Unsworth ministry
Unsworth ministry | |
|---|---|
| 79th Cabinet of Government of New South Wales | |
 Premier Barrie Unsworth | |
| Date formed | 4 July 1986 |
| Date dissolved | 21 March 1988 |
| People and organisations | |
| Monarch | Queen Elizabeth II |
| Governor | Sir James Rowland |
| Premier | Barrie Unsworth |
| Deputy Premier | Ron Mulock |
| No. of ministers | 20 |
| Member party | Labor |
| Status in legislature | Majority Labor Government |
| Opposition parties | Liberal–National coalition |
| Opposition leader | Nick Greiner |
| History | |
| Outgoing election | 1988 New South Wales state election |
| Predecessor | Eighth Wran ministry |
| Successor | First Greiner–Murray ministry |
The Unsworth ministry was the 79th ministry of the New South Wales Government, and was led by the 36th Premier of New South Wales, Barrie Unsworth, representing the Labor Party.
After the surprise announcement in June 1986 that Neville Wran MP would retire as Premier, NSW Labor Leader, and from Parliament with effect from 4 July 1986,[1] Unsworth, then a Member of the New South Wales Legislative Council, was elected as the leader of the NSW Labor Party and thus became Premier. However, by parliamentary convention, Premiers are members of the Legislative Assembly. In order for Unsworth to move from the Legislative Council to the Legislative Assembly, Brian Bannon, the member for Rockdale, resigned to accept a role as Chairman of the Homebush States Sport Centre Trust,[2] and Unsworth contested the resulting by-election held on 2 August 1986. He narrowly won the seat, with a 17.1% decline in the primary vote and independent preferences giving him a margin of just 54 votes.[3] A by-election for Wran's safe Labor seat of Bass Hill was even worse, with a 22.2 per cent decline in the primary vote delivering a 103–vote victory to the Liberal candidate.[3]
The ministry covers the period from 4 July 1986 when Unsworth was elected by Labor caucus as the NSW Labor Leader until 21 March 1988 when Labor suffered a landslide defeat at the state election by the Liberal–National coalition, led by Nick Greiner and Wal Murray. Unsworth did not contest the 1991 election.
Composition of ministry[edit]
Fifteen of the twenty ministers retained some or all of their portfolios from the eighth Wran ministry.[a] There were two minor rearrangements of the ministry, in November 1986 with a new portfolio of Forests [b] and in November 1987, when Laurie Brereton resigned from the ministry,[4] triggering a reshuffle.[5][c][d][e]
Ministers are members of the Legislative Assembly unless otherwise noted.
See also[edit]
- Members of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, 1984–1988
- Members of the New South Wales Legislative Council, 1984–1988
Notes[edit]
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s Retained portfolios from the eighth Wran ministry.
- ^ a b In November 1986 Jack Hallam was appointed to the new portfolio of Forests.
- ^ a b c Laurie Brereton resigned in November 1987 and Peter Cox replaced him as Minister for Public Works. Brereton's portfolio of Roads was abolished.
- ^ a b c d e Peter Cox's portfolios were abolished, with Ken Gabb appointed as Minister for Minerals and Energy and Deirdre Grusovin becoming Minister for Small Business. Grusovin was also appointed Assistant Minister for Health.
- ^ a b c Ron Mulock and Terry Sheahan swapped portfolios, with Mulock becoming Attorney General and Sheahan becoming Minister for Transport. Janice Crosio was also appointed Assistant Minister for Transport.
References[edit]
- ^ "After Wran, the Unsworth push". The Sydney Morning Herald. Google. 9 June 1986. Retrieved 26 July 2014.
- ^ Green, Antony. "Rockdale by-election 1986". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
- ^ a b "By-election bloodbaths". Crikey. 27 November 2005. Retrieved 13 June 2010.
- ^ Boylen, Louise (26 November 1987). "Brereton quits in demotion protest". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
- ^ "Part 6 Ministries since 1856" (PDF). NSW Parliamentary Record. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 14 March 2022.
