Laurie John Ferguson (4 September 1924 – 17 September 2002) was an Australian politician and member of the
New South Wales Legislative Assembly
The New South Wales Legislative Assembly is the lower of the two houses of the Parliament of New South Wales, an Australian state. The upper house is the New South Wales Legislative Council. Both the Assembly and Council sit at Parliament Ho ...
for the
Australian Labor Party (New South Wales Branch)
The Australian Labor Party (New South Wales Branch), also known as NSW Labor, is the New South Wales branch of the Australian Labor Party. The parliamentary leader is elected from and by the members of the party caucus, comprising all party mem ...
. He served in
Neville Wran
Neville Kenneth Wran, (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 to 1986 and chairman of ...
's state government as the
Deputy Premier of New South Wales
The Deputy Premier of New South Wales is the second-most senior officer in the Government of New South Wales. The deputy premiership has been a ministerial portfolio since 1932, and the deputy premier is appointed by the Governor on the advice ...
from 1976 to 1984.
Early life
Born in the inner Sydney suburb of
Zetland, Ferguson was educated at
Granville Convent and Marist Brothers College,
Parramatta
Parramatta () is a suburb and major Central business district, commercial centre in Greater Western Sydney, located in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located approximately west of the Sydney central business district on the ban ...
, both Catholic schools.
After leaving school he was variously a farmhand, textile worker, builder's labourer and bricklayer and was an organiser for the
Building Workers' Industrial Union
The Building Workers' Industrial Union of Australia was an Australian trade union covering workers in the construction industry.
Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners of Australia
It was originally established as the Australian District ...
. From 1942 to 1946 he served in the
Second Australian Imperial Force
The Second Australian Imperial Force (2nd AIF, or Second AIF) was the name given to the volunteer expeditionary force of the Australian Army in the Second World War. It was formed following the declaration of war on Nazi Germany, with an initial ...
.
Following his demobilisation, he became active in municipal, and then state, politics. He was an
alderman
An alderman is a member of a Municipal government, municipal assembly or council in many Jurisdiction, jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council membe ...
on
Parramatta Council from 1954 to 1959, and Deputy Mayor in 1959. He married Mary Ellen Bett; the couple had three sons (
Laurie,
Martin Martin may refer to:
Places
* Martin City (disambiguation)
* Martin County (disambiguation)
* Martin Township (disambiguation)
Antarctica
* Martin Peninsula, Marie Byrd Land
* Port Martin, Adelie Land
* Point Martin, South Orkney Islands
Austral ...
and Andrew) and two daughters.
Political career
Ferguson was the member for
Merrylands
Merrylands is a suburb in Western Sydney, Australia. Merrylands is located 25 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district and is in the local government area of the Cumberland City Council.
History
Merrylands was named after the fo ...
from March 1959 to 1962 and 1968 to 5 March 1984. From 1962 to 1968, he was member for
Fairfield. A member of the
Labor Party's left wing, he was best known as
Deputy Premier
A deputy prime minister or vice prime minister is, in some countries, a government minister who can take the position of acting prime minister when the prime minister is temporarily absent. The position is often likened to that of a vice president, ...
and
Minister for Public Works and
Minister for Ports, from May 1976 until February 1984, in the cabinet headed by Neville Wran. He was also
Minister for Housing from May 1976 to February 1977.
[
]
Death
Ferguson died in Sydney on , from mesothelioma according to his son Andrew.
Honours
Ferguson was made an Officer of the Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. It was established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, on the advice of the Australian Gove ...
for his service to government and to the NSW parliament in the Australia Day honours in 1985.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ferguson, Laurie John
1924 births
2002 deaths
Australian Army soldiers
Australian Labor Party members of the Parliament of New South Wales
Australian Army personnel of World War II
Deputy Premiers of New South Wales
Deaths from cancer in New South Wales
Labor Left politicians
Members of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
Officers of the Order of Australia
Politicians from Sydney
20th-century Australian politicians
Deaths from mesothelioma