Laurie McGinty
Encyclopedia
Laurence Frederick "Laurie" McGinty MBE
(16 January 1921 – 2 July 1991) was an Australia
n politician. He was the member for Willoughby
in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
from 1968 to 1978, firstly as a member of the Liberal Party
and then as an Independent
from 1977. He was Minister for Housing and Co-operative Societies from 1973 to 1976.
McGinty was born in Orange
to Laurence Russell Leonard McGinty and Ellen Margaret Elizabeth Magee. He was educated at Christian Brothers High School at Lewisham
and St Joseph's College at Hunters Hill
before studying at the University of Sydney
, where he received a Bachelor of Law in 1944, having worked as an assessor for the Taxation Department from 1939 to 1942. He enlisted in the army in 1942, shortly afterwards transferring to the Royal Australian Navy
, eventually becoming a lieutenant
. After his return he was a legal officer with T.S. Skillman and Company from 1947 until 1955, when he was admitted as a solicitor. He was elected to Willoughby Council
in 1957 and was Mayor from 1960 to 1967. He was also active in the local Liberal Party
.
In 1968, following the retirement of long-serving Liberal
MP George Brain
, McGinty was preselected as the Liberal candidate for Willoughby
. In 1973 he was made Minister for Housing and Co-operative Services, holding these portfolios until 1976. He lost preselection for Willoughby in September 1977 to Nick Greiner
and resigned from the Liberal Party, sitting as an Independent. He contested the election as such and received 15.5% of the vote, allowing Labor
candidate Eddie Britt
to defeat Greiner. He died in 1991 at Castle Cove
.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(16 January 1921 – 2 July 1991) was an Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n politician. He was the member for Willoughby
Electoral district of Willoughby
Willoughby is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is represented by Gladys Berejiklian of the Liberal Party of Australia.-History:...
in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
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 1968 to 1978, firstly as a member of the Liberal Party
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
and then as an Independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
from 1977. He was Minister for Housing and Co-operative Societies from 1973 to 1976.
McGinty was born in Orange
Orange, New South Wales
Orange is a city in the Central West region of New South Wales, Australia. It is west of the state capital, Sydney, at an altitude of . Orange has an estimated population of 39,329 and the city is a major provincial centre....
to Laurence Russell Leonard McGinty and Ellen Margaret Elizabeth Magee. He was educated at Christian Brothers High School at Lewisham
Lewisham, New South Wales
Lewisham is a suburb in the inner-west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Lewisham is located 8 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Marrickville Council. The postcode is 2049...
and St Joseph's College at Hunters Hill
Hunters Hill, New South Wales
Hunters Hill is a suburb in Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Hunters Hill is located 9 kilometres north-west of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre for the local government area of the Municipality of Hunter's Hill.Hunters Hill is situated on a...
before studying at the University of Sydney
University of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
, where he received a Bachelor of Law in 1944, having worked as an assessor for the Taxation Department from 1939 to 1942. He enlisted in the army in 1942, shortly afterwards transferring to the Royal Australian Navy
Royal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Following the Federation of Australia in 1901, the ships and resources of the separate colonial navies were integrated into a national force: the Commonwealth Naval Forces...
, eventually becoming a lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
. After his return he was a legal officer with T.S. Skillman and Company from 1947 until 1955, when he was admitted as a solicitor. He was elected to Willoughby Council
City of Willoughby
The City of Willoughby is a Local Government Area on the North Shore of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located 6 km north of the Sydney central business district....
in 1957 and was Mayor from 1960 to 1967. He was also active in the local Liberal Party
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
.
In 1968, following the retirement of long-serving Liberal
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
MP George Brain
George Brain
George William Brain was an Australian politician and member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly. He was the longest-serving member for Willoughby, serving from 1943 until his retirement in 1968. Brain was recognized as one of the primary forces in establishing the Free Library Movement in...
, McGinty was preselected as the Liberal candidate for Willoughby
Electoral district of Willoughby
Willoughby is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is represented by Gladys Berejiklian of the Liberal Party of Australia.-History:...
. In 1973 he was made Minister for Housing and Co-operative Services, holding these portfolios until 1976. He lost preselection for Willoughby in September 1977 to Nick Greiner
Nick Greiner
Nicholas "Nick" Frank Hugo Greiner AC, is an Australian businessman and former politician. He was the 37th Premier New South Wales from 1988 to 1992. He was Leader of the New South Wales Division of the Liberal Party from 1983 to 1992 and Leader of the Opposition from 1983 to 1988. He is married...
and resigned from the Liberal Party, sitting as an Independent. He contested the election as such and received 15.5% of the vote, allowing Labor
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...
candidate Eddie Britt
Eddie Britt (politician)
Edwin Alfred "Eddie" Britt is a former Australian politician. He was the Labor member for Willoughby in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1978 to 1981....
to defeat Greiner. He died in 1991 at Castle Cove
Castle Cove, New South Wales
Castle Cove is a suburb on the lower North Shore of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Castle Cove is located 11 kilometres north of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Willoughby...
.