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The HonourableJack FergusonAO
9th Deputy Premier of New South Wales
In office 14 May 1976 – 10 February 1984
Premier	Neville Wran
Preceded by	Leon Punch
Succeeded by	Ron Mulock
Member of the New South Wales Assembly for Merrylands
In office 21 March 1959 – 5 February 1962
Preceded by	New creation
Succeeded by	Seat abolished
Member of the New South Wales Assembly for Fairfield
In office 3 March 1962 – 23 January 1968
Preceded by	Clarrie Earl
Succeeded by	Eric Bedford
Member of the New South Wales Assembly for Merrylands
In office 24 February 1968 – 5 March 1984
Preceded by	New creation
Succeeded by	Geoff Irwin
Personal details
Born	(1924-09-04)4 September 1924 Zetland, New South Wales, Australia
Died	17 September 2002(2002-09-17) (aged 78) Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Political party	Labor
Spouse	Mary Ellen Bett
Children	Laurie, Martin, Andrew

Laurie John Ferguson AO (4 September 1924 – 17 September 2002) was an Australian politician and member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for the Australian Labor Party (New South Wales Branch). He served in Neville Wran's state government as the Deputy Premier of New South Wales from 1976 to 1984.

Early life

Born in the inner Sydney suburb of Zetland, Ferguson was educated at Granville Convent and Marist Brothers College, Parramatta, both Catholic schools.

After leaving school he was variously a farmhand, textile worker, builder's labourer and bricklayer and was an organiser for the Building Workers' Industrial Union. From 1942 to 1946 he served in the Second Australian Imperial Force.

Following his demobilisation, he became active in municipal, and then state, politics. He was an alderman on Parramatta Council from 1954 to 1959, and Deputy Mayor in 1959. He married Mary Ellen Bett; the couple had three sons (Laurie, Martin and Andrew) and two daughters.

Political career

Ferguson was the member for Merrylands from March 1959 to 1962 and 1968 to 5 March 1984. From 1962 to 1968, he was member for Fairfield. A member of the Labor Party's left wing, he was best known as Deputy Premier and Minister for Public Works and Minister for Ports, from May 1976 until February 1984, in the cabinet headed by Neville Wran. He was also Minister for Housing from May 1976 to February 1977.

Death

Ferguson died in Sydney on 17 September 2002(2002-09-17) (aged 78), from mesothelioma according to his son Andrew.

Honours

Ferguson was made an Officer of the Order of Australia for his service to government and to the NSW parliament in the Australia Day honours in 1985.

References

1. ^ "The Hon. (Jack) Laurie John Ferguson (1924–2002)". Former members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 13 May 2019.
2. ^ Cavalier, Rodney (18 September 2002). "Ferguson, Laurie John (Jack) (1924–2002)". Australian. Retrieved 3 November 2021 – via Obituaries Australia.
3. "Vale: Jack Ferguson". Workers Online - Issue 153. Archived from the original on 29 November 2002.
4. "Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) entry for Mr Laurie John Ferguson". Australian Honours Database. Canberra, Australia: Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 26 January 1985. Retrieved 4 November 2021.

• 1924 births
• 2002 deaths
• Australian Army soldiers
• Australian Labor Party members of the Parliament of New South Wales
• Australian Army personnel of World War II
• Deputy premiers of New South Wales
• Deaths from cancer in New South Wales
• Labor Left politicians
• Members of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
• Officers of the Order of Australia
• Politicians from Sydney
• 20th-century Australian politicians
• Deaths from mesothelioma in Australia
• People educated at Parramatta Marist High School