Norm Ryan

He was born at Moruya, on the south coast of New South Wales to Michael and Elizabeth Ryan. After attending St. Joseph's College, Hunters Hill and the Sydney Technical College, he was an apprentice electrical fitter for the Sydney County Council. He later worked as an electrical inspector for the Public Works Department. On 12 April 1941, he married Dorothy O'Brien, with whom he had one son and one daughter.{{cite NSW Parliament | title=The Hon. (Norm) Phillip Norman RYAN |id=1719 |former=Yes | accessdate=13 May 2019 }}

Having joined the Labor Party in 1933, Ryan became an alderman to Marrickville Council in 1948 at the age of 38. He was elected Mayor of Marrickville in 1953, but resigned later that year when elected to the Legislative Assembly as member for Marrickville. As well as representing this electorate in Sydney's inner west, he was known as an advocate for providing services to the rural areas of the state.

Ryan's most significant achievements were as Minister for Public Works in the Heffron and Renshaw governments from 1959. In this role, he was involved in the first part of the construction of the Sydney Opera House. Amidst much criticism concerning the rising costs, he stood firm in support of the project, saying in 1964 "This building will bring great credit upon this country."{{cite web|title=DEATH OF THE HONOURABLE PHILLIP NORMAN RYAN, A FORMER MINISTER OF THE CROWN|url=https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/Hansard/Pages/HansardResult.aspx#/docid/HANSARD-1323879322-14562|website=Legislative Assembly Hansard|publisher=Parliament of New South Wales|accessdate=10 April 2018|format=Hansard|date=8 April 1997}}

The Labor Party lost office in the 1965 election, and so Ryan's term as Minister came to an end. He continued to serve as the member for Marrickville, being elected a total of seven times. He also served as a trustee of the Art Gallery of New South Wales, a position he had taken up in 1959, until 1972. His retirement came, after 20 years in parliament, at the 1973 election, when he offered to stand aside for the younger Tom Cahill, whose neighbouring seat had been abolished. He died 24 years later at Killarney Vale, on the central coast.

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{{s-bef| before= L. A. Scutts}}

{{s-ttl |title= Mayor of Marrickville | years =1952 – 1953 }}

{{s-aft|after= William Murray}}

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{{succession box | title=Member for Marrickville | before=Carlo Lazzarini | after=Tom Cahill | years=1953 – 1973}}

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{{s-bef|before=John McGrath|as=Secretary for Public Works}}

{{s-ttl| title=Minister for Public Works| years=1959 – 1965}}

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Category:Members of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly

Category:1910 births

Category:1997 deaths

Category:People educated at St Joseph's College, Hunters Hill

Category:Australian Labor Party members of the Parliament of New South Wales

Category:20th-century Australian politicians

Category:Mayors of Marrickville

Category:Australian electricians