Eric Willis

Article summary

Sir Eric Archibald Willis (15 January 1922 – 10 May 1999) was the 34th Premier of New South Wales, serving from 23 January 1976 to 14 May 1976. Born in Murwillumbah in 1922, Willis was educated at Murwillumbah High School and the University of Sydney, where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts with double honours. Enlisting during World War II, Willis served on the homefront and later served in New Guinea and the Philippines. He continued to serve the Citizen Military Forces until 1958. After serving a period as a geographer, Willis was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly as the Liberal member for Earlwood in 1950. He rose to become a long-serving Deputy Leader of the Liberal Party from 1959 to 1975 under Robert Askin. When the Coalition won the 1965 election, Willis was made a Minister of the Crown as Chief Secretary, Minister for Labour and Industry, Tourism and Sport but rose to prominence in his role as Minister for Education from 1972 to 1976. When Askin retired in 1975, Willis failed in his attempts to succeed him. Following the ousting of Askin's successor, Tom Lewis, by the party, Willis was elected as the Parliamentary Leader of the Liberal Party and subsequently became Premier. However, after only four months in office, his Liberal/National Country Party Coalition was defeated at the 1976 election by the Labor Party under Neville Wran.…

Key claims

1. date of birth: 1922 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
2. date of birth: 1922 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
3. date of death: 1999-05-10 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
4. date of formation: 1945 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
5. date of formation: 1996 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95

Discussion questions

1. Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
2. The record states that the date of birth is "1922". What evidence would count against this claim?
3. The record states that the date of birth is "1922". What evidence would count against this claim?
4. The record states that the date of death is "1999-05-10". What evidence would count against this claim?
5. The record states that the date of formation is "1945". What evidence would count against this claim?
6. The record states that the date of formation is "1996". What evidence would count against this claim?
7. Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
8. If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?

Bibliography

1. Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1367203599