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Labor MPs And Malcolm Turnbull Pay Tribute To Neville Wran

May 14, 2014

Members of Parliament have paid tribute to Neville Wran, the former Premier of New South Wales, who died last month.

Following yesterday’s condolence motion in the House of Representatives, 8 Labor MPs and the Liberal Party’s Malcolm Turnbull spoke about Wran in the Federation Chamber.

  • Watch Malcolm Turnbull (20m – transcript below)

Hansard transcript of remarks by Malcolm Turnbull, Liberal member for Wentworth, in the Federation Chamber.

Mr TURNBULL (Wentworth—Minister for Communications) (10:28): Neville Wran was my best friend. I certainly never had a better friend than Neville. I was in business with him for over a decade and we spent pretty much every working day together for well over a decade. He always used to say that he knew me before I knew him because he was a university friend of my mother’s. He would regularly assert that he knew me when I was still en ventre ma mere, a legal term he was very fond of. I got to know him when we were two adults, although I was only barely an adult, when I was a young journalist in the press gallery in New South Wales starting in 1975 when Neville was the opposition leader. He was clearly the coming man. He had an urbanity, a wit and eloquence that had no parallel on either side of the house. [Read more…]

Filed Under: A.L.P., N.S.W., Political History, Video Tagged With: , , ,

Neville Wran’s Last Great Rally: Former NSW Labor Premier Eulogised In Moving State Funeral

May 01, 2014

On the 38th anniversary of his election as Labor Premier of New South Wales, Neville Wran was farewelled at a State Funeral at the Sydney Town Hall today.

The moving May Day service was addressed by former Prime Minister Paul Keating, former Wran minister Rodney Cavalier, former High Court Justice Michael Kirby and former NSW Premier Bob Carr. Tributes were also paid by Wran’s wife, Jill, and three of his children.

Kirby’s address was the highlight of the day, a perceptive and thoughtful insight into an “enigma”.

Keating described a man who understood power and who had “a PhD in poetic profanity”. Speaking of Wran’s unmatched ability to discern the mood of the electorate, Keating said: “He could hear the ants change step.” [Read more…]

Filed Under: A.L.P., Audio, Keating, N.S.W., Obituaries, Video Tagged With: , ,

Abbott “Acknowledges” The Passing Of Wran

Apr 21, 2014

In another of those mean-spirited comments on individuals that so diminish him, Prime Minister Tony Abbott has paid a less than fulsome tribute to Neville Wran.

In a statement released today, Abbott “acknowledges” the passing of the former Premier of New South Wales.

Press release from Prime Minister Tony Abbott.

Death of Neville Wran AC CNZM QC

On behalf of the Australian Government I acknowledge the passing of Neville Wran AC CNZM QC.

Mr. Wran was one of the most significant figures of his generation.

He served as Premier of New South Wales for 10 years from 1976 to 1986.

Among his achievements as Premier, he orchestrated the redevelopment of Darling Harbour and built the Sydney Entertainment Centre.

Neville Wran made his mark on NSW and Australia.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: A.L.P., Abbott, N.S.W. Tagged With: ,

Neville Wran, Balmain Boy And Labor Great, Former Premier Of NSW, Dies, 87

Apr 20, 2014

Neville Wran, the Labor Premier of New South Wales from 1976 until 1986, and the man who provided a template for modern Labor leadership, has died from complications arising from dementia. He was was 87.

WranIn the aftermath of the Whitlam Dismissal and a decade of Coalition rule in NSW, Wran was the Labor leader who returned his party to government with a majority of one seat.

Wran won three more elections in 1978, 1981 and 1984 and retired undefeated in 1986 when he memorably announced his departure to the NSW State ALP Conference.

With the slogan, “Wran’s Our Man”, Wran led the ALP to a landslide victory in 1978 that saw the party poll an unprecedented 57.8% of the primary vote and the Opposition Leader, Peter Coleman, lose his seat. The “Wranslide” was repeated in 1981 when the ALP won its biggest majority ever, reducing the Liberal Party to 14 seats with the Opposition Leader, Bruce McDonald, losing his seat. There was a swing away from Wran at the 1984 election but he still won a large victory. [Read more…]

Filed Under: A.L.P., N.S.W. Tagged With: , , , , , , ,
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