John McGrath (New South Wales politician)
Encyclopedia
The Hon. John Francis McGrath (1 September 1893 – 20 December 1971) was an Australian politician and a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
from 1941 until 1959 . He was a member of the Australian Labor Party
(ALP) and held a number of ministerial positions including Minister for Housing.
. He was the son of a publican and migrated with his family to Australia at age 9. He was educated at St Aloysius' College (Sydney) and initially worked as an electrician. He became an official of the Electrical Trades Union but left the industry to become a hotel owner. McGrath became active in community organizations in the Rockdale
area and was elected as an alderman on Bexley Municipal Council
from 1934 till 1941. He was the deputy mayor in 1939-41.
which was won by Clive Evatt
of the Industrial Labor Party
. He was eventually elected to the New South Wales parliament as the Labor member for new seat of Rockdale
at the 1941
election. He retained the seat for the next 5 elections and retired in 1959
.
. He was a minister without portfolio in 1953-4, the Minister for Housing in 1954-56 and the Secretary for Public Works from 1956 until his retirement. In this role he was responsible for the early construction work on the Sydney Opera House
.
New South Wales Legislative Assembly
The Legislative Assembly, or lower house, is one of the two chambers of the Parliament of New South Wales, an Australian state. The other chamber is the Legislative Council. Both the Assembly and Council sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney...
from 1941 until 1959 . He was a member of the Australian Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
(ALP) and held a number of ministerial positions including Minister for Housing.
Early and Personal Life
McGrath was born in ChicagoChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. He was the son of a publican and migrated with his family to Australia at age 9. He was educated at St Aloysius' College (Sydney) and initially worked as an electrician. He became an official of the Electrical Trades Union but left the industry to become a hotel owner. McGrath became active in community organizations in the Rockdale
Rockdale, New South Wales
Rockdale is a suburb in southern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Rockdale is located 13 kilometres south of the Sydney central business district and is part of the St George area...
area and was elected as an alderman on Bexley Municipal Council
City of Rockdale
The City of Rockdale is a Local Government Area in southern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. The city centre is located 12 kilometres south-south-west of the Sydney central business district, on the western shores of Botany Bay...
from 1934 till 1941. He was the deputy mayor in 1939-41.
State Parliament
McGrath was the defeated ALP candidate at the 1939 by-election for the seat of HurstvilleElectoral district of Hurstville
Hurstville was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales, named after and including the Sydney suburb of Hurstville....
which was won by Clive Evatt
Clive Evatt
Clive Evatt QC was an Australian politician, barrister and raconteur. He was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1939 until 1959. At various times he sat as a member of the Industrial Labor Party, ALP and as an independent.-Early life:Evatt was born in Maitland and was the...
of the Industrial Labor Party
Industrial Labor Party
The Industrial Labor Party or Heffron Labor Party was a political party active in New South Wales, Australia, between 1938 and 1939. It was a splinter group of the Australian Labor Party and was formed by Bob Heffron after he and Carlo Lazzarini attempted to depose the party leader Jack Lang...
. He was eventually elected to the New South Wales parliament as the Labor member for new seat of Rockdale
Electoral district of Rockdale
Rockdale is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is represented by John Flowers of the Liberal Party of Australia.-History:...
at the 1941
New South Wales state election, 1941
The 1941 New South Wales state election was held on 10 May 1941. This election was for all of the 90 seats in the 33nd New South Wales Legislative Assembly and was conducted in single member constituencies with compulsory preferential voting....
election. He retained the seat for the next 5 elections and retired in 1959
New South Wales state election, 1959
The 1959 New South Wales state election was held on 21 March 1959. It was conducted in single member constituencies with compulsory preferential voting and was held on boundaries created at a 1957 redistribution...
.
Government
McGrath held ministerial positions in the government of Joseph CahillJoseph Cahill
John Joseph Cahill was Premier of New South Wales in Australia from 1952 to 1959. He is best remembered as the Premier who approved construction on the Sydney Opera House, and for his work increasing the authority of local government in the state.-Early years:Joe Cahill, as he was popularly known,...
. He was a minister without portfolio in 1953-4, the Minister for Housing in 1954-56 and the Secretary for Public Works from 1956 until his retirement. In this role he was responsible for the early construction work on the Sydney Opera House
Sydney Opera House
The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre in the Australian city of Sydney. It was conceived and largely built by Danish architect Jørn Utzon, finally opening in 1973 after a long gestation starting with his competition-winning design in 1957...
.