Norm Ryan

The Honourable
Norm Ryan
Minister for Public Works
In office
1 April 1959  13 May 1965
Premier Joseph Cahill
Bob Heffron
Jack Renshaw
Preceded by John McGrath
Succeeded by Davis Hughes
Member of the New South Wales Parliament
for Marrickville
In office
14 February 1953  19 October 1973
Preceded by Carlo Lazzarini
Succeeded by Thomas Cahill
Personal details
Born Phillip Norman Ryan
(1912-05-24)24 May 1912
Moruya, New South Wales, Australia
Died 25 March 1997(1997-03-25) (aged 84)
Killarney Vale, New South Wales, Australia
Political party Australian Labor Party (NSW Branch)
Spouse(s) Dorothy O'Brien
Occupation Electrical Fitter
Religion Roman Catholic

Phillip Norman Ryan (24 May 1912 – 25 March 1997), known as Norm Ryan, was an Australian politician, affiliated with the Australian Labor Party. He was elected as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly and served as Minister for Public Works from 1959-1965.

He was born at Moruya, on the south coast of New South Wales to Michael and Elizabeth Ryan. After attending St. Joseph's College, Hunters Hill and the Sydney Technical College, he was an apprentice electrical fitter for Sydney City Council. He later worked as an electrical inspector for the Public Works Department. On 12 April 1941, he married Dorothy O'Brien, with whom he had one son and one daughter.

Having joined the Labor Party in 1933, Ryan became an alderman to Marrickville Council in 1948 at the age of 36. He was elected Mayor of Marrickville in 1953, but resigned later that year when elected to the Legislative Assembly as member for Marrickville. As well as representing this electorate in Sydney's inner west, he was known as an advocate for providing services to the rural areas of the state.

Ryan's most significant achievements were as Minister for Public Works in the Heffron and Renshaw governments from 1959. In this role, he was involved in the first part of the construction of the Sydney Opera House. Amidst much criticism concerning the rising costs, he stood firm in support of the project, saying in 1964 "This building will bring great credit upon this country."

The Labor Party lost office in the 1965 election, and so Ryan's term as Minister came to an end. He continued to serve as the member for Marrickville, being elected a total of seven times. He also served as a trustee of the Art Gallery of New South Wales, a position he had taken up in 1959, until 1972. His retirement came, after 20 years in parliament, at the 1973 election, when he offered to stand aside for the younger Tom Cahill, whose neighbouring seat had been abolished. He died 24 years later at Killarney Vale, on the central coast.

References

Civic offices
Preceded by
L. A. Scutts
Mayor of Marrickville
1952 – 1953
Succeeded by
William Murray
Parliament of New South Wales
Preceded by
Carlo Lazzarini
Member for Marrickville
1953 1973
Succeeded by
Tom Cahill
Political offices
Preceded by
John McGrath
as Secretary for Public Works
Minister for Public Works
1959 – 1965
Succeeded by
Davis Hughes
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