Neville Wran

{{Infobox officeholder

|image = Neville Wran Premier.jpg

|caption = Wran {{circa}} 1971

|honorific-prefix = The Honourable

|name = Neville Wran

|birth_name = Neville Kenneth Wran

|honorific-suffix = {{postnominals|country=AUS|size=100%|sep=,|AC|CNZM|QC}}

| office = Chairman of the CSIRO

| term_start = 5 December 1986

| term_end = 4 December 1991

| predecessor = Norman Boardman

| successor = Adrienne Clarke

|office1 = 35th Premier of New South Wales

|term_start1 = 14 May 1976

|term_end1 = 4 July 1986

|monarch1 = Elizabeth II

|governor1 = {{Ubl | Sir Roden Cutler (1976–81) | Sir James Rowland (1981–86) }}

|deputy1 = {{Ubl | Jack Ferguson (1976–84) | Ron Mulock (1984–86) }}

|predecessor1 = Sir Eric Willis

|successor1 = Barrie Unsworth

|office2 = National President of the Labor Party

|term_start2 = 8 September 1980

|term_end2 = 3 July 1986

|predecessor2 = Neil Batt

|successor2 = Mick Young

|constituency_MP4 = Bass Hill

|parliament4 = New South Wales

|assembly4 = Legislative Assembly

|term_start4 = 17 November 1973

|term_end4 = 4 July 1986

|office5 = Member of the New South Wales Legislative Council

|term_start5 = 23 April 1970

|term_end5 = 19 October 1973

|predecessor4 = Clarrie Earl

|successor4 = Michael Owen

|office3 = Leader of the Opposition

|term_start3 = 3 December 1973

|term_end3 = 14 May 1976

|birth_date = {{Birth date|1926|10|11|df=y}}

|birth_place = Paddington, New South Wales, Australia

|death_date = {{Death date and age|2014|4|20|1926|10|11|df=y}}

|death_place = Elizabeth Bay, New South Wales, Australia

|party = Australian Labor Party

|spouse = {{Ubl

| {{Marriage|Marcia Oliver|1946|1976|end=div}}{{cite news |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/apr/21/neville-wran-his-life-and-career-timeline |access-date=17 February 2025 |archive-date=17 February 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250217054710/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/apr/21/neville-wran-his-life-and-career-timeline |url-status=live |title=Neville Wran: his life and career – timeline |date=21 April 2014 |at=1946, 1976, 2011}}

| {{Marriage|Jill Hickson|20 August 1976}}

}}

|children = 4

|occupation = Lawyer

| nickname = Nifty{{cite news |website=ABC News |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-05-01/state-funeral-for-neville-wran-in-sydney-today/5422026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250217010109/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-05-01/state-funeral-for-neville-wran-in-sydney-today/5422026 |access-date=17 February 2025 |date=1 May 2014 |title=Neville Wran: State funeral celebrates former NSW premier's life |url-status=live |archive-date=17 February 2025}}

}}

Neville Kenneth Wran, {{postnominals|country=AUS|sep=,|AC|CNZM|QC}} (11 October 1926 – 20 April 2014) was an Australian politician who was the Premier of New South Wales from 1976 to 1986. He was the national president of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) from 1980{{Cite news |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/125620827 |title=Joy at ALP summit |date=9 September 1980 |newspaper=The Canberra Times |page=1 |via=Trove |archive-date=30 September 2021 |access-date=2 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210930174632/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/125620827 |url-status=live }} to 1986 and chairman of both the Lionel Murphy Foundation and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) from 1986 to 1991.

Early years

Wran was born in the Sydney suburb of Paddington, the eighth and last child of Joseph Wran and his wife Lillian ({{nee}} Langley).{{Cite news|title=Neville Wran, former NSW premier and Labor hero, dies at 87|work=The Australian|access-date=21 April 2014|url=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/subscribe/news/1/?sourceCode=TAWEB_WRE170_a&dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theaustralian.com.au%2Fnation%2Fpolitics%2Fneville-wran-former-nsw-premier-and-labor-hero-dies-at-87%2Fnews-story%2F96658c2a8d0514a13db50784d9b40600&memtype=anonymous&mode=premium|url-access=subscription|archive-date=7 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161107024959/http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/state-politics/neville-wran-former-nsw-premier-and-labor-hero-dies-at-87/story-e6frgczx-1226890650993|url-status=live}} He was educated at Nicholson Street Public School, Balmain, Fort Street Boys High and the University of Sydney,{{cite NSW Parliament|title=The Hon. Neville Kenneth Wran (1926–2014) |id=1860 |former=Yes |access-date=10 May 2019}} where he was a member of the Liberal Club,{{cite web|title=Notable Alumni|publisher=Sydney University Liberal Club|url=https://www.sulc.com.au/alumni|access-date=6 May 2007|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250217044251/https://www.sulc.com.au/alumni|archive-date=17 February 2025|at=11. Neville Wran, Premier of NSW, 1976-1986}} and from which he gained a Bachelor of Laws in 1948. He was admitted as a solicitor in 1951, called to the Bar in 1957, and became a Queen's Counsel in 1968.

