During the 1970s, Egerton acted as Prime Minister Gough Whitlam's right-hand man in Queensland and frequently clashed with the state's conservative Premier Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen.
In the context of Australian politics during the 1970s, Egerton played a significant role as a key advisor to Prime Minister Gough Whitlam in Queensland, frequently experiencing disagreements with the state's more conservative leader, Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen.