John Fahey (politician)
Encyclopedia
John Joseph Fahey, AC
(born 10 January 1945) is a former Premier of New South Wales and Federal Minister for Finance in Australia
. John Fahey is currently the President of the World Anti-Doping Agency
. He was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
from 1984 to 1996 and the federal House of Representatives
from 1996 to 2001. He was also a notable rugby league
player and coach in his youth.
, New Zealand, the son of Stephen Fahey, farmer, and his wife Annie Fahey of Galway, Ireland. In 1956, Fahey migrated with his family to Picton, New South Wales
. He was educated at Chevalier College
, Bowral and the University of Sydney
. He married Colleen Maree McGurren in 1968 and they had two daughters and one son. He became a naturalised Australian in 1973.
for the Liberal Party
in 1984. Fahey was elected member for Southern Highlands
at the 1988
general election, and re-elected at the 1991
and 1995
state elections. During this period, Fahey was Minister for Industrial Relations from March 1988 and Minister for Further Education, Training and Employment from July 1990 in the Premier Nick Greiner
led coalition government.
In June 1992, Fahey was appointed Premier of New South Wales after Greiner was forced to resign as a result of an Independent Commission Against Corruption of New South Wales investigation.
In 1994 NSW Parliament was prorogued on 7 December when the Fahey government was attempting to stop a committee's work.
In March 1995 Fahey's government was narrowly defeated in a state election by the Labor
opposition, led by Bob Carr
.
Fahey is noted for having thwarted an attack on Prince Charles, thereby preventing a potential assassination attempt. On Australia Day
1994, Prince Charles was about to commence handing out awards at a ceremony in Sydney's Darling Harbour when a former anthropology
student, David Kang
, lunged onto the stage towards the Prince, simultaneously firing two shots from a starter's pistol. Fahey, sitting next to the Prince, subsequently assisted by the then Australian of the Year
, Ian Kiernan
, tackled Kang and wrestled him to the ground, after which Kang was subdued and arrested. Although the attack proved less dangerous than it was first thought to be, Fahey was nonetheless widely praised for his unthinking bravery.
Fahey played a key role in the bidding process for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games
and is also noted for his reaction when Sydney won, jumping up and down enthusiastically.
. Fahey was elected at the 1996 Federal election, which saw John Howard
defeat Paul Keating
to become Prime Minister
in a Liberal/National coalition government. He was re-elected at the 1998 Federal election.
Fahey served as Minister for Finance and Administration in the Howard government.
In May 2001 Fahey announced he would not be contesting the next election, citing family, personal, and health reasons, after having one of his lungs removed due to cancer. He retired in October 2001, prior to the November 2001 election.
John and Colleen Fahey's daughter, Tiffany, was killed in a road accident, at the age of 27, on 26 December 2006.
. Fahey has also served as a Director of the Bradman Foundation since 2001.
In 2010 Fahey gave the 12th annual Tom Brock Lecture
.
in 2002 for service to the Australian and New South Wales Parliaments, particularly through landmark reform of industrial relations, facilitation of high technology and industry growth, and for raising the international profile of Australia as Chairman of the Bid for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.
Order of Australia
The 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"...
(born 10 January 1945) is a former Premier of New South Wales and Federal Minister for Finance in Australia
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...
. John Fahey is currently the President of the World Anti-Doping Agency
World Anti-Doping Agency
The World Anti-Doping Agency , , is an independent foundation created through a collective initiative led by the International Olympic Committee . It was set up on November 10, 1999 in Lausanne, Switzerland, as a result of what was called the "Declaration of Lausanne", to promote, coordinate and...
. He was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
New South Wales Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of New South Wales, an Australian state. The other chamber is the Legislative Council. Both the Assembly and Council sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney...
from 1984 to 1996 and the federal House of Representatives
Australian House of Representatives
The House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia; it is the lower house; the upper house is the Senate. Members of Parliament serve for terms of approximately three years....
from 1996 to 2001. He was also a notable rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
player and coach in his youth.
