fourth Constitutional Convention, running on a "Safeguard the People" ticket. His mission at the Convention was to ensure that any modifications made to the Australian Constitution towards a Republic maintained the present checks and balances against Centralism and the power of the Executive and the Judiciary. He argued, "We have had a Constitution, rightly or wrongly, that has been significantly destabilised, a generation of young people ... who believe we have a bad Constitution, paradoxically, when it is in fact the best in the world." Wilcox was a keen sportsman. He played cricket as a wicket-keeper at university and later for Richmond Cricket Club, and in later life would be a trustee of the Melbourne Cricket Ground and maintained a long association with the Camberwell Magpies Cricket Club. He was also involved for decades with the Returned and Services League of Australia and the Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria. He was made Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1976. Wilcox married his wife Jean in 1942, and the couple had four children and thirteen grandchildren. He died in 2004, at the age of 84. Notes References Condolences: Hon. Vernon Francis Wilcox, CBE, QC, Victorian Parliamentary HANSARD (Legislative Council), 30 March 2004. "Tunnels a lasting legacy", Richard Wilcox, The Australian, 26 May 2004. "MP who kept Melbourne on track and in the loop", Natalie Sikora, Herald Sun, 15 April 2004 "Inspired by Machiavelli and Mac the Mouth", Claire Harvey, The Australian, 5 February 1998. External links Portrait of Vernon Wilcox, taken by Loui Seselja in 1998 1919 births 2004 deaths Delegates to the Australian Constitutional Convention 1998 Members of the Victorian Legislative Assembly Liberal Party of Australia members of the Parliament of Victoria Attorneys-General of Victoria Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Politicians from Melbourne People educated at Carey Baptist Grammar School 20th-century Australian politicians