68-398: Opposition (14) Liberal (9) National (5) Crossbench (13) Greens (4) Shooters, Fishers, Farmers (2) Animal Justice ( 1 ) Legalise Cannabis ( 1 ) Libertarian ( 1 ) One Nation ( 1 ) The New South Wales Legislative Council , often referred to as the upper house, is one of
136-788: A QC and then as a Judge of the Supreme Court of New South Wales , to chair commissions of inquiry into police administration and gambling. He also undertook the state's largest capital works program and refurbished many iconic places in Sydney. His government also built the modern-day Darling Harbour precinct. In 1983, Wran faced the Street Royal Commission over claims by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation ( ABC ) current affairs show Four Corners that he had tried to influence
204-402: A Labor premier came at a time when most Australian governments were held by conservative coalitions, a trend subsequently reversed in the early 1980s following the elections of Labor governments to both federal and state parliaments. During his 10 years as Premier of New South Wales, the government embarked on a program of reform and change. Priorities were public transport (with the exception of
272-452: A breach in the party constitution, which meant that the state executive could not continue in office after 28 February 2022, and this would mean that the federal executive would have to step in to choose New South Wales candidates for 2022 federal election , due in May 2022. The Supreme Court of New South Wales ruled that the state executive could still continue after this date. On 2 March 2022,
340-530: A city. From 1846 to 1856 the title of the presiding officer was Speaker of the Legislative Council , and after that date it has been President of the Legislative Council . The Legislative Council chamber is a prefabricated cast-iron building, intended as an "iron store and dwelling with ornamental front", which had been manufactured in Scotland and shipped to Victoria . In 1856, when plans for
408-546: A larger majority than any of the victories won by the Liberals' Sir Robert Askin in the 1960s and 1970s. In 1977, Wran supported Al Grassby , former Federal Immigration Minister, in allowing Domenico Barbaro, a Mafia figure in the Griffith region of New South Wales, back into Australia after having been earlier deported because of his criminal record. However, as journalist David Hickie explains, Wran attempted to undermine
476-736: A month after his divorce was finalised and three months after becoming Premier of New South Wales, Wran married Jill Hickson, and they had two children together. Wran and Hickson separated several times, first briefly in 2006, then in August 2011 after Hickson said she had been "frozen out" of her husband's personal affairs by his daughter Kim and his friend and business partner Albert Wong. They had reconciled by December 2011. A severe throat infection in 1980 required injections of teflon to strengthen his damaged vocal cords , resulting in his characteristic croaky voice. In his later years, Wran had dementia and from July 2012 had been under special care at
544-484: A new chamber for the Legislative Council were not ready in time, this building was purchased and shipped to Sydney, where it was erected as an extension to Parliament House . The Legislative Council chamber is furnished in red, which follows the British tradition for the upper house. Proportional representation, with the whole state as a single electorate, means that the quota for election is small. This almost guarantees
612-615: A non-Labor female leader won a state election in Australia. Berejiklian stepped down on 5 October 2021 and was replaced as party leader and Premier by Perrottet. In the March 2023 state election , the Liberal Party lost to a minority Labor Government led by Chris Minns . The Liberal Party is currently led by Mark Speakman since the 2023 New South Wales Liberal Party leadership election . On 14 August 2024 after nominations for
680-487: A result, party registration requirements have since been made more restrictive (e.g., requiring more voters as members, and a larger number of candidates to become eligible for a simple "above-the-line" voting box), and the replacement of party preference arrangements with optional preferential voting . This reduced the number of parties contesting elections and increased the difficulty for small, upstart parties to be elected, so that only six minor parties are now represented in
748-678: A separate party to the Democratic Party. The initial leader of the Democratic Party was the former premier Alexander Mair , but he resigned on 2 February 1944 and was replaced by Reginald Weaver on 10 February. In the lead up to the 1944 state election in May, the LDP party generated publicity disproportionate to its size and the Sydney Morning Herald commented that the Liberal Democratic Party
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#1732780863273816-473: A state of the Commonwealth of Australia and many government functions were transferred to the new Commonwealth government. In 1902, women gained the right to vote and the current Constitution of New South Wales was adopted, and in 1918, reforms permitted women to be members of parliament. In 1925, 1926 and 1929, Premier Jack Lang made attempts to abolish the Legislative Council, following the example of
