Wran ministry (1976–78)

First Wran ministry
71st Cabinet of Government of New South Wales
Date formed	14 May 1976
Date dissolved	19 October 1978
People and organisations
Head of government	Neville Wran
Deputy head of government	Jack Renshaw
Head of state	Queen Elizabeth II (represented by Sir Roden Cutler)
Number of ministers	18
Member party	Labor
Opposition parties	Liberal National coalition
Opposition leader	Sir Eric Willis Peter Coleman
History
Predecessor	Willis–Punch ministry
Successor	Second Wran ministry

The Wran ministry (1976–1978) or First Wran ministry was the 71st ministry of the New South Wales Government, and was led by the 35th Premier of New South Wales, the Honourable Neville Wran, QC MP, representing the Australian Labor Party. It was the first of eight consecutive occasions when Wran was Premier.

Tenure of ministry

The ministry covers the period from 14 May 1976 when the Liberal–National Country Party coalition was defeated at the 1976 election by the Wran–led Labor Party, until 19 October 1978, when Wran was successful at the 1978 election and the Second Wran ministry was formed.

Composition of ministry

The composition of the ministry was announced by Premier Wran and sworn in on 14 May 1976, and covers the period up until 9 August 1976, when there was a minor rearrangement of the ministry, with a subsequent minor rearrangement on 10 February 1977. Ministers are listed in order of seniority and in some cases, serve the full term of this ministry.^[1][2]

First arrangement

The first arrangement was between 14 May 1976 and 9 August 1976.

Portfolio	Minister	Party		Term commence	Term end	Term of office
Premier	Hon. Neville Wran, QC MP		Labor	14 May 1976	19 October 1978	2 years, 158 days
Deputy Premier Minister for Public Works Minister for Ports Minister for Housing	Hon. Jack Ferguson, MP ^3				10 February 1977	272 days
Treasurer	Hon. Jack Renshaw, MP				19 October 1978	2 years, 158 days
Minister for Transport Minister for Highways	Hon. Peter Cox, MP
Attorney General	Hon. Frank Walker, MP
Minister for Mines Minister for Energy	Hon. Pat Hills, MP				9 August 1976	87 days
Minister for Industrial Relations Vice-President of the Executive Council Leader of the Government in Legislative Council	Hon. Paul Landa, MLC ^1
Minister for Decentralisation and Development Minister for Primary Industries	Hon. Don Day, MP				19 October 1978	2 years, 158 days
Minister for Education	Hon. Eric Bedford, MP
Minister for Local Government Minister for Planning	Hon. Harry Jensen, MP ^2				9 August 1976	87 days
Minister for Lands Minister for Environment	Hon. Bill Crabtree, MP ^2
Minister for Health	Hon. Kevin Stewart, MP				19 October 1978	2 years, 158 days
Minister for Consumer Affairs Minister for Co-operative Societies	Hon. Syd Einfeld, MP
Minister for Justice Minister for Services	Hon. Ron Mulock, MP ^4				10 February 1977	272 days
Minister for Sport and Recreation Minister for Tourism	Hon. Ken Booth, MP				19 October 1978	2 years, 158 days
Minister for Conservation Minister for Water Resources	Hon. Lin Gordon, MP
Minister for Youth and Community Services	Hon. Rex Jackson, MP
Minister Assisting the Premier	Hon. Bill Haigh, MP ^4				10 February 1977	272 days

¹ Industrial Relations portfolio transferred from Landa to Hills.

² Planning portfolio transferred from Jensen to Landa; and Environment portfolio transferred from Crabtree to Landa.

³ Housing portfolio transferred from Ferguson to Mulock.

⁴ Services portfolio transferred from Mulock to Haigh.

Second arrangement

The second arrangement was between 9 August 1976 and 10 February 1977.

Portfolio	Minister	Party		Term commence	Term end	Term of office
Minister for Industrial Relations Minister for Mines Minister for Energy	Hon. Pat Hills, MP ^1		Labor	9 August 1976	19 October 1978	2 years, 71 days
Minister for Planning and Environment Vice-President of the Executive Council Leader of the Government in Legislative Council	Hon. Paul Landa, MLC ^1 ^2
Minister for Local Government	Hon. Harry Jensen, MP ^2
Minister for Lands	Hon. Bill Crabtree, MP ^2

Third arrangement

The third arrangement was between 10 February 1977 and 19 October 1978.

Portfolio	Minister	Party		Term commence	Term end	Term of office
Deputy Premier Minister for Public Works Minister for Ports	Hon. Jack Ferguson, MP ^3		Labor	10 February 1977	1 year, 251 days	19 October 1978
Minister for Justice Minister for Housing	Hon. Ron Mulock, MP ^3 ^4
Minister for Services Minister Assisting the Premier	Hon. Bill Haigh, MP ^4

See also

• Hon. Neville Wran, MP - 35th Premier of New South Wales
• Members of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, 1976–1978
• Members of the New South Wales Legislative Council, 1976–1978

References

1. "Former Members - Chronological List of Ministries 1856 to 2009 (requires download)" (MS Excel spreadsheet). Project for the Sesquicentenary of Responsible Government in NSW. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 26 April 2014.
2. Wah, Malvyne Jong; Page, Jeffrey E. (November 2007). "New South Wales Parliamentary Record 1824 – 2007" (PDF) VI. Parliament of New South Wales: 44. Retrieved 26 April 2014.