Pat Hills

Hills was born in the Sydney suburb of Surry Hills. He was educated at Marist Brothers High School, Darlinghurst and was apprenticed as an electrical engineer.{{cite NSW Parliament | title =The Hon. Patrick Darcy Hills (1917-1992) |id=1770 |former=Yes | access-date = 27 April 2019}}

He was an alderman on Sydney City Council from 1948 to 1956 and Lord Mayor of Sydney from 1953 to 1956, during which time he was fooled into carrying a fake Olympic torch.{{cite web|title=Patrick Darcy Hills|url=http://www.sydneyaldermen.com.au/alderman/patrick-hills/|website=Sydney's Aldermen|publisher=City of Sydney|access-date=10 April 2018}}

Hills was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly as the member for Phillip in 1954, representing the Labor Party; he held the seat till its abolition in 1981. Then, until 1988, he served as member for Elizabeth.

He was Minister for Local Government in the cabinet of Premier Robert Heffron (1959–1964). When Heffron retired in April 1964, Hills and Deputy Premier Jack Renshaw were considered the most likely successors, but his relative youth and manner compared to Renshaw was seen as an obstacle, as an article in The Bulletin noted: "Hills, who rose rapidly in the parliamentary party under the patronage of the late Joe Cahill, lists in “Who’s Who” one of his hobbies as “study of local government administration”, a demonstration of his essential dourness. He has the vice, for a politician, of not suffering fools gladly and it is this that feeds a habit of arrogance which has made him many unnecessary enemies."{{cite journal |last1=Hall |first1=Richard |title=Dumping a Premier: The struggle for succession |journal=The Bulletin |date=15 February 1964 |volume=86 |issue=4382 |page=7 |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-673871826 |access-date=28 July 2022}}

In any event, Hills did not contest the leadership in the caucus ballot held on 29 April 1964, and Renshaw was elected leader and premier unopposed. Hills did however contest for the deputy premiership, and was successful 33 votes to 19 against health minister Bill Sheahan.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article104290962 |title=Mr. Renshaw Takes Over Today |newspaper=The Canberra Times |location=Australian Capital Territory, Australia |date=30 April 1964 |accessdate=28 July 2022 |page=1 |via=National Library of Australia}}

Following Renshaw's departure from the Labor leadership, Hills was the State Opposition Leader from 1968 to 1973; at the 1971 and 1973 state elections he was narrowly defeated by the Liberal Premier, Sir Robert Askin.

During his long Parliamentary service of 34 years, Hills served terms as Deputy Premier and as Minister in a number of portfolios including Local Government, Highways, Mines, Energy, Industrial Relations, Technology, Roads and Employment. In opposition he served as Deputy Leader for three years and Leader for five years. His many notable initiatives and achievements as a Minister include the Sydney to Newcastle Highway, the construction of the Gladesville Bridge and establishment of the State Planning Authority now known as the NSW Department of Planning. One of his major achievements was the building of the Eraring and Bayswater power stations. He has been accused of sabotaging the 1948 Cumberland County Plan for Sydney, "flogging the green belt out the back door before the ink was dry".{{Cite web|url=http://www.smh.com.au/comment/a-real-city-needs-more-than-just-tying-up-loose-ends-20141217-128zdi.html|title = A real city needs more than just tying up loose ends|date = 17 December 2014}}

He served as a member of the Sydney Cricket Ground and Sports Ground Trust from July 1961 to December 1989, and was Chairman of the Trust during its significant expansion period from 1977 to 1989.

Until John Robertson's resignation in 2014, Hills was the only New South Wales Labor Leader not to have been premier since 1923.

Hills died in Sydney and was cremated with his ashes interred at Northern Suburbs Memorial Gardens.

Hills was made an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in the 1988 Australia Day Honours.{{cite web|title=HILLS, Patrick Darcy - Officer of the Order of Australia|url=https://honours.pmc.gov.au/honours/awards/884364|website=It's an Honour database|publisher=Australian Government|access-date=10 April 2018|date=26 January 1988|quote=For service to the New South Wales Parliament and to local government.}}

The suburb of Hillsdale, New South Wales is named after Hills.