884-419: Is aligned with the right wing faction of the party. The rules, known as Warringah rules, gave local branches the right to hold plebiscites involving all eligible branch members to choose local, state and federal candidates. The party's state executive and the state council would still get 25% of the votes. It was reported that the right faction pushed for the rules as it believed members were more conservative than
952-785: The New South Wales Act 1823 . A small, 5-member appointed Legislative Council began meeting on 25 August 1824 to advise the Governor on legislative matters. It grew to seven members in 1825, and between ten and fifteen in 1829. Under the Constitution Act 1843 , the Legislative Council was expanded to 36 members, of whom 12 were appointed by the Governor in the name of the Crown, and the remainder elected from among eligible landholders. This change partly incorporated William Wentworth 's ideals of self government proposed through
1020-572: The 1943 federal election , the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), United Australia Party (UAP) and Commonwealth Party began discussions on a merger to form a new party, proposed to be also named Democratic Party. The Liberal Democratic Party (NSW) were new parties formed a few months prior in April and May 1943 respectively. By November 1943, discussions were almost completed and unity was likely. The County Party refused to join in
1088-592: The 2024 Local Government elections had closed at midday the Liberal Party announced they had not nominated several previously endorsed candidates. In September 2024, the state executive was suspended by the Federal Liberals. In 2018, the New South Wales Liberal Party agreed to adopt new rules for preselecting candidates, which were championed by former Prime Minister and incumbent Liberal member for Warringah Tony Abbott who
1156-559: The Australian Patriotic Association . In 1851, the council was enlarged to 54 members with 36 of its members elected by adult males who met certain property requirements and 18 appointed members. In 1856, under a new Constitution, the Parliament became bicameral with a fully elected Legislative Assembly and a fully appointed Legislative Council with a Government taking over most of the legislative powers of
1224-579: The Greiner Liberal - National government saw the size of the Legislative Council cut to 42 members, with half being elected every 4 years. (In 1991, the NSW Legislative Assembly was reduced from 109 to 99 Members, and then to 93 members in 1999.) As with the federal parliament and other Australian states and territories, voting in the election to select members for the council is compulsory for all New South Wales citizens over
1292-516: The Leader of the Opposition , depending on the majority or minority respectively of the party. The current leader of the Liberal Party is Mark Speakman , and the deputy leader is Natalie Ward . The role is selected by state members of the parliamentary party, but the position is non-fixed in duration, and is usually only vacated upon resignation, retirement from politics, or a spill motion with
1360-662: The Liberal Club , and from which he gained a Bachelor of Laws in 1948. He was admitted as a solicitor in 1951, called to the Bar in 1957, and became a Queen's Counsel in 1968. His great-grandfather, the eminent High Victorian architectural sculptor, Thomas Vallance Wran (1832-1891), whose carvings can be seen on the Martin Place front of the General Post Post Office, came from Chichester. Thomas Wran –
1428-525: The Liberal Party of Australia during a conference in Canberra as announced in August, attended by LDP and Democratic Party delegates. The New South Wales division of the Liberal Party was formed on 4 January 1945 with a provisional executive appointed, consisting of 20 LDP and Democratic Party members including White, Weaver and Bill Spooner . Spooner, who was nominated by the LDP, was appointed as
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#17327808632731496-613: The Lionel Murphy Foundation and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) from 1986 to 1991. Wran was born in the Sydney suburb of Paddington , the eighth and last child of Joseph Wran and his wife Lillian (née Langley). He was educated at Nicholson Street Public School, Balmain , Fort Street Boys High and the University of Sydney , where he was a member of
1564-935: The NSW Liberals , is the state division of the Liberal Party of Australia in New South Wales . The party is currently in Opposition in New South Wales in a coalition with the National Party . The party is part of the federal Liberal Party. Following the Liberal Party's formation in October 1944, the NSW division of the Liberal Party was formed in January 1945. For the following months, the Democratic Party and Liberal Democratic Party joined
