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Member Details

The Hon. Barrie John UNSWORTH

Member Photo
Date of Birth: 16/04/1934
Place of Birth: Dubbo, New South Wales, Australia
Date of Death:
Place of Death:
Parliamentary Service
Position Start End Period Notes
Member for Rockdale 19 Mar 1988 03 May 1991 3 years 1 month 15 days
Member for Rockdale 02 Aug 1986 22 Feb 1988 1 year 6 months 21 days
Member of the NSW Legislative Assembly 02 Aug 1986 03 May 1991 4 years 9 months 2 days
Minister for Ethnic Affairs 04 Jul 1986 25 Mar 1988 1 year 8 months 22 days
Minister for State Development 04 Jul 1986 25 Mar 1988 1 year 8 months 22 days
Premier 04 Jul 1986 25 Mar 1988 1 year 8 months 22 days
Minister for Health and Vice President of Executive Council 06 Feb 1986 04 Jul 1986 4 months 29 days
Minister for Transport and Vice President of Executive Council 05 Apr 1984 06 Feb 1986 1 year 10 months 2 days
Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council 04 Apr 1984 04 Jul 1986 2 years 3 months 1 day
Member of the NSW Legislative Council 06 Nov 1978 15 Jul 1986 7 years 8 months 10 days A Member of the directly elected Legislative Council. Date of Election 7 October 1978. Granted retention of title of "Honourable" for life.
Political Party Activity
Australian Labor Party (ALP). Member of ALP Administrative Committee 1971 - 1988.
Community Activity
Commissioner of the Public Transport Commission of New South Wales 1972-1975; Member of the Pipeline Authority 1973-1978. Deputy Chairman, then Chairman, of His Royal Highness Duke of Edinburgh Study Conference, Chairman, Australian Executive Committee 1982-1998, Chairman, Australia Day Council of New South Wales 1995-2003, New South Wales Centenary of Federation Committee 1997-2002. Chairman of Board, of Ambulance Service of New South Wales 2001-2008. Director of Railcorp 2005-2008. Chairman of State Transit Authority from 2004 to Nov. 2009. Chairman of WorkCover Authority of New South Wales 1995-1997. Australian delegate to International Labour Organisation (ILO) Worker Participation in Management Conference at Geneva 1980. Australian delegate to International Labour Organisation (ILO) Worker Participation in Management Conference at The Hague in 1981.
Qualifications, occupations and interests
Electrician and Union Organiser. Educated at Kogarah High School. Electrical Trades Certificate. Left school at 15. Apprentice Electrical Fitter, Electrical Fitter, Electrical Testing Officer and Sales Representative for Sydney County Council from 1950 until 1960. Technical representative for PWA Transformers from 1960 until 1961. Electrical Trades Union of New South Wales, Organiser from 1961-1967; Labor Council of New South Wales, Organiser from 1967-1975, Assistant Secretary from 1975-1979 and Secretary from 1979-1984. New South Wales Delegate to Australian Council of Trade Unions Interstate Executive from 1975-1984. Director of Totalizator Agency Board from 1997-2004. Director of Tempo Services from 1999-2005. General Manager of 2KY Broadcasters Pty Ltd Racing Radio 1992-2000. Director of Delta Electricity 1997-2006. Director of Youth of the Streets 2003-2008. Director of Entherm Pty Ltd 2003-2005. Member of Overseas Trade Authority of New South Wales in 1978. Director of Manly Warringah Sea Eagles2004-2006. Recreational interests include reading, golf, swimming and impressionist art. General interest in Industrial Relations.
Military Service
National Service 1953-1954 Royal Australian Navy (RAN).
Honours Received
Awarded Churchill Fellowship in 1966 to attend Harvard University, Trade Union Program in 1966. Australian delegate to His Royal Highness of Duke of Edinburgh Study Conference, Oxford University in 1974.
Membership of other Parliaments & Offices Held
Local Government Activity
Personal
Married Pauline Hennessy on 13 August 1955 and they had 1 daughter and 3 sons (1 deceased) and has nine grandchildren. Catholic faith.
Additional Information
Personal papers in the Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales: 1. Barrie Unsworth - papers, 1940 - 1991 (MLMSS 5060). 2. Barrie Unsworth - further papers, 1980 - 1991 (MLMSS 7342); photographs in the PICMAN Database.

The Parliament of New South Wales acknowledges and respects the traditional lands of all Aboriginal people, and pays respects to all Elders past and present. We acknowledge the Gadigal people as the traditional custodians of the land on which the Parliament of New South Wales stands.