# Wran ministry (1983–1984)

The Wran ministry (1983–1984) or Fifth Wran ministry was the 75th ministry of the New South Wales Government, and was led by the 35th Premier of New South Wales, Neville Wran, representing the Labor Party. It was the fifth of eight consecutive occasions when Wran was Premier.

## Background

Wran had been elected to the Legislative Council of New South Wales by a joint sitting of the New South Wales Parliament on 12 March 1970. He was Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council from 22 February 1972. He resigned from the council on 19 October 1973 to switch to the Legislative Assembly, successfully contesting the election for Bass Hill, which he would hold until his retirement in 1986. Wran successfully challenged Pat Hills to become Leader of Labor Party and Leader of the Opposition from 3 December 1973 and became Premier following a narrow one seat victory at the 1976 election.
Labor retained government at the 1981 election, gaining an additional 6 seats despite a 2% swing against Labor, giving a majority of 19 seats in the Legislative Assembly and two seats in the Legislative Council.
During the course of this ministry, Wran stood aside for two months from May 1983 while Sir Laurence Street conducted a Royal Commission into claims made by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation current affairs show Four Corners that Chief Magistrate Murray Farquhar had said that Wran wanted charges against Kevin Humphreys to be dismissed. After two months of hearings the Royal Commission found that Farquhar had attempted to pervert the course of justice, but Wran was exonerated and resumed the office of Premier. During this time allegations were made that Rex Jackson, the Minister for Corrective Services, was accepting bribes connected with an early-release scheme, with Wran demanding Jackson's resignation in October 1983.

## Composition of ministry

The ministry covers the period from 1 February 1983 when Wran reconfigured his ministry. There were two minor rearrangements of the ministry, with Jackson resigning in October 1983, and George Paciullo was promoted to the ministry in November 1983. The ministry ended on 10 February 1984 when Jack Ferguson, who had been Wran's deputy since 1973, resigned as Deputy Premier announcing that he would not be contesting the next election, and the Sixth Wran ministry was formed.
| Portfolio | Minister | Party | Term commence | Term end | Term of office |
| Premier | Neville Wran | Labor | 1 February 1983 | 10 February 1984 | 1 year, 9 days |
| Deputy Premier Minister for Public Works Minister for Ports | Jack Ferguson | Labor | 1 February 1983 | 10 February 1984 | 1 year, 9 days |
| Minister for Transport | Peter Cox | Labor | 1 February 1983 | 10 February 1984 | 1 year, 9 days |
| Minister for Youth and Community Services Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Minister for Housing | Frank Walker | Labor | 1 February 1983 | 10 February 1984 | 1 year, 9 days |
| Minister for Industrial Relations Minister for Technology | Pat Hills | Labor | 1 February 1983 | 10 February 1984 | 1 year, 9 days |
| Attorney General Minister for Justice Minister for Consumer Affairs Vice-President of the Executive Council Leader of the Government in Legislative Council | Paul Landa, MLC | Labor | 1 February 1983 | 10 February 1984 | 1 year, 9 days |
| Treasurer | Ken Booth | Labor | 1 February 1983 | 10 February 1984 | 1 year, 9 days |
| Minister for Industrial Development Minister for Decentralisation | Don Day | Labor | 1 February 1983 | 10 February 1984 | 1 year, 9 days |
| Minister for Corrective Services | Rex Jackson | Labor | 1 February 1983 | 27 October 1983 | 268 days |
| Minister for Corrective Services | Peter Anderson | Labor | 27 October 1983 | 10 February 1984 | 106 days |
| Minister for Roads | Rex Jackson | Labor | 1 February 1983 | 27 October 1983 | 268 days |
| Minister for Roads | Laurie Brereton | Labor | 27 October 1983 | 10 November 1983 | 14 days |
| Minister for Roads | George Paciullo | Labor | 10 November 1983 | 10 February 1984 | 92 days |
| Minister for Planning and Environment | Eric Bedford | Labor | 1 February 1983 | 10 February 1984 | 1 year, 9 days |
| Minister for Mineral Resources | Kevin Stewart | Labor | 1 February 1983 | 10 February 1984 | 1 year, 9 days |
| Minister for Education | Ron Mulock | Labor | 1 February 1983 | 10 February 1984 | 1 year, 9 days |
| Minister for Local Government Minister for Lands | Lin Gordon | Labor | 1 February 1983 | 10 February 1984 | 1 year, 9 days |
| Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries | Jack Hallam, MLC | Labor | 1 February 1983 | 10 February 1984 | 1 year, 9 days |
| Minister for Energy Minister for Finance | Terry Sheahan | Labor | 1 February 1983 | 10 February 1984 | 1 year, 9 days |
| Minister for Health | Laurie Brereton | Labor | 1 February 1983 | 10 February 1984 | 1 year, 9 days |
| Minister for Police and Emergency Services | Peter Anderson | Labor | 1 February 1983 | 10 February 1984 | 1 year, 9 days |
| Minister for Leisure, Sport and Tourism | Michael Cleary | Labor | 1 February 1983 | 10 February 1984 | 1 year, 9 days |
| Minister for Water Resources Minister for Forests | Paul Whelan | Labor | 1 February 1983 | 10 February 1984 | 1 year, 9 days |
Ministers are members of the Legislative Assembly unless otherwise noted.