1632-588: The Queensland Legislative Council in 1922, but all were unsuccessful. The debate did, however, result in another round of reforms, and in 1933, the law was changed so that a quarter of the Legislative Council was elected every three years by votes cast by members of the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council together, using STV , rather than being appointed by the Governor. In 1962, Indigenous Australians gained
1700-614: The General Secretary of the FMWU , Ray Gietzelt . He then challenged Pat Hills for the state leadership of the Labor Party (which Hills had held since 1968). In this challenge he had cross-faction support from right-wing powerbroker John Ducker and left-winger Jack Ferguson . There were two rounds to the leadership vote which resulted in a tie between Hills and Wran in the second ballot. However, under Labor Party rules of
1768-469: The Governor. The right to vote was extended to all adult males in 1858. On 22 May 1856, the newly constituted New South Wales Parliament opened and sat for the first time. With the new 54-member Legislative Assembly taking over the council chamber, a second meeting chamber for the 21-member upper house had to be added to the Parliament building in Macquarie Street. In 1901, New South Wales became
1836-532: The June 1983 ALP Annual Conference. At a press conference after announcing his departure Wran was asked what was his greatest achievement as premier. He answered, "saving the rainforests". Wran's first marriage was in 1946 at the age of 20, to Marcia Oliver, a showgirl at the New Tivoli Theatre . Oliver had a young son, whom Wran adopted, and they had one other child together, actress Kim Wran. In 1976,
1904-538: The LDP, still led by Ernest White , initially agreed to merge with the Democratic Party and the new party to be known as the United Democratic Party. However, two days after federal UAP leader Robert Menzies announced that he was planning to set up a new "political movement with a Liberal policy" at an October conference, negotiations between LDP and Democratic Party broke down and the party merger did not take place. In October 1944, Menzies founded
1972-481: The Liberal Party and were replaced by the new party's NSW division. In the 74 years since its foundation, the party has won eight state elections to the Labor Party 's 13, and has spent 27 years in office (1965 to 1976, 1988 to 1995 and 2011 to 2023) to Labor's 46. Eight leaders have become Premier of New South Wales ; of those, five, Sir Robert Askin , Nick Greiner , Barry O'Farrell , Mike Baird and Gladys Berejiklian , have won at least one state election. After
2040-536: The Liberal Party executive's attitude towards Democratic Party members and supporters, with Weaver tendering his resignation from the provisional council of the state Liberal Party in February 1945. However, he withdrew his resignation in March 1945, and announced that all Democratic Party parliamentary members would join the Liberal Party. In the 1945 Ryde state by-election in February, Liberal member Eric Hearnshaw
2108-668: The Lulworth House aged care facility in Elizabeth Bay . He died there on Easter Sunday , 20 April 2014 at the age of 87. He was survived by his wife Jill and four children. A state funeral was held at the Sydney Town Hall on 1 May 2014. On 12 May 2016, the name of Neville Wran was found in the Panama Papers (which also named then-Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull ), due to his former directorship of
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2176-629: The Mother Parliament of Australia. It is interesting to reflect that that was the first time on which the Sovereign had opened a Session of an Australian Parliament. I was also on my first visit to Australia as your Queen. I have returned to New South Wales eight times since then and am always delighted by the warm and generous hospitality accorded to Prince Philip and me by the people of this State. On this occasion I have come to join in commemorating Sydney's first one hundred and fifty years as
2244-607: The NSW Liberal Party. On the same day, Albert Reid , independent member for Manly and a former UAP member, also joined the Liberal Party. This brought the total number of Liberal Party legislative assembly members to 14. Weaver died later in the year in November and he was succeeded by Mair as NSW Liberal Party leader. Mair resigned four months later in March 1946 to contest the Australian Senate , and
2312-573: The Warringah Transport Corridor which was cancelled despite a recommendation by Justice Michael Kirby that it be built), the environment, consumer protection and job creation. He also achieved significant electoral institutional reform such as a democratic Legislative Council, four-year terms, public funding and disclosure laws and a pecuniary interests register for members of parliament. He called on Edwin Lusher , firstly while
2380-548: The age of 18. As the result of a 1995 referendum , every four years half the seats in the Council come up for election on the fourth Saturday in March, barring exceptional circumstances. The King of Australia has a throne in the Legislative Council. Queen Elizabeth II opened the New South Wales Parliament on two occasions. The first was on 4 February 1954, as part of her first visit to Australia. It
