# Unsworth ministry

The Unsworth ministry was the 79th ministry of the New South Wales Government, and was led by the 36th Premier of New South Wales, Barrie Unsworth, representing the Labor Party.
After the surprise announcement in June 1986 that Neville Wran MP would retire as Premier, NSW Labor Leader, and from Parliament with effect from 4 July 1986, Unsworth, then a Member of the New South Wales Legislative Council, was elected as the leader of the NSW Labor Party and thus became Premier. However, by parliamentary convention, Premiers are members of the Legislative Assembly. In order for Unsworth to move from the Legislative Council to the Legislative Assembly, Brian Bannon, the member for Rockdale, resigned to accept a role as Chairman of the Homebush States Sport Centre Trust, and Unsworth contested the resulting by-election held on 2 August 1986. He narrowly won the seat, with a 17.1% decline in the primary vote and independent preferences giving him a margin of just 54 votes. A by-election for Wran's safe Labor seat of Bass Hill was even worse, with a 22.2 per cent decline in the primary vote delivering a 103–vote victory to the Liberal candidate.
The ministry covers the period from 4 July 1986 when Unsworth was elected by Labor caucus as the NSW Labor Leader until 21 March 1988 when Labor suffered a landslide defeat at the state election by the Liberal–National coalition, led by Nick Greiner and Wal Murray. Unsworth did not contest the 1991 election.