His great-grandfather, the eminent High Victorian architectural sculptor, Thomas Vallance Wran (1832–1891), whose carvings can be seen on the Martin Place front of the General Post Office, came from Chichester. Thomas Wran – the surname is Austrian – settled initially at St Lawrence, Queensland, before he established himself in Caroline Street, Balmain, in 1872.

Political career

Wran began his political career in 1970 when he became a member of the upper house of the Parliament of New South Wales, the Legislative Council. Three years afterwards, he moved to the lower house, the Legislative Assembly, in the seat of Bass Hill. Support for this move had been organised by the General Secretary of the FMWU, Ray Gietzelt.{{cite news |url=http://www.unitedvoice.org.au/news/vale-ray-gietzelt |publisher=United Voice |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |title=Vale Ray Gietzelt |date=20 December 2012 |author=Lawrence, Jeff |access-date=26 April 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150407162330/http://www.unitedvoice.org.au/news/vale-ray-gietzelt |archive-date=7 April 2015 |url-status=dead }} He then challenged Pat Hills for the state leadership of the Labor Party (which Hills had held since 1968). In this challenge he had cross-faction support from right-wing powerbroker John Ducker and left-winger Jack Ferguson. There were two rounds to the leadership vote which resulted in a tie between Hills and Wran in the second ballot. However, under Labor Party rules of the time, in the event of a tie in the second ballot, the candidate who won the most votes in the first ballot would be the winner. Since Wran had won one vote more than Hills in the first ballot, Wran was therefore declared the new leader.

In May 1976, six months after Gough Whitlam's federal Labor government's dismissal, Wran led Labor to victory, narrowly defeating the Liberal Party premier, Sir Eric Willis. Wran's win was not assured until it became clear that Gosford and Hurstville had fallen to Labor by only 74 and 44 votes respectively, giving Wran a one-seat majority.

In 1978, Willis resigned, causing a by-election to be held for the seat of Earlwood, which had been held by the Liberal Party for three decades. Labor won the by-election, beating the Liberal candidate Alan Jones.{{Cite web|work=St George & Sutherland Shire Leader|first=Murray|last=Trembath|url = https://www.theleader.com.au/story/6241780/leader-flashback-when-alan-jones-ran-for-parliament/|title = Alan Jones fails twice in bid to win state seat of Earlwood|url-access=registration|date = 26 June 2019|access-date = 1 March 2022|archive-date = 1 March 2022|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220301003126/https://www.theleader.com.au/story/6241780/leader-flashback-when-alan-jones-ran-for-parliament/|url-status = live}} Later that year, campaigning with the slogan "Wran's our Man", his government won a 13-seat swing, popularly known as the "Wranslide". This came on the back of 57.7 percent of the primary vote, the largest primary vote for any party in a century. The Opposition Leader on that occasion, Peter Coleman, lost his seat.

In 1981, Wran won a second "Wranslide", picking up a six-seat swing for what is still NSW Labor's largest proportion of seats in Parliament (69 out of 99 seats, 69.7 percent of the chamber). The Opposition Leader, Bruce McDonald, failed to be elected to the seat that he contested, marking the second time in a row that an Opposition Leader had failed to be elected to Parliament. Labor also reduced the Liberals to 14 seats, the same as its nominal junior partner, the National Country Party. He won a fourth term in 1984; although he suffered an 11-seat swing, he still won a larger majority than any of the victories won by the Liberals' Sir Robert Askin in the 1960s and 1970s.

