Jack Renshaw
Encyclopedia
John Brophy "Jack" Renshaw AC (8 August 190928 July 1987) was an Australia
n politician. He was Labor
Premier of New South Wales from 30 April 1964 to 13 May 1965.
in central New South Wales. His parents were John Ignatius Renshaw and Ann Renshaw (née Reidy). Jack was educated at the Binnaway Central School, Patrician Brothers at Orange
, and then Holy Cross College
at Ryde
in north-western Sydney. After leaving school, he helped to run the family dairy property at Hampden Park, and also helped operate a milk run out of Binnaway
. With his brothers he opened a butchery business, as well as a stock and station agency and oil and fuel depot. He served as an alderman in the Coonabarabran Shire Council from 1937 to 1944 and from 1939 to 1940, he was Shire President.
in 1930, becoming a member of the central executive from 1945 to 1950, then President of the ALP's Gwydir
electorate council for ten years from 1939. From 1941 to 1980, he was the member for Castlereagh
. He served as Secretary for Lands from 1950 to 1952, Secretary for Public Works from 1952 to 1956, Minister for Local Government from 1953 to 1959 and Minister for Highways from 1956 to 1959.
Renshaw went on to serve as Deputy Premier from 1959 to 1964 (when Bob Heffron was Premier), and Treasurer from 1959 to 1965. He also served as Minister for Lands from 1960 to 1961, Minister for Agriculture from 1961 to 1962 and Minister for Industrial Development and Decentralisation from 1962 to 1965.
When Heffron retired in April 1964, Renshaw became Premier. This tenure proved to be no more than a stopgap for a party which, after almost a quarter of a century in government, was tired. It ended in May 1965, when for the first time in New South Wales history, the Liberals
won power. The Liberal leader, Robert Askin
, often used the slogan "Twenty-four years of Labor misrule". Renshaw resigned from the Labor leadership shortly after a second defeat, again by Askin, in 1968. (Former Deputy Premier Pat Hills succeeded him as leader, and held the office till 1973.) But he remained an important figure in the party's ruling circles, and he served as Treasurer during the first four years (1976–80) of Neville Wran
's administration.
In 1943 Renshaw married Hilda May Wall; by her he had a son. His second wife, whom he married in 1966, was Meg Mackay (who had four children in total: one by Renshaw, three by a previous marriage). He died at the age of 77 in 1987 in the northern Sydney suburb of Northbridge
.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n politician. He was Labor
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
Premier of New South Wales from 30 April 1964 to 13 May 1965.
Early life
Jack Renshaw was born in WellingtonWellington, New South Wales
Wellington is a town in inland New South Wales, Australia located at the junction of the Macquarie and Bell Rivers. The town is the administrative centre of the Wellington Shire Local Government Area. The town is 362 kilometres from Sydney on the Great Western Highway and Mitchell Highway...
in central New South Wales. His parents were John Ignatius Renshaw and Ann Renshaw (née Reidy). Jack was educated at the Binnaway Central School, Patrician Brothers at Orange
Orange, New South Wales
Orange is a city in the Central West region of New South Wales, Australia. It is west of the state capital, Sydney, at an altitude of . Orange has an estimated population of 39,329 and the city is a major provincial centre....
, and then Holy Cross College
Holy Cross College Ryde
Holy Cross College is a Catholic high school in the suburb of Gladesville in Sydney, Australia established in the tradition of the Patrician Brothers.- History and Tradition :...
at Ryde
Ryde, New South Wales
Ryde is a suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Ryde is located 13 km north-west of the Sydney central business district and 8 km east of Parramatta. Ryde is the administrative centre of the local government area of the City of Ryde and part of the Northern Suburbs area...
in north-western Sydney. After leaving school, he helped to run the family dairy property at Hampden Park, and also helped operate a milk run out of Binnaway
Binnaway, New South Wales
Binnaway is a small town located on the Castlereagh River in central New South Wales near the larger centre of Coonabarabran, which is about 35 kilometres to the north. In 2006, the town had a population of 495 people. The road linking these two towns closely follows the meandering Castlereagh River...
. With his brothers he opened a butchery business, as well as a stock and station agency and oil and fuel depot. He served as an alderman in the Coonabarabran Shire Council from 1937 to 1944 and from 1939 to 1940, he was Shire President.
Political career
Renshaw joined the Labor PartyAustralian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
in 1930, becoming a member of the central executive from 1945 to 1950, then President of the ALP's Gwydir
Division of Gwydir
The Division of Gwydir was an Australian Electoral Division in New South Wales. The division was created in 1900 and was one of the original 75 divisions contested at the first federal election...
electorate council for ten years from 1939. From 1941 to 1980, he was the member for Castlereagh
Electoral district of Castlereagh
Castlereagh was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales originally created in 1904, partly replacing Coonamble and named after the Castlereagh River. In 1920, with the introduction of proportional representation, it was absorbed into Wammerawa,...
. He served as Secretary for Lands from 1950 to 1952, Secretary for Public Works from 1952 to 1956, Minister for Local Government from 1953 to 1959 and Minister for Highways from 1956 to 1959.
Renshaw went on to serve as Deputy Premier from 1959 to 1964 (when Bob Heffron was Premier), and Treasurer from 1959 to 1965. He also served as Minister for Lands from 1960 to 1961, Minister for Agriculture from 1961 to 1962 and Minister for Industrial Development and Decentralisation from 1962 to 1965.
When Heffron retired in April 1964, Renshaw became Premier. This tenure proved to be no more than a stopgap for a party which, after almost a quarter of a century in government, was tired. It ended in May 1965, when for the first time in New South Wales history, the Liberals
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
won power. The Liberal leader, Robert Askin
Robert Askin
Sir Robert William Askin GCMG, was an Australian politician and the 32nd Premier of New South Wales from 1965 to 1975, the first representing the Liberal Party of Australia. He was born in 1907 as Robin William Askin, but always disliked his first name and changed it by deed poll in 1971...
, often used the slogan "Twenty-four years of Labor misrule". Renshaw resigned from the Labor leadership shortly after a second defeat, again by Askin, in 1968. (Former Deputy Premier Pat Hills succeeded him as leader, and held the office till 1973.) But he remained an important figure in the party's ruling circles, and he served as Treasurer during the first four years (1976–80) of Neville Wran
Neville Wran
Neville Kenneth Wran, AC, CNZM, QC was the Premier of New South Wales from 1976 until 1986. He was National President of the Australian Labor Party from 1980 to 1986 and Chairman of both the Lionel Murphy Foundation and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation from 1986...
's administration.
In 1943 Renshaw married Hilda May Wall; by her he had a son. His second wife, whom he married in 1966, was Meg Mackay (who had four children in total: one by Renshaw, three by a previous marriage). He died at the age of 77 in 1987 in the northern Sydney suburb of Northbridge
Northbridge, New South Wales
Northbridge is a suburb on the lower North Shore of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Northbridge is located 7 kilometres north of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Willoughby....
.
Honours
- In the Australia Day Honours of 1979, he was named a Companion of the Order of AustraliaOrder of AustraliaThe Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
(AC). - John Renshaw Drive, a section of road on the Pacific HighwayPacific Highway (Australia)The Pacific Highway is a major transport route along part of the east coast of Australia and is part of Australia's national route 1.It is 960 km long and links Sydney, the capital of New South Wales, to Brisbane, the capital of Queensland, along the coast, via Gosford, Newcastle, Taree, Port...
is named in Renshaw's honour.