2448-720: The bill passed the NSW Parliament . This was the first time in NSW history a conscience vote was both introduced and passed by the NSW Parliament. Wran resigned both the premiership and his seat in Parliament on 4 July 1986, after continuously holding office longer than any other premier in the history of New South Wales until that time (10 years and 81 days). Bob Carr has since broken that record. ( Henry Parkes served longer than both Wran and Carr in total, serving for 11 years and 278 days over five terms between 1872 and 1891.) The by-election for Wran's seat of Bass Hill
2516-479: The chamber). The Opposition Leader, Bruce McDonald , failed to be elected to the seat that he contested, marking the second time in a row that an Opposition Leader had failed to be elected to Parliament. Labor also reduced the Liberals to 14 seats, the same as its nominal junior partner, the National Country Party . He won a fourth term in 1984; although he suffered an 11-seat swing, he still won
2584-480: The coming week were all cancelled. Members who opposed overriding local branch preselection include Sydney businessman Matthew Camenzuli, who was a member of the state executive. As of 30 March 2022 , these members had brought the matter to court, seeking to challenge the legitimacy of the committee's preselection of the three incumbent members of parliament on 8 March 2022 and nine other candidates on 2 April 2022. Morrison and Perrottet have urged them to take
2652-465: The council (the Greens; One Nation; Shooters, Fishers and Farmers; Animal Justice; Legalise Cannabis and Liberal Democrats), along with Labor, Liberal, and National Party members. The President of the Legislative Council has a casting vote should the result be equal from among those present eligible and choosing to vote. With 42 members, with one removed as president, a majority is 21 of the 41 possible of
2720-407: The first chairman on 9 January. The LDP was willing to support the formation of the Liberal Party and dissolved itself on 15 January 1945, officially joining the Liberal Party. The Democratic Party also supported the formation but held off dissolution until a state branch of the Liberal Party had been fully constituted. Weaver and parliamentary members of the Democratic Party were dissatisfied with
2788-457: The former two winning the 2015 state election and 2019 state election respectively. The 2019 election was significant as it was the first time that the Coalition won a third consecutive term in office in New South Wales since the 1971 state election . It was also the first that a female leader (Gladys Berejiklian) led a party to a state election victory in New South Wales, and the first time
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2856-484: The influence of organised crime, particularly in the area of illegal casinos. Wran was also very popular, at one stage rating over 80 per cent approval in opinion polls. He was often talked about as a national political leader and rated highly in national polls as an alternative Labor Leader to Bill Hayden . He featured in Hayden's 1980 federal election campaign, along with Bob Hawke . Wran's first half of his tenure as
2924-510: The magistracy over the 1977 committal of Kevin Humphreys , who had been charged with misappropriation of funds. He was completely exonerated, and sued the ABC for defamation. His Corrective Services Minister, Rex Jackson , was jailed in 1987 for accepting bribes for the early release of prisoners. In 1984, Neville Wran introduced a private members bill to decriminalise adult gay male sex, and
2992-464: The management of the state party until 8 March, "in accordance with clause 12.3 of the federal constitution of the Liberal Party". The committee, made up of Morrison, Perrottet, and former party president Chris McDiven , had direct control in endorsing candidates without preselection challenges. The committee confirmed the pre-selection of three incumbent federal members of parliament, two of whom were ministers on 8 March. The federal executive also gave
3060-556: The matter to the High Court of Australia instead so that the result cannot be appealed further. On 5 April, the New South Wales Court of Appeal ruled that the court had no jurisdiction to make decisions relating to the constitutions of political parties, thereby ruling the preselection of the 12 candidates valid. Camenzuli brought the matter further to High Court for appeal but it was dismissed on 8 April. Camenzuli
3128-662: The merger but expressed they would co-operate with the new party. However, during the unity conference on 24 November 1943, the LDP walked out of the conference as they were not willing to support retaining the secretary of the UAP, H. W. Horsfield, as the secretary of the new party, as well as retaining members of his staff. Instead, during the same conference, the Commonwealth Party and the New South Wales Democratic Party. As such, LDP remained