Early life
Fahey was born in WellingtonWellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
, New Zealand, the son of Stephen Fahey, farmer, and his wife Annie Fahey of Galway, Ireland. In 1956, Fahey migrated with his family to Picton, New South Wales
Picton, New South Wales
Picton is a small town in the Macarthur Region of New South Wales, Australia, in the Wollondilly Shire. The town is located 80 kilometres South-west of Sydney, close to Camden and Campbelltown. It is also the administrative centre of Wollondilly Shire....
. He was educated at Chevalier College
Chevalier College
Chevalier College is a Catholic co-educational school in Bowral, New South Wales conducted by the priests and brothers of the international religious order, the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart...
, Bowral and the University of Sydney
University of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
. He married Colleen Maree McGurren in 1968 and they had two daughters and one son. He became a naturalised Australian in 1973.
State politics
He won the seat of electoral district of CamdenElectoral district of Camden
Camden is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales in Sydney's south-west. It is currently represented by Chris Patterson of the Liberal Party of Australia.-History:...
for the Liberal Party
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...
in 1984. Fahey was elected member for Southern Highlands
Electoral district of Southern Highlands
Southern Highlands was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales from 1988 to 2007, named after the Southern Highlands. It was replaced by a recreated Goulburn electorate.-Members for Southern Highlands:...
at the 1988
New South Wales state election, 1988
Elections to the 49th Parliament of New South Wales were held on Saturday 19 March 1988. All seats in the Legislative Assembly and half the seats in the Legislative Council were up for election...
general election, and re-elected at the 1991
New South Wales state election, 1991
Elections to the 50th Parliament of New South Wales were held on Saturday 25 May 1991. All seats in the Legislative Assembly and half the seats in the Legislative Council were up for election...
and 1995
New South Wales state election, 1995
Elections to the 51st Parliament of New South Wales were held on Saturday 25 March 1995. All seats in the Legislative Assembly and half the seats in the Legislative Council were up for election. The minority Liberal Party of Australia-led Coalition government of Premier John Fahey was defeated by...
state elections. During this period, Fahey was Minister for Industrial Relations from March 1988 and Minister for Further Education, Training and Employment from July 1990 in the Premier Nick Greiner
Nick Greiner
Nicholas "Nick" Frank Hugo Greiner AC, is an Australian businessman and former politician. He was the 37th Premier New South Wales from 1988 to 1992. He was Leader of the New South Wales Division of the Liberal Party from 1983 to 1992 and Leader of the Opposition from 1983 to 1988. He is married...
led coalition government.
In June 1992, Fahey was appointed Premier of New South Wales after Greiner was forced to resign as a result of an Independent Commission Against Corruption of New South Wales investigation.
In 1994 NSW Parliament was prorogued on 7 December when the Fahey government was attempting to stop a committee's work.
In March 1995 Fahey's government was narrowly defeated in a state election by the 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...
opposition, led by Bob Carr
Bob Carr
Robert John "Bob" Carr , Australian statesman, was Premier of New South Wales from 4 April 1995 to 3 August 2005. He holds the record for the longest continuous service as premier of NSW...
.
Fahey is noted for having thwarted an attack on Prince Charles, thereby preventing a potential assassination attempt. On Australia Day
Australia Day
Australia Day is the official national day of Australia...
1994, Prince Charles was about to commence handing out awards at a ceremony in Sydney's Darling Harbour when a former anthropology
Anthropology
Anthropology is the study of humanity. It has origins in the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. The term "anthropology" is from the Greek anthrōpos , "man", understood to mean mankind or humanity, and -logia , "discourse" or "study", and was first used in 1501 by German...
student, David Kang
David Kang
David Kang is an Australian barrister. In 1994, while a student at Macquarie University, he fired a starting pistol at the Prince of Wales during an Australia Day speech at Tumbalong Park, Darling Harbour, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, on 26 January 1994...