## Composition of ministry

Fifteen of the twenty ministers retained some or all of their portfolios from the eighth Wran ministry. There were two minor rearrangements of the ministry, in November 1986 with a new portfolio of Forests  and in November 1987, when Laurie Brereton resigned from the ministry, triggering a reshuffle.
| Portfolio | Minister | Party | Term commence | Term end | Term of office |
| Premier | Barrie Unsworth | Labor | 4 July 1986 | 21 March 1988 | 1 year, 261 days |
| Minister for State Development | Barrie Unsworth | Labor | 4 July 1986 | 21 March 1988 | 1 year, 261 days |
| Minister for Ethnic Affairs | Barrie Unsworth | Labor | 4 July 1986 | 21 March 1988 | 1 year, 261 days |
| Deputy Premier | Ron Mulock | Labor | 4 July 1986 | 21 March 1988 | 1 year, 261 days |
| Minister for Transport | Ron Mulock | Labor | 4 July 1986 | 26 November 1987 | 1 year, 145 days |
| Minister for Transport | Terry Sheahan | Labor | 26 November 1987 | 21 March 1988 | 116 days |
| Attorney General | Terry Sheahan | Labor | 4 July 1986 | 26 November 1987 | 1 year, 145 days |
| Attorney General | Ron Mulock | Labor | 26 November 1987 | 21 March 1988 | 116 days |
| Minister Assisting the Premier | Terry Sheahan | Labor | 4 July 1986 | 26 November 1987 | 1 year, 145 days |
| Minister for Housing | Frank Walker | Labor | 4 July 1986 | 21 March 1988 | 1 year, 261 days |
| Minister for the Arts | Frank Walker | Labor | 4 July 1986 | 21 March 1988 | 1 year, 261 days |
| Minister for Public Works and Ports | Laurie Brereton | Labor | 4 July 1986 | 26 November 1987 | 1 year, 145 days |
| Minister for Roads | Laurie Brereton | Labor | 4 July 1986 | 26 November 1987 | 1 year, 145 days |
| Minister for Public Works | Peter Cox | Labor | 26 November 1987 | 21 March 1988 | 116 days |
| Minister Assisting the Premier | Peter Cox | Labor | 26 November 1987 | 21 March 1988 | 116 days |
| Minister for Industrial Relations | Pat Hills | Labor | 4 July 1986 | 21 March 1988 | 1 year, 261 days |
| Minister for Employment | Pat Hills | Labor | 4 July 1986 | 21 March 1988 | 1 year, 261 days |
| Minister for Health Minister for the Drug Offensive | Peter Anderson | Labor | 4 July 1986 | 21 March 1988 | 1 year, 261 days |
| Treasurer | Ken Booth | Labor | 4 July 1986 | 21 March 1988 | 1 year, 261 days |
| Minister for Industry and Small Business | Peter Cox | Labor | 4 July 1986 | 26 November 1987 | 1 year, 145 days |
| Minister for Energy and Technology | Peter Cox | Labor | 4 July 1986 | 26 November 1987 | 1 year, 145 days |
| Minister for Agriculture | Jack Hallam, MLC | Labor | 4 July 1986 | 21 March 1988 | 1 year, 261 days |
| Minister for Lands | Jack Hallam, MLC | Labor | 4 July 1986 | 21 March 1988 | 1 year, 261 days |
| Vice-President of the Executive Council Leader of the Government in Legislative Council | Jack Hallam, MLC | Labor | 4 July 1986 | 21 March 1988 | 1 year, 261 days |
| Minister for Forests | Jack Hallam, MLC | Labor | 5 November 1986 | 21 March 1988 | 1 year, 137 days |
| Minister for Education | Rodney Cavalier | Labor | 4 July 1986 | 21 March 1988 | 1 year, 261 days |
| Minister for Sport and Recreation | Michael Cleary | Labor | 4 July 1986 | 21 March 1988 | 1 year, 261 days |
| Minister for Racing | Michael Cleary | Labor | 4 July 1986 | 21 March 1988 | 1 year, 261 days |
| Minister for Tourism | Michael Cleary | Labor | 4 July 1986 | 21 March 1988 | 1 year, 261 days |
| Minister for Police and Emergency Services | George Paciullo | Labor | 4 July 1986 | 21 March 1988 | 1 year, 261 days |
| Minister for Local Government | Janice Crosio | Labor | 4 July 1986 | 21 March 1988 | 1 year, 261 days |
| Minister for Water Resources | Janice Crosio | Labor | 4 July 1986 | 21 March 1988 | 1 year, 261 days |
| Minister for Finance | Bob Debus | Labor | 4 July 1986 | 21 March 1988 | 1 year, 261 days |
| Minister for Co-operative Societies | Bob Debus | Labor | 4 July 1986 | 21 March 1988 | 1 year, 261 days |
| Assistant Minister for Education | Bob Debus | Labor | 4 July 1986 | 21 March 1988 | 1 year, 261 days |
| Minister for Corrective Services | John Akister | Labor | 4 July 1986 | 21 March 1988 | 1 year, 261 days |
| Assistant Minister for Transport | John Akister | Labor | 4 July 1986 | 21 March 1988 | 1 year, 261 days |
| Assistant Minister for Transport | Janice Crosio | Labor | 26 November 1987 | 21 March 1988 | 116 days |
| Minister for Planning and Environment | Bob Carr | Labor | 4 July 1986 | 21 March 1988 | 1 year, 261 days |
| Minister for Heritage | Bob Carr | Labor | 4 July 1986 | 21 March 1988 | 1 year, 261 days |
| Minister for Youth and Community Services | John Aquilina | Labor | 4 July 1986 | 21 March 1988 | 1 year, 261 days |
| Assistant Minister for Ethnic Affairs | John Aquilina | Labor | 4 July 1986 | 21 March 1988 | 1 year, 261 days |
| Minister for Mineral Resources | Ken Gabb | Labor | 4 July 1986 | 26 November 1987 | 1 year, 145 days |
| Minister for Minerals and Energy | Ken Gabb | Labor | 26 November 1987 | 21 March 1988 | 116 days |
| Minister for Aboriginal Affairs | Ken Gabb | Labor | 4 July 1986 | 21 March 1988 | 1 year, 261 days |
| Minister for Consumer Affairs | Deirdre Grusovin, MLC | Labor | 4 July 1986 | 21 March 1988 | 1 year, 261 days |
| Minister for Small Business | Deirdre Grusovin, MLC | Labor | 26 November 1987 | 21 March 1988 | 116 days |
| Assistant Minister for Health | Deirdre Grusovin, MLC | Labor | 26 November 1987 | 21 March 1988 | 116 days |
Ministers are members of the Legislative Assembly unless otherwise noted.