Cyril Rushton

The Honourable Cyril Rushton

Deputy Premier of Western Australia
In office 25 January 1982 – 25 February 1983
Premier	Ray O'Connor
Preceded by	Ray O'Connor
Succeeded by	Mal Bryce
Member of the Legislative Assembly of Western Australia
In office 8 May 1965 – 25 February 1988
Preceded by	Gerald Wild
Succeeded by	Fred Tubby
Constituency	Dale
Personal details
Born	(1922-11-23)23 November 1922 Denmark, Western Australia, Australia
Died	23 August 1992(1992-08-23) (aged 69) Dalkeith, Western Australia, Australia
Political party	Liberal

Edgar Cyril Rushton (23 November 1922 – 23 August 1992) was an Australian politician who was a Liberal Party member of the Legislative Assembly of Western Australia from 1965 to 1988. He served as a minister in the governments of Charles Court and Ray O'Connor, including as deputy premier to O'Connor from 1982 to 1983.

Born in Denmark, in Western Australia's Great Southern region, Rushton attended schools in Denmark, Mount Barker, and Katanning, before boarding at Scotch College in Perth. He served in the military during the Second World War, initially as a signaller in the Australian Army, and then as a navigator (rank leading aircraftman) in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). On returning to Australia, Rushton worked at the Bank of New South Wales, initially in country areas and then closer to Perth. He served on the Armadale-Kelmscott Shire Council 1958 to 1966, including as shire president from 1964 to 1965.

Rushton joined the Liberal Party in 1947. He was first elected to parliament at the 1965 Dale by-election, which came only three months after the 1965 state election. The previous holder of the seat, Gerald Wild, had resigned from parliament to take up the position of Agent-General for Western Australia. As a new member of parliament, Rushton did not serve as a minister under David Brand. After Charles Court led the Liberal Party to victory at the 1974 state election, he was appointed Minister for Local Government and Minister for Urban Development and Town Planning in the new ministry. The ministry was reconstituted in 1978 after a portfolio reshuffle, and Rushton was named Minister for Transport, with June Craig, the only woman in Cabinet, taking over his portfolios.