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{{s-bef| before= William Parker Henson}}

{{s-ttl |title= Chairman of the Sydney County Council | years =1952 – 1953 }}

{{s-aft|after= Reginald Arthur Triggs}}

{{s-civ}}

{{succession box|title=Lord Mayor of Sydney|before=Ernest Charles O'Dea|after=Harry Jensen|years=1952{{spaced ndash}}1956}}

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{{s-bef|before= Tom Shannon }}

{{s-ttl|title=Member for Phillip|years=1954{{spaced ndash}}1981}}

{{s-non|reason= District abolished }}

{{s-new|district}}

{{s-ttl|title=Member for Elizabeth|years=1981{{spaced ndash}}1988}}

{{s-non|reason= District abolished }}

{{s-off}}

{{s-bef|rows=2|before= Jack Renshaw }}

{{s-ttl|title=Minister for Local Government|years=1959{{spaced ndash}}1965}}

{{s-aft|rows=2|after= Pat Morton }}

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{{s-ttl|title=Minister for Highways|years=1959{{spaced ndash}}1965}}

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{{s-bef|before= Jack Renshaw }}

{{s-ttl|title=Deputy Premier of New South Wales|years=1964{{spaced ndash}}1965}}

{{s-aft|after= Charles Cutler }}

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{{s-bef|before= Jack Renshaw }}

{{s-ttl|title=Leader of the Opposition of New South Wales|years=1968{{spaced ndash}}1973}}

{{s-aft|after= Neville Wran }}

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{{s-bef|rows=2|before= George Freudenstein }}

{{s-ttl|title=Minister for Mines|years=1976{{spaced ndash}}1978}}

{{s-aft|after= Ron Mulock|as=Minister for Mineral Resources
and Development}}

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{{s-ttl|title=Minister for Energy|years=1976{{spaced ndash}}1981}}

{{s-aft|after= Paul Landa }}

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{{s-bef|before= Paul Landa }}

{{s-ttl|title=Minister for Industrial Relations|years=1976{{spaced ndash}}1988}}

{{s-aft|after= John Fahey|as=Minister for Industrial Relations
and Employment}}

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{{s-ttl|title=Minister for Technology|years=1978{{spaced ndash}}1980}}

{{s-aft|after= Ron Mulock }}

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{{s-bef|before= Ron Mulock }}

{{s-ttl|title=Minister for Technology|years=1981{{spaced ndash}}1984}}

{{s-aft|after= George Paciullo }}

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{{s-bef|before= George Paciullo }}

{{s-ttl|title=Minister for Roads|years=1984}}

{{s-aft|after= Laurie Brereton }}

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{{s-bef|before= Bob Debus }}

{{s-ttl|title=Minister for Employment|years=1986{{spaced ndash}}1988}}

{{s-aft|after= John Fahey|as=Minister for Industrial Relations
and Employment}}

{{s-ppo}}

{{succession box|title=Deputy Leader of the Australian Labor Party (NSW Branch)|before=Jack Renshaw|after=Syd Einfeld|years=1964{{spaced ndash}}1968}}

{{s-bef|before= Jack Renshaw }}

{{s-ttl|title=Leader of the Australian Labor Party (NSW Branch)|years=1968{{spaced ndash}}1973}}

{{s-aft|after= Neville Wran }}

{{s-end}}

{{Leaders of the Labor Party in NSW}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hills, Patrick Darcy}}

Category:1917 births

Category:1992 deaths

Category:Members of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly

Category:Deputy premiers of New South Wales

Category:Officers of the Order of Australia

Category:Mayors and Lord Mayors of Sydney

Category:Leaders of the opposition in New South Wales

Category:Politicians from Sydney

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

Category:Australian Labor Party councillors

Category:20th-century Australian politicians

Category:Councillors of Sydney County Council

Category:Burials at Northern Suburbs Memorial Gardens

Category:Ministers for energy (New South Wales)