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| Neville Wran with Bob Hawke |
1954
Joins Australian Labor Party.
1968
Becomes a Queen's Counsel.
1970
Appointed to NSW Legislative Council.
1973
Wins Bass Hill seat in NSW Legislative Assembly.
1976
Leads Labor to minority government in NSW.
Marries Jill Hickson.
1977
Supports the federal government in allowing mafia figure Domenico Barbaro back into Australia after he had been deported over his criminal record.
Establishes the Heritage Council as part of his environmental reforms.
1978
Re-elected with Labor winning 63 of 99 lower house seats.
The NSW upper house is reformed to become entirely elected by the public.
1979
Coastal zones created which protect large parts of NSW coasts from being developed
First NSW Lotto tickets go on sale after drive from government
1980
Transport inquiry commissioned by the Wran government recommends making better use of public land at Darling Harbour. Wran acts on the recommendations eventually developing Darling Harbour as the pedestrian and tourist precinct it is today.
Land and environment court created.
1981
Re-elected with 69 of 99 seats.
Criminalises marital rape.
Establishes the Ministry for Aboriginal Affairs, headed by Pat O'Shane, which helps develop the Aboriginal Land Rights Council of 1983.
1982
Cabinet support to ban logging in 90,000 hectares of rainforest in national parks.
Proposed phasing out of leaded petrol.
1983
Steps down as premier for three months as he is investigated by a royal commission over allegations aired by ABC’s Four Corners he tried to influence the judge in the case of NSW Rugby League chief Kevin Humphreys, who was accused of misappropriating funds from the Balmain Leagues Club.
Develops Aboriginal Land Rights Council.
1984
Decriminalises homosexuality.
Re-elected with 58 of the 99 seats.
Powerhouse Museum and Wharf Theatre built, restoration of Parliament House, the Mint and Hyde Park Barracks.
1986
In a decade an extra 3.3m hectares of land have been protected under conservation laws.
Resigns the premiership and his seat at the ALP state conference.
1991
Founding member of Australian Republican Movement.
...
At one point Wran’s popularity hit an unprecedented 80% in polling.
He used that mandate for reform, tackling a moribund public service and opening it up for women and Aboriginal people, in part by replacing the seniority system with merit. He also shifted the focus to “customers” and “consumers” in line with modern economic theory and appointed a woman as the first director of equal opportunity and employment.
Wran created the Anti-discrimination Board, Ethnic Affairs Commission, Women’s Advisory Council and a minister for Aboriginal Affairs, as well as tackling land rights. However, his government’s ambitious bill to outlaw discrimination was watered down to cover just race, sex and marital status, abandoning age, religion, disability and sexual orientation at the time.
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