3196-437: The representation of minor parties in the Legislative Council, including micro-parties that might attract less than 2% of the primary vote but are elected through preferences. In the 1999 elections, a record number of parties contested seats in the council, resulting in an unwieldy ballot paper (referred to as the "table cloth" ballot paper), and a complex exchange of preferences between the numerous parties running candidates. As
3264-463: The slogan "Wran's our Man", his government won a 13-seat swing, popularly known as the "Wranslide". This came on the back of 57.7 percent of the primary vote, the largest primary vote for any party in a century. The Opposition Leader on that occasion, Peter Coleman , lost his seat. In 1981, Wran won a second "Wranslide", picking up a six-seat swing for what is still NSW Labor's largest proportion of seats in Parliament (69 out of 99 seats, 69.7 percent of
3332-400: The state executive tried to fast-track pre-selection plebiscites in seats that did not have candidates finalised, by overriding the constitutional requirements for plebiscites with special powers. However, this did not attain the required 90% state executive support to do so. On 4 March, the federal executive voted to temporarily dissolve the state party and a committee was set up to take over
3400-503: The state executive which were controlled by moderate members of the party. On 30 November 2021, the party was unable to hold its scheduled Annual General Meeting (AGM) to select members of the state executive due to complications from COVID-19. Immigration Minister Alex Hawke , who was the representative of federal party leader and Prime Minister Scott Morrison , also allegedly failed to attend internal Liberal Party nomination review committee meetings. Not holding an AGM could constitute
3468-564: The state party until 25 March 2022 to finalise candidates in other federal seats. While the Senate candidates could be finalised, the state party was still unable to do so for a number of seats by 27 March 2022. As a result, on that day, the federal executive voted to temporarily dissolve the state party for the second time and appointed the same Morrison-led committee to preselect candidates in other remaining unfinalised seats until 2 April. Pre-selection ballots intended to be held for these seats in
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#17327808632733536-423: The support of the majority of the parliamentary members. The leader only has a role in a parliamentary context; the party division as a whole is governed by a President and Vice-Presidents, who act on the advice of the party division's Director and Deputy Directors. The division also gathers annually at a State Conference to vote on and develop policy to be used by the party's elected representatives. The majority of
3604-711: The surname is Austrian – settled initially at St Lawrence, Queensland , before he established himself in Caroline Street, Balmain, in 1872. Wran began his political career in 1970 when he became a member of the upper house of the Parliament of New South Wales , the Legislative Council . Three years afterwards, he moved to the lower house, the Legislative Assembly , in the seat of Bass Hill . Support for this move had been organised by
3672-566: The testimony of other involved officers and former licensing magistrate James Swanson, stated on camera their belief that Saffron ordered the crime, which was swiftly and systematically covered up by corrupt police and government figures. It was alleged by the program that the motive was control of the valuable harbourside land next to the Sydney Harbour Bridge and with unobstructed views of the Sydney Opera House. It
3740-433: The time, in the event of a tie in the second ballot, the candidate who won the most votes in the first ballot would be the winner. Since Wran had won one vote more than Hills in the first ballot, Wran was therefore declared the new leader. In May 1976, six months after Gough Whitlam 's federal Labor government's dismissal, Wran led Labor to victory, narrowly defeating the Liberal Party premier, Sir Eric Willis . Wran's win
3808-555: The twenty Liberal Leaders resigned after losing elections or were deposed by other parliamentary members. Neville Wran Neville Kenneth Wran , AC , CNZM , QC (11 October 1926 – 20 April 2014) was an Australian politician who was the Premier of New South Wales from 1976 to 1986. He was the national president of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) from 1980 to 1986 and chairman of both
3876-524: The two chambers of the parliament of the Australian state of New South Wales . Along with the Legislative Assembly , it sits at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney. It is normal for legislation to be first deliberated on and passed by the Legislative Assembly before being considered by the Legislative Council, which acts in the main as a house of review. The Legislative Council has 42 members, elected by proportional representation in which
