Editing Tim Fischer (section)

==Early life==
Fischer was born on 3 May 1946 in [[Lockhart, New South Wales]].<ref name="Tim Fischer NSW parl">{{cite NSW Parliament |title=Mr (Tim) Timothy Andrew Fischer (1946–2019) |id=2023 |former=Yes |access-date=3 September 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YkWUCwAAQBAJ&pg=PT27|title=Boy from Boree Creek: The Tim Fischer story|last=Rees|first=Peter|date=2002-08-01|publisher=Allen & Unwin|isbn=978-1-74115-375-0|page=27}}</ref> He was the fourth of five children born to Barbara Mary ({{nee|van Cooth}}) and Julius Ralph Fischer; he was predeceased by an older brother who died of meningitis as an infant.{{sfn|Rees|2001|pp=20-21}} His parents were "from once wealthy Melbourne families whose businesses had collapsed with the onset of the Great Depression".{{sfn|Rees|2001|p=17}} Fischer's father worked as a [[Jackaroo (trainee)|jackaroo]], settling in [[Boree Creek, New South Wales]], in 1936, where he ran a [[stock and station agency]] and later bought a small farm.{{sfn|Rees|2001|p=20}} His paternal grandfather was born in [[Kleve]], Germany, and had his assets frozen due to [[anti-German sentiment]] during World War I. His paternal grandmother was the daughter of a French seaman.{{sfn|Rees|2001|p=19}} Fischer's mother worked as a nurse prior to her marriage. His maternal grandfather was a Dutch immigrant who married the daughter of [[Francis Mason (politician)|Francis Mason]], an Irish immigrant who became [[speaker of the Victorian Legislative Assembly]].{{sfn|Rees|2001|p=17}}

Fischer grew up on the family property at Boree Creek and attended Boree Creek Public School for six years. From 1958 he boarded at [[Xavier College]] in Melbourne.{{sfn|Rees|2001|p=27}} He graduated in 1963 and won a scholarship to attend university, but returned to Boree Creek to assist his family.{{sfn|Rees|2001|p=44}} In 1966 he was [[conscription|conscripted]] into the [[Australian Army]] and commissioned at the [[Officer Training Unit, Scheyville]]. Fischer served with the [[1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment]] (1RAR) between July 1966 and March 1969 as a [[Second lieutenant#Australia|second lieutenant]].<ref name="Ellery">{{cite news |last1=Ellery |first1=David |title=Tim Fischer says public servants 'played god' with Vietnam National Service ballot |url=https://www.smh.com.au/public-service/tim-fischer-says-public-servants-played-god-with-vietnam-national-service-ballot-20150630-gi15ul.html |access-date=22 August 2019 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=1 July 2015 |quote=He served as a 2nd Lieutenant with 1 RAR from July 1, 1966, to March 31, 1969}}</ref> With his battalion, he served in the [[Vietnam War]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vietnamroll.gov.au/VeteranDetails.aspx?VeteranId=1257970|title=Veteran Search Result: Fischer, Timothy Andrew|work=Nominal Roll of Vietnam Roll Veterans|publisher=Department of Veterans' Affairs|access-date=4 December 2012}}</ref> Fischer was wounded in the [[Battle of Coral-Balmoral]] in May–June 1968.<ref name="SBS">{{cite news |title=Veterans remember Battle of Coral-Balmoral |url=https://www.sbs.com.au/news/veterans-remember-battle-of-coral-balmoral |access-date=22 August 2019 |work=SBS News |agency=Australian Associated Press |date=11 May 2018}}</ref> 1RAR and the [[1st Australian Task Force]] were awarded [[Unit Citation for Gallantry]] for their actions Battle of Coral-Balmoral and Fischer was entitled to wear the citation insignia.<ref name=Chester>{{cite press release |last=Chester |first=Darren|date=13 May 2018 |title=Gallantry award for service during the Battles of Coral and Balmoral |url=https://www.minister.defence.gov.au/minister/dchester/media-releases/gallantry-award-service-during-battles-coral-and-balmoral|author-link=Darren Chester |publisher=Department of Defence (Australia) |access-date=29 August 2019}}</ref>

Upon his return from Vietnam, Fischer took over the family property at Boree Creek and became active in the [[National Party of Australia – NSW|Country Party]], as the party was then called.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://nationals.org.au/about/our-history/ |title=Our history |publisher=National Party of Australia }}</ref>