In 1977, Wran supported Al Grassby, former Federal Immigration Minister, in allowing Domenico Barbaro, a Mafia figure in the Griffith region of New South Wales, back into Australia after having been earlier deported because of his criminal record.{{cite book |author=Bottom, Bob |author-link=Bob Bottom |title=Shadow of Shame: How the mafia got away with the murder of Donald Mackay |publisher=Sun Books |location=South Melbourne |year=198 |pages=13–14 }} However, as journalist David Hickie explains, Wran attempted to undermine the influence of organised crime, particularly in the area of illegal casinos.{{cite book |first=David |last=Hickie |title=The Prince and the Premier: The story of Perce Galea, Bob Askin and the others who gave organised crime its start in Australia |publisher=Angus & Robertson Publishers |location=NSW, Australia |year=1985 }}

Wran was also very popular, at one stage rating over 80 per cent approval in opinion polls. He was often talked about as a national political leader and rated highly in national polls as an alternative Labor Leader to Bill Hayden. He featured in Hayden's 1980 federal election campaign, along with Bob Hawke.

File:(1)Neville Wrans childhood home.jpg

Wran's first half of his tenure as a Labor premier came at a time when most Australian governments were held by conservative coalitions, a trend subsequently reversed in the early 1980s following the elections of Labor governments to both federal and state parliaments. During his 10 years as Premier of New South Wales, the government embarked on a program of reform and change. Priorities were public transport (with the exception of the Warringah Transport Corridor which was cancelled despite a recommendation by Justice Michael Kirby that it be built), the environment, consumer protection and job creation. He also achieved significant electoral institutional reform such as a democratic Legislative Council, four-year terms, public funding and disclosure laws and a pecuniary interests register for members of parliament. He called on Edwin Lusher, firstly while a QC and then as a Judge of the Supreme Court of New South Wales, to chair commissions of inquiry into police administration and gambling.{{Cite web |url=http://library.sl.nsw.gov.au/search~S2?%2FaLusher%2C+E.+A.+%28Edwin+Augustus%29%2Falusher+e+a+edwin+augustus%2F1%2C1%2C2%2CB%2Fexact&FF=alusher+e+a+edwin+augustus&1%2C2%2C |title=State Library of New South Wales Catalogue |access-date=7 March 2022 |archive-date=7 October 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161007144249/http://library.sl.nsw.gov.au/search~S2?%2FaLusher%2C+E.+A.+%28Edwin+Augustus%29%2Falusher+e+a+edwin+augustus%2F1%2C1%2C2%2CB%2Fexact&FF=alusher+e+a+edwin+augustus&1%2C2%2C |url-status=dead }} He also undertook the state's largest capital works program and refurbished many iconic places in Sydney. His government also built the modern-day Darling Harbour precinct.

File:Neville Wran 1983.jpg

In 1983, Wran faced the Street Royal Commission over claims by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) current affairs show Four Corners that he had tried to influence the magistracy over the 1977 committal of Kevin Humphreys, who had been charged with misappropriation of funds.{{cite news |url=http://www.smh.com.au/comment/neville-wrans-lowest-ebb-was-a-high-water-mark-for-four-corners-20140424-zqyr8.html |title=Neville Wran's lowest ebb was a high water mark for Four Corners |author=Holmes, Jonathan |author-link=Jonathan Holmes (journalist) |date=24 April 2014 |access-date=26 April 2014 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |archive-date=24 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924152846/http://www.smh.com.au/comment/neville-wrans-lowest-ebb-was-a-high-water-mark-for-four-corners-20140424-zqyr8.html |url-status=live }} He was completely exonerated, and sued the ABC for defamation.{{cite news |url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/bombshell-corruption-claim-about-former-premier-neville-wran-20210305-p5788k.html |title=Bombshell corruption claim about former premier Neville Wran |author=McClymont, Kate |author-link=Kate McClymont |date=6 March 2021 |access-date=3 May 2021 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |archive-date=3 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210503075209/https://www.smh.com.au/national/bombshell-corruption-claim-about-former-premier-neville-wran-20210305-p5788k.html |url-status=live }} His Corrective Services Minister, Rex Jackson, was jailed in 1987 for accepting bribes for the early release of prisoners.

In 1984, Wran introduced a private members bill to decriminalise adult gay male sex, and the bill passed the NSW Parliament. This was the first time in NSW history a conscience vote was both introduced and passed by the NSW Parliament.{{Cite web|url=https://www.starobserver.com.au/news/national-news/new-south-wales-news/30-years-since-homosexuality-was-decriminalised-in-nsw/123148|work=Star Observer|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250217041431/https://www.starobserver.com.au/news/30-years-since-homosexuality-was-decriminalised-in-nsw/123148|url-status=live|archive-date=17 February 2025|title=30 years since homosexuality was decriminalised in NSW|access-date=8 April 2021|date=22 May 2014}}

Wran resigned both the premiership and his seat in Parliament on 4 July 1986, after continuously holding office longer than any other premier in the history of New South Wales until that time (10 years and 81 days). Bob Carr has since broken that record. (Henry Parkes served longer than both Wran and Carr in total, serving for 11 years and 278 days over five terms between 1872 and 1891.) The by-election for Wran's seat of Bass Hill was narrowly won by Michael Owen for the Liberal Party—a harbinger of his party's heavy defeat at the state election two years later.

In March 2021, ABC Television broadcast an investigative documentary series, The Ghost Train Fire as a second series of the Exposed program which directly implicated Saffron in an arson plot at Luna Park Sydney in 1979, resulting in the deaths of seven people, six of them children.{{cite news |website=ABC News |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/backstory/2021-03-14/making-abc-exposed-luna-park-ghost-train-fire-documentary/13238174 |access-date=17 February 2025 |archive-date=17 February 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250217013152/https://www.abc.net.au/news/backstory/2021-03-14/making-abc-exposed-luna-park-ghost-train-fire-documentary/13238174 |date=14 March 2021 |first=Natasha |last=Johnson |quote=The three-part series of EXPOSED: The Ghost Train Fire begins on ABC TV and iview on Tuesday, March 16 at 8:30pm |title=Inside the making of the ABC EXPOSED investigation into the Ghost Train fire at Sydney's Luna Park in 1979}}

It was alleged by the program that the motive was control of the valuable harbourside land next to the Sydney Harbour Bridge and with unobstructed views of the Sydney Opera House. It was the intention of Saffron and associate Jack Rooklyn, a poker-machine promoter, to gain control of and redevelop the Luna Park site. NSW premiers Robert Askin and Neville Wran have been named as corrupt close associates of Saffron, along with the police commissioner Norman "Bill" Allan, the High Court justice Lionel Murphy and lawyer Morgan Ryan, among others.{{citation needed|date=February 2025}}

Wran is remembered by the phrase "Balmain boys don't cry" in his speech at the June 1983 ALP Annual Conference.{{cite news |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |url-status=live |archive-date=17 February 2025 |date=20 April 2014 |access-date=17 February 2025 |title=Neville Wran: Praise, controversy and 'Balmain boys don't cry' quote marked time in office |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250217011918/https://www.smh.com.au/national/neville-wran-praise-controversy-and-balmain-boys-dont-cry-quote-marked-time-in-office-20140420-zqx46.html |url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/neville-wran-praise-controversy-and-balmain-boys-dont-cry-quote-marked-time-in-office-20140420-zqx46.html |first1=Rick |last1=Feneley |first2=Lucy |last2=Carroll}} At a press conference after announcing his departure Wran was asked what was his greatest achievement as premier, he answered, "saving the rainforests".{{Cite web|url=http://www.greatwalks.com.au/news/green-groups-remember-neville-wran-s-achievements|access-date=1 March 2022|archive-date=29 September 2023|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230929045144/https://www.greatwalks.com.au/news/green-groups-remember-neville-wran-s-achievements|author=Colong Foundation|date=22 April 2014|title = Green groups remember Neville Wran's achievements |publisher=Great Walks}}

Personal life

Image:Neville Wran CNZM (cropped).jpg

Wran's first marriage was in 1946 at the age of 20, to Marcia Oliver, a showgirl at the New Tivoli Theatre. Oliver had a young son, whom Wran adopted, and they had one other child together, actress Kim Wran. In 1976, a month after his divorce was finalised and three months after becoming Premier of New South Wales, Wran married Jill Hickson,{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article55479544 |title=NEVILLE WRAN'S WEDDING. |newspaper=The Australian Women's Weekly | date=1 September 1976 |access-date=20 April 2014 |page=4 |via=Trove}} and they had two children together. Wran and Hickson separated several times, first briefly in 2006, then in August 2011 after Hickson said she had been "frozen out" of her husband's personal affairs by his daughter Kim and his friend and business partner Albert Wong.{{cite news|title=Ailing Wran and his wife bury hatchet|url=http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/entertainment/sydney-confidential/ailing-wran-and-his-wife-bury-hatchet/story-e6frewz0-1226532374512|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140420111007/http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/entertainment/sydney-confidential/ailing-wran-and-his-wife-bury-hatchet/story-e6frewz0-1226532374512|archive-date=20 April 2014|access-date=20 April 2014|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|date=8 December 2012}} They had reconciled by December 2011.

