He was a Labor Party member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1964 to 1984, representing the electorate of Lakemba.
Durick was born in Broken Hill, and attended the Railway Town convent school and Marist Brothers College.
He served in the Second Australian Imperial Force from 1941 to 1944 before being discharged on medical grounds, and returned to teaching at North Broken Hill.
Durick served as caucus returning officer for the crucial 1973 leadership ballot that saw Neville Wran win the Labor leadership from Pat Hills; though a Hills supporter, Durick resolved a tied vote by ruling that Wran had won by virtue of leading on the first count.
[1] He did not hold party, parliamentary or ministerial office; however, he narrowly missed out on becoming Speaker on one occasion when his rival's name was drawn from a hat.