He campaigned in the
1930 state election as a
Nationalist candidate with the slogan 'A practical farmer for a farming electorate', winning the
lower house seat of
Murray-Wellington. At the
1933 election, the Nationalists were defeated by the
Labor Party under
Philip Collier, beginning a 14-year period in opposition for the conservative parties. On 14 December 1946, McLarty succeeded the retired
Robert Ross McDonald as leader of the newly formed
Liberal Party, which had amalgamated with the Nationalists.
Premiership The
1947 election saw the Liberal-Country coalition unexpectedly defeat the
Labor government of premier
Frank Wise who had held the position for only two years. For the first time since 1933, the Liberal (formerly Nationalist) group in Parliament was larger than the Country Party's and, under the negotiated coalition agreement, McLarty became premier and the Country Party's
Arthur Watts became his deputy. Together with the premiership, he held the Treasury, Housing, Forests and North-West portfolios. His administration coincided with rapid post-war expansion of the Western Australian economy and, in 1950, conducted negotiations with
BP to develop the
Kwinana Oil Refinery whose surrounding area subsequently developed into the state's main
industrial district. His government accepted
federal funding to establish the State Housing Commission. His premiership was, however, marred by discord between the two coalition parties. He was
knighted in January 1953 and lost office at the election next month, continuing as opposition leader for another four years until March 1957. Throughout his parliamentary career, McLarty travelled home to Pinjarra for most weekends. He was chairman of the Murray District Hospital Board and held a number of pastoral investments, including a controlling interest in
Liveringa station, near
Derby. He resigned from parliament because of poor health in May 1962 and died in December. McLarty was accorded a
state funeral and is buried in the Pinjarra cemetery. ==See also==