, lunged onto the stage towards the Prince, simultaneously firing two shots from a starter's pistol. Fahey, sitting next to the Prince, subsequently assisted by the then Australian of the Year
Australian of the Year
Since 1960 the Australian of the Year Award has been part of the celebrations surrounding Australia Day , during which time the award has grown steadily in significance to become Australia’s pre-eminent award. The Australian of the Year announcement has become a very prominent part of the annual...
, Ian Kiernan
Ian Kiernan
Ian Bruce Carrick Kiernan AO is an environmentalist who organised the Clean Up Australia campaign, and in 1993 a similar Clean Up the World operation which attracted participation from 30 million volunteers in 80 countries....
, tackled Kang and wrestled him to the ground, after which Kang was subdued and arrested. Although the attack proved less dangerous than it was first thought to be, Fahey was nonetheless widely praised for his unthinking bravery.
Fahey played a key role in the bidding process for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games
2000 Summer Olympics
The Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
and is also noted for his reaction when Sydney won, jumping up and down enthusiastically.
Federal politics
Fahey resigned from State politics just under a year after his State Government was defeated at the polls and successfully sought endorsement for the Liberal Party, to serve in the federal House of Representatives in the seat of MacarthurDivision of Macarthur
The Division of Macarthur is an Australia Federal electoral division covering outer south-west Sydney. Its present boundaries cover the southern suburbs of Campbelltown, all of the local government area of Camden and small parts of Wollondilly. It covers 537 km² and is named after John...
. Fahey was elected at the 1996 Federal election, which saw John Howard
John Howard
John Winston Howard AC, SSI, was the 25th Prime Minister of Australia, from 11 March 1996 to 3 December 2007. He was the second-longest serving Australian Prime Minister after Sir Robert Menzies....
defeat Paul Keating
Paul Keating
Paul John Keating was the 24th Prime Minister of Australia, serving from 1991 to 1996. Keating was elected as the federal Labor member for Blaxland in 1969 and came to prominence as the reformist treasurer of the Hawke Labor government, which came to power at the 1983 election...
to become Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Australia
The Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia is the highest minister of the Crown, leader of the Cabinet and Head of Her Majesty's Australian Government, holding office on commission from the Governor-General of Australia. The office of Prime Minister is, in practice, the most powerful...
in a Liberal/National coalition government. He was re-elected at the 1998 Federal election.
Fahey served as Minister for Finance and Administration in the Howard government.
In May 2001 Fahey announced he would not be contesting the next election, citing family, personal, and health reasons, after having one of his lungs removed due to cancer. He retired in October 2001, prior to the November 2001 election.
Family
A Roman Catholic, he is married to a former Anglican, Colleen, and stirred some controversy when he declared his opposition to both abortion and birth control.John and Colleen Fahey's daughter, Tiffany, was killed in a road accident, at the age of 27, on 26 December 2006.
Career after politics
On 17 October 2007, Fahey was confirmed as the next President of the World Anti-Doping AgencyWorld Anti-Doping Agency
The World Anti-Doping Agency , , is an independent foundation created through a collective initiative led by the International Olympic Committee . It was set up on November 10, 1999 in Lausanne, Switzerland, as a result of what was called the "Declaration of Lausanne", to promote, coordinate and...
. Fahey has also served as a Director of the Bradman Foundation since 2001.
In 2010 Fahey gave the 12th annual Tom Brock Lecture
Tom Brock Lecture
The Tom Brock Lecture is an annual scholarly lecture organised by the Australian Society for Sports History under the bequest of Australian sports historian Tom Brock. The topic of the lecture is the history of rugby league football...
.
Honours
Fahey was made a Companion in the Order of AustraliaOrder of Australia
The 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"...
in 2002 for service to the Australian and New South Wales Parliaments, particularly through landmark reform of industrial relations, facilitation of high technology and industry growth, and for raising the international profile of Australia as Chairman of the Bid for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.