A severe throat infection in 1980 required injections of teflon to strengthen his damaged vocal cords, resulting in his characteristic croaky voice.{{cite news|last=Thomsen|first=Simon|title=Former NSW Premier Neville Wran Has Died, Aged 87|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/former-nsw-premier-neville-wran-has-died-aged-87-2014-4|access-date=21 April 2014|newspaper=Business Insider|date=20 April 2014}}

Death

In his later years, Wran had dementia and from July 2012 had been under special care at the Lulworth House aged care facility in Elizabeth Bay.{{cite news|last=Browne|first=Rachel|title=Wran to spend twilight years with Whitlam|url=http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/wran-to-spend-twilight-years-with-whitlam-20120721-22guc.html|access-date=20 April 2014|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=22 July 2012|archive-date=7 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131007224616/http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/wran-to-spend-twilight-years-with-whitlam-20120721-22guc.html|url-status=live}} He died there on Easter Sunday, 20 April 2014 at the age of 87. He was survived by his wife Jill and four children.{{cite news|title=Neville Wran dead aged 87|url=http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/neville-wran-dead-aged-87-20140420-36ywh.html|first=Lucy|last=Carroll|access-date=20 April 2014|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=20 April 2014|archive-date=30 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180130185939/http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/neville-wran-dead-aged-87-20140420-36ywh.html|url-status=live}}

A state funeral was held at the Sydney Town Hall on 1 May 2014.

Honours

In June 1987 he was appointed an Officer in the Order of the Golden Ark (Netherlands) "for his contribution to the environment".{{cite web| title =Neville Kenneth Wran AC QC| work =Sydney University Senate| publisher =University of Sydney| url =http://www.usyd.edu.au/senate/committees/advisoryNKWran.shtml| access-date =8 February 2010| archive-date =18 August 2010| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20100818043731/http://www.usyd.edu.au/senate/committees/advisoryNKWran.shtml| url-status =live}}
In October 1987 he was appointed a Grand Officer (2nd Class) of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic by the President of Italy, Francesco Cossiga.
He was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia on 26 January 1988 "For service to government and politics and to the New South Wales Parliament".{{cite web| title =WRAN, Neville Kenneth: AC| work =It's an Honour| publisher =Australian Government| url =https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/884369| access-date =23 February 2009| archive-date =24 May 2018| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20180524003755/https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/884369| url-status =live}}
On 6 May 1995 the University of Sydney awarded Wran the degree of Doctor of Laws (honoris causa).
In the 2010 New Year Honours, Wran was appointed a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to New Zealand–Australia relations.{{cite web | url=https://www.dpmc.govt.nz/publications/new-year-honours-list-2010 |author=Cabinet Office, Honours Unit | title=New Year honours list 2010 | date=31 December 2009 | publisher=Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet | access-date=5 January 2018 | archive-date=4 January 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180104192639/https://www.dpmc.govt.nz/publications/new-year-honours-list-2010 | url-status=live }}

Named in Panama Papers

On 12 May 2016, Wran was named in the Panama Papers (which also named then-Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull), due to his former directorship of the Mossack Fonseca-incorporated company Star Technology Systems Limited. Wran resigned from that position in 1995. A report by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation notes that "There is no suggestion of any wrongdoing by either Mr Turnbull or Mr Wran."{{cite news |first=Elise |last=Worthington |agency=ICIJ |title=Malcolm Turnbull denies any wrongdoing after being listed in Panama Papers |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-05-12/turnbull-listed-in-panama-papers/7407424 |website=ABC News (Australia) |date=12 May 2016 |access-date=12 May 2016 |archive-date=12 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160512104823/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-05-12/turnbull-listed-in-panama-papers/7407424 |url-status=live }}

References

;Biographies

{{cite book |editor=Bramston, Troy |year=2006 |title=The Wran Era |publisher=Federation Press |location=Sydney }}
{{cite book |last1=Clune |first1=David |title=Neville Wran |series=Australian Biographical Monographs |volume=5 |date=2020 |publisher=Connor Court Publishing |location=Redland Bay, Qld |isbn=9781922449092}}
{{cite book |author=Dale, Brian |year=1985 |title=Ascent to Power |publisher=Allen and Unwin Australia |location=North Sydney }}
{{cite book |author1=Steketee, Mike |author2=Cockburn, Milton |year=1986 |title=Wran: An Unauthorised Biography |publisher=Allen and Unwin Australia |location=North Sydney }}