Wran ministry (1983–1984)

The Wran ministry (1983–1984) or Fifth Wran ministry was the 75th ministry of the New South Wales Government, and was led by the 35th Premier of New South Wales, Neville Wran, representing the Labor Party. It was the fifth of eight consecutive occasions when Wran was Premier.

Background Wran had been elected to the Legislative Council of New South Wales by a joint sitting of the New South Wales Parliament on 12 March 1970. He was Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council from 22 February 1972. He resigned from the council on 19 October 1973 to switch to the Legislative Assembly, successfully contesting the election for Bass Hill, which he would hold until his retirement in 1986. Wran successfully challenged Pat Hills to become Leader of Labor Party and Leader of the Opposition from 3 December 1973 and became Premier following a narrow one seat victory at the 1976 election.

Labor retained government at the 1981 election, gaining an additional 6 seats despite a 2% swing against Labor, giving a majority of 19 seats in the Legislative Assembly and two seats in the Legislative Council.

During the course of this ministry, Wran stood aside for two months from May 1983 while Sir Laurence Street conducted a Royal Commission into claims made by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation current affairs show Four Corners that Chief Magistrate Murray Farquhar had said that Wran wanted charges against Kevin Humphreys to be dismissed. After two months of hearings the Royal Commission found that Farquhar had attempted to pervert the course of justice, but Wran was exonerated and resumed the office of Premier. During this time allegations were made that Rex Jackson, the Minister for Corrective Services, was accepting bribes connected with an early-release scheme, with Wran demanding Jackson's resignation in October 1983.

Composition of ministry The ministry covers the period from 1 February 1983 when Wran reconfigured his ministry. There were two minor rearrangements of the ministry, with Jackson resigning in October 1983, and George Paciullo was promoted to the ministry in November 1983. The ministry ended on 10 February 1984 when Jack Ferguson, who had been Wran's deputy since 1973, resigned as Deputy Premier announcing that he would not be contesting the next election, and the Sixth Wran ministry was formed. Portfolio Minister Party Term commence Term end Term of office Premier 1 February 1983 10 February 1984 Deputy PremierMinister for Public WorksMinister for Ports Minister for Transport Minister for Youth and Community ServicesMinister for Aboriginal AffairsMinister for Housing Minister for Industrial RelationsMinister for Technology Attorney GeneralMinister for JusticeMinister for Consumer AffairsVice-President of the Executive CouncilLeader of the Government in Legislative Council , MLC Treasurer Minister for Industrial DevelopmentMinister for Decentralisation Minister for Corrective Services 27 October 1983 27 October 1983 10 February 1984 Minister for Roads 1 February 1983 27 October 1983 27 October 1983 10 November 1983 10 November 1983 10 February 1984 Minister for Planning and Environment 1 February 1983 10 February 1984 Minister for Mineral Resources Minister for Education Minister for Local GovernmentMinister for Lands Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries , MLC Minister for EnergyMinister for Finance Minister for Health Minister for Police and Emergency Services Minister for Leisure, Sport and Tourism Minister for Water ResourcesMinister for Forests

Ministers are members of the Legislative Assembly unless otherwise noted.

Wran ministry (1983–1984)

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