3944-563: The unfettered right to vote in all state elections, overriding protection orders and other historical restrictions on some Aboriginal people voting. In 1978, the Council became a directly elected body in a program of electoral reform introduced by the Wran Labor government. The number of members was reduced to 45, with a third elected each third year , although transitional arrangements meant that there were 43 members from 1978 to 1981, and 44 from 1981 to 1984. Further reform in 1991 by
4012-926: The whole 42. Section 22I of the NSW Constitution states that "All questions arising in the Legislative Council shall be decided by a majority of the votes of the Members present other than the President or other Member presiding and when the votes are equal the President or other Member presiding shall have a casting vote." Senate House of Rep. Council Assembly Council Assembly Council Assembly Council Assembly Council Assembly Council Assembly Assembly Assembly Liberal Party of Australia (New South Wales Division) The New South Wales Liberal Party , officially called The Liberal Party of Australia, New South Wales Division , and colloquially known as
4080-416: The whole state is a single electorate. Members serve eight-year terms, which are staggered , with half the Council being elected every four years, roughly coinciding with elections to the Legislative Assembly. The parliament of New South Wales is Australia's oldest legislature. It had its beginnings when New South Wales was a British colony under the control of the Governor , and was first established by
4148-419: Was "a mouse" attempting to "swallow the Democratic Party lion". At the election, the Democratic Party led by Weaver won 19% of the vote and 12 of the 90 seats in the Legislative Assembly . However, the LDP received less than 4% of the primary vote and did not win a seat. Horsfield, the secretary of the Democratic Party, resigned on 26 July 1944, paving the way for a LDP-Democratic merger again. In August 1944,
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#17327808632734216-399: Was also expelled from the party. The position of leader of the Liberal Party of Australia New South Wales Division is a formal role held by a Liberal member of the Parliament of New South Wales . As the Liberal Party has, since its foundation in 1945, been either the largest or second largest party in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly , its leader is usually either the Premier or
4284-401: Was elected to the New South Wales parliament . As Democratic Party parliamentary members including Weaver at that time had not yet joined the Liberal Party, this made Hearnshaw the first Liberal Party member in the New South Wales parliament. Weaver and other Democratic parliamentary members finally joined the Liberal Party on 20 April 1945, with Weaver becoming the first parliamentary leader of
4352-500: Was narrowly won by Michael Owen for the Liberal Party–a harbinger of his party's heavy defeat at the state election two years later. In March 2021, ABC Television broadcast an investigative documentary series, "The Ghost Train Fire" as a second series of the Exposed program which directly implicated Saffron in an arson plot at "Luna Park Sydney" in 1979, resulting in the deaths of seven people, six of them children.[3] Former senior police officers Steve Bullock and Paul Egge, supported by
4420-424: Was not assured until it became clear that Gosford and Hurstville had fallen to Labor by only 74 and 44 votes respectively, giving Wran a one-seat majority. In 1978, the former premier resigned causing a by-election to be held for the seat of Earlwood, which had been held by the Liberal party for three decades. Labor won the by-election, beating the Liberal Candidate Alan Jones . Later that year, campaigning with
4488-524: Was succeeded by Vernon Treatt as party leader. Treatt led the Liberal Party opposition in the state parliament for the next eight years. The Liberal/National Coalition won a landslide victory in the 2011 state election , with the Liberal Party winning 51 of the 93 lower house seats, enough for a majority in its own right. Liberal leader Barry O'Farrell opted to retain the Coalition. The Coalition has since governed New South Wales under Liberal leaders Mike Baird , Gladys Berejiklian and Dominic Perrottet ,
4556-410: Was the first time that the monarch of Australia had opened a session of any Australian parliament. The other occasion was on 20 February 1992, during her visit to Sydney to celebrate the sesquicentenary of the incorporation of the City of Sydney , on which occasion she stated: This is my second opportunity to address this Parliament – a Parliament which I described on the previous occasion, in 1954, as
4624-442: Was the intention of Saffron and associate Jack Rooklyn, a poker-machine promoter, to gain control of and redevelop the Luna Park site. NSW premiers Robert Askin and Neville Wran have been named as corrupt close associates of Saffron, along with the police commissioner Norman "Bill" Allan, the High Court justice Lionel Murphy and lawyer Morgan Ryan, among others. Wran is remembered by the phrase "Balmain boys don't cry" in his speech at
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