The Hon. (Jack) Laurie John FERGUSON (1924 - 2002)**

Date of Birth: 04/09/1924 Place of Birth: Zetland, New South Wales, Australia Date of Death: 17/09/2002 Place of Death: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Parliamentary Service

Position Start End Period Notes Member of the NSW Legislative Assembly 21 Mar 1959 5 Mar 1984 24yr(s) 11mth(s) 14day(s) Member for Merrylands 21 Mar 1959 5 Feb 1962 2yr(s) 10mth(s) 16day(s) 39th (1950 - 1953) Member for Fairfield 3 Mar 1962 31 Mar 1965 3yr(s) 29day(s) 40th (1962 - 1965) Member for Merrylands 24 Feb 1968 13 Jan 1971 2yr(s) 10mth(s) 21day(s) 42nd (1968 - 1971) Member for Fairfield 1 May 1968 23 Jan 1968 41st (1965 - 1968) Member for Merrylands 13 Feb 1971 19 Oct 1973 2yr(s) 8mth(s) 7day(s) 43rd (1971 - 1973) Member for Merrylands 17 Nov 1973 2 Apr 1976 2yr(s) 4mth(s) 17day(s) 44th (1973 - 1976) Member for Merrylands 1 May 1976 12 Sep 1978 2yr(s) 4mth(s) 12day(s) 45th (1976 - 1978) Member for Merrylands 7 Oct 1978 28 Aug 1981 2yr(s) 10mth(s) 22day(s) 46th (1978 - 1981) Member for Merrylands 19 Sep 1981 5 Mar 1984 2yr(s) 5mth(s) 16day(s) 47th (1981 - 1984) Deputy Premier, Minister for Public Works, Minister for Ports and Minister for Housing 14 May 1976 10 Feb 1977 8mth(s) 28day(s) Deputy Premier, Minister for Public Works and Minister for Ports 10 Feb 1977 19 Oct 1978 1yr(s) 8mth(s) 10day(s) Acting Premier 25 Aug 1977 11 Sep 1977 18day(s) Acting Premier 21 Dec 1977 8 Jan 1978 19day(s) Acting Premier 3 May 1978 21 May 1978 19day(s) Acting Minister for Housing 12 Jul 1978 10 Aug 1978 30day(s) Acting Minister for Sport and Recreation and Minister for Tourism 16 Jul 1978 14 Aug 1978 30day(s) Deputy Premier, Minister for Public Works and Minister for Ports 19 Oct 1978 29 Feb 1980 1yr(s) 4mth(s) 11day(s) Acting Premier 15 Dec 1978 12 Jan 1979 29day(s) Acting Premier 17 May 1979 26 May 1979 10day(s) Deputy Premier, Minister for Public Works and Minister for Ports 29 Feb 1980 2 Oct 1981 1yr(s) 7mth(s) 4day(s) Deputy Premier, Minister for Public Works and Minister for Ports 2 Oct 1981 1 Feb 1983 1yr(s) 4mth(s) Deputy Premier, Minister for Public Works and Minister for Ports 1 Feb 1983 10 Feb 1984 1yr(s) 10day(s)

Political Party Activity

Australian Labor Party (ALP) in 1946. President of Guildford Branch and Deputy Leader. Member of Administrative Committee to 1987. Former member of Disputes Committee and Foreign Affairs Committee. Secretary Reid Federal Electoral Council to 1988.

Qualifications, occupations and interests

Bricklayer. Educated at Granville Convent and Marist Brothers, Parramatta. Farmhand, textile worker, builder's labourer, bricklayers organiser Building Workers Industrial Union, executive member from 1960; Returned Serviceman's Leagues; Council for Civil Liberties; Penal reform Council; and Association for International Co-operation and Disarmament.

Military Service

Served 2nd Australian Imperial Forces 1942 - 1946. 2/8th Field Regiment, 9th Division.

Local Government Activity

Alderman for Parramatta 1954 - 1959, Deputy Mayor 1959.

Personal

Son of John (Jock) Ferguson and his wife Mary Ellen Burke. Married Mary Ellen Bett and they had 3 sons and 2 daughters. His son, Laurie Donald Thomas Ferguson, was also a Member of the Legislative Assembly. There is a discrepancy in the sources for his date of birth. 'The Biographical Register of the NSW Parliament 1901 - 1970' (Radi & Spearrit) gives the year 1925; the 1973 'Labor Year Book' also lists 1925 as the year of his birth. However the 'Sydney Morning Herald' and 'The Australian' obituaries note his birth as being in 1924. Rodney Cavalier, former Member and author of 'The Australian's' obituary, has said that Ferguson told him the year was 1924.

Additional Information

Personal papers in the Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales: 1. L.J Ferguson - papers, 1974 - 1984 (MLMSS 4220) 2. L.J Ferguson - further papers, 1981 -1984 (MLMSS 4220 ) (ADD ON 1656) Electorate description: Metropolitan, residential suburban and industrial. Located Sydney, outer western. Principal suburbs: Granville, Villawood, Yennora. Area: 19.6 sq km Population: 49,450 Enrolment: 31,619

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