The amateur/professional typology, developed in the early 1960s by James Q Wilson has provided a useful and influential scope for subsequent research of politicians and their behaviour. Nevertheless, attempts to operationalise the classification have so far been confined to the United States and to studies of party activists. Moreover, recent empirical studies have challenged that the difference in actual behaviour between the two types is not as distinguishable as Wilson originally claimed. This study demonstrates that the typology can be equally valid for research outside the country and that of elected representative for a national legislature. A case study is conducted, in which former Prime Minister Sir Geoffrey Palmer and his contribution to the electoral reform policy during his political career is examined. It is documented that Sir Geoffrey was an amateur politician, with sets of strong, identifiable principles and ideals, and that he maintained his amateur orientation throughout his 11-year parliamentary career. It is through this finding that the assumption of the study (that reliance upon self-assigned data as the sole information source for classification over-emphasises subjects' amateur orientations - and thus is responsible for the reported inability to correctly distinguish the two types1 behaviour by recent studies) is verified. Also pointed out is the usefulness of two extra amateur criteria, that are utilised in the study: third party's assessment, and actual behaviour. Based upon the success of the case study, this study goes on to re-assert the validity of the Wilson typology when applied more faithfully to his original design.