Legislative Assembly](/source/Queensland_Legislative_Assembly). He was the [leader of the opposition](/source/Leader_of_the_Opposition_(Queensland)) in 1974.[1] ## Biography Tucker was born in [Rockhampton](/source/Rockhampton), [Queensland](/source/Queensland), the son of Percy Clifford Tucker and his wife Beatrice (née Guthrie). He was educated at Rockhampton state and high schools before being employed in [Brisbane](/source/Brisbane) by the Department of Public Works in 1937. He then worked as a [draftsman](/source/Draftsman) in Rockhampton[1] before moving to [Townsville](/source/Townsville) in 1955[2] and continuing the trade until 1960.[1] During [World War II](/source/World_War_II) Tucker enlisted with the [RAAF](/source/RAAF) in December 1940 but was discharged a month later. Then in March 1943 Tucker once again enlisted, this time with the [Australian Army](/source/Australian_Army) and served with the 42nd Australian Infantry Battalion in [New Guinea](/source/New_Guinea) and [Bouganville](/source/Bougainville_Island).[3] From 1948 until 1955 he was a [captain](/source/Captain_(armed_forces)) in the reserve army.[1] On 20 June 1944 he married Isabel Mary Campbell, a hairdresser, at the Holy Trinity Church in [Mackay](/source/Mackay,_Queensland)[4] and together had three sons and a daughter.[1] One son, Rodney, died at a young age in 1956[5] after breaking his arm and died on the operating table whilst under [anaesthetic](/source/Anaesthetic).[2] Tucker died in Townsville in August 1980[1] and his funeral was held at the John Knox Presbyterian church[2] and he was later [cremated](/source/Cremated).[4] ## Public life Tucker, representing the [Labor Party](/source/Australian_Labor_Party_(Queensland_Branch)), won the new seat of [Townsville North](/source/Electoral_district_of_Townsville_North) at the [1960 Queensland state elections](/source/1960_Queensland_state_election). He held the seat until it was abolished for the [1972 Queensland state elections](/source/1972_Queensland_state_election), at which Tucker followed most of his constituents into the new seat of [Townsville West](/source/Electoral_district_of_Townsville_West).[1] From July 1966 until July 1974 Tucker was the deputy opposition leader under [Jack Houston](/source/Jack_Houston). In July 1974 he challenged Houston for the leadership and defeated him by 17 votes to 15.[6] Facing an [election later that year](/source/1974_Queensland_state_election), Tucker famously vowed to give Premier [Joh Bjelke-Petersen](/source/Joh_Bjelke-Petersen) a "hiding." However, the Queensland ALP was roundly defeated, falling to a "cricket team" of only 11 seats. Tucker himself lost his own seat to National [Max Hooper](/source/Max_Hooper)–one of the few instances in which a major-party leader at the federal, state or territory level has been rolled in his own seat.[7][1] Tucker wasn't finished with politics however, and in 1976 he was elected the [mayor of Townsville](/source/Mayor_of_Townsville), holding the role until his death in 1980.[1] The Perc Tucker Regional Gallery (opened 1981) in Townsville is named in his honour.[4] ## References 1. ["Former Members"](http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/members/former/bio?id=1161466036). [Parliament of Queensland](/source/Parliament_of_Queensland). 2015. Retrieved 24 April 2016. 1. [Death of Mr P.J.R. Tucker](http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/documents/hansard/1980/1980_08_26.pdf) — [Hansard](/source/Hansard). Retrieved 24 April 2016. 1. [TUCKER, PERCY JOHN ROBERT](http://www.ww2roll.gov.au/Veteran.aspx?serviceId=A&veteranId=575191) — World War II Nominal Roll. Retrieved 24 April 2016. 1. [Tucker, Percy John Robert (Perc) (1919–1980)](https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/tucker-percy-john-robert-perc-11887) — [Australian Dictionary of Biography](/source/Australian_Dictionary_of_Biography). Retrieved 24 April 2016. 1. [Family history research](https://www.qld.gov.au/law/births-deaths-marriages-and-divorces/family-history-research/) – [Queensland Government births, deaths, marriages, and divorces](/source/Queensland_Government). Retrieved 24 April 2016. 1. WANNA, JOHN & ARKLAY, TRACEY (2010). [*The Ayes Have It: The history of the Queensland Parliament, 1957-1989*](https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt24h7kp.14). ANU Press. pp. 362–363. [JSTOR j.ctt24h7kp.14](https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt24h7kp.14). Retrieved 15 October 2021. 1. Madigan, Michael (2012-03-17). ["Queensland Labor barely alive after future leadership decapitated in state election"](http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/queensland-labor-barely-alive-after-future-leadership-decapitated-in-state-election/news-story/a30605b6dc959c5d4a8160c956247490). [The Courier-Mail](/source/The_Courier-Mail) --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Perc Tucker](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perc_Tucker) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perc_Tucker?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.