Background
He was born at "Tremorvah", Millicent, a son of Ralph Edwin DeGaris and Mrs DeGaris née Curgenven.
He was born at "Tremorvah", Millicent, a son of Ralph Edwin DeGaris and Mrs DeGaris née Curgenven.
On leaving college, he worked for the Millicent branch of the family firm of DeGaris, Sons & Company, (in 1947 merged into Elder, Smith and Company) stock and station agents of Naracoorte. He enlisted with the Royal Australian Air Force in 1941. He served as councillor with the Millicent District Council from 1948 to 1954.
He was elected in December 1962 for the Liberal and Country League (Liberal Party) to a Southern district seat in the Legislative Council, and remained a member, through the reversion in 1975 of that House to a single constituency, until November 1985.
He served as Chief Secretary, Minister for Health and Minister for Mines from April 1968 to June 1970. As Leader of the Legislative Council, he clashed with Premier Steele Hall, a fellow Liberal, over the latter"s plan to reform the franchise of the Upper House, a move that severely disadvantaged his own party"s gerrymander.