John Maddison
Encyclopedia
John Clarkson Maddison, was a New South Wales
politician, Attorney General, Minister for Justice and Deputy Leader for the Liberal Party
of New South Wales in the cabinets of Robert Askin
, Tom Lewis
and Sir Eric Willis
until the Liberal party lost the 1976 election
. Maddison was first elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
for the Electoral district of Hornsby
in 1962 until 1973 and thereon as member for Ku-ring-gai until his retirement in 1980.
, and Frances Mary Maddison (née Patterson). His early education was completed at Sydney Grammar School
. Maddison began an arts degree at the University of Sydney
but interrupted university studies to enlist upon the outbreak of the Second World War. He later gained his BA
in 1942. Maddison was commissioned as a Lieutenant
in the 2nd Australian Imperial Force, 53rd Anti-Aircraft Regiment
, on 2 August 1942, serving in Borneo and the Philippines.
Being discharged on 22 January 1946, he resumed his studies and gained a Bachelor of Laws
(LLB) in 1948. Maddison was admitted as a solicitor in 1948, with Ralph S.B Sillar and Maddison and became a public notary in 1965. He became the vice president of the Constitutional Association of Australia from 1959 until 1964. Maddison married Suzanne Barry-Smith on 14 October 1953 and together had 2 daughters and a son.
in 1954, becoming Secretary and president of Pymble branch and a member of the state executive from 1958 until 1962.
Maddison stood for preselection for the Legislative Assembly
seat of Hornsby
and gained it over the sitting member, Sydney Storey
, who later resigned from the party as stood as an Independent Liberal candidate. Despite this, Maddison was elected at the 1962 election with 54.24% of the vote and went on to hold the seat at a further three elections. Following the Liberal Party victory at the 1965 election under Robert Askin
, Maddison was appointed a Minister of the Crown as Minister for Justice, a portfolio he held until the Liberals lost government in 1976.
As Minister he was responsible for the establishment of the Privacy Committee of New South Wales Parliament, consumer protection laws, a law reform commission and the appointment of the first NSW Ombudsman. In 1970 Maddison was sent as leader of the Australian delegation to the United Nations
conference on prevention of crime in Japan. Following electoral redistribution at the 1973 election, Maddison moved to the new seat of Ku-ring-gai
, gaining 77.6% of the vote. In 1971, Maddison was made a Councillor at Macquarie University
, a position which he held until 1978.
In 1975, following the retirement of Premier Sir Robert Askin
and the election Tom Lewis
as his successor. Eric Willis
resigned as Deputy Leader and Maddison was elected in his place. Lewis the appointed Maddison as Attorney General on 3 January 1975 and he was admitted to the New South Wales Bar that same year. As Attorney General Maddison represented Australia as deputy leader of the Geneva conference in 1975 and delegate to Australian Constitutional Convention in Hobart in 1976. He remained as Attorney General until the Liberals lost the election to the ALP on 14 May 1976. Maddison held Ku-ring-gai for a further two elections until his retirement in 1980, causing a by-election that was won by future Liberal Premier of New South Wales, Nick Greiner
.
In opposition, Sir Eric Willis appointed Maddison as Shadow Minister for Finance and Federal Affairs from 28 May 1976 to 16 December 1977. When Willis resigned as Leader, Maddison announced his intention to contest the vacant leadership against David Arblaster
, Peter Coleman
and Kevin Rozzoli
, thereby resigning as Deputy Leader. However, when Coleman emerged as leader he was made Shadow Minister for Justice, Shadow Minister for Federal Affairs, Shadow Minister for Cultural Activities from 20 December 1977 until 7 October 1978, when Coleman was lost his seat. Maddison the contested the vacant leadership against Jim Cameron and acting Leader John Mason
. When Mason emerged successful as the new Leader, Maddison expressed that he was "a little aghast" at the result. Despite this, Mason appointed him as Shadow Attorney General and Shadow Minister for Justice on 2 November 1978. It was to be his last political appointment which he held until his retirement from Parliament on 4 July 1980. On his retirement, he was permitted by Queen Elizabeth II, on the Governor's recommendation, to continue to use the title "The Honourable".
In June 1993, the New South Wales Government dedicated the new home of the New South Wales Justice and Attorney General's Department and various courts as the "John Maddison Tower" in recognition of Maddison's contribution to law in New South Wales.
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
politician, Attorney General, Minister for Justice and Deputy Leader for 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...
of New South Wales in the cabinets of Robert Askin
Robert Askin
Sir Robert William Askin GCMG, was an Australian politician and the 32nd Premier of New South Wales from 1965 to 1975, the first representing the Liberal Party of Australia. He was born in 1907 as Robin William Askin, but always disliked his first name and changed it by deed poll in 1971...
, Tom Lewis
Tom Lewis (Australian politician)
Thomas Lancelot Lewis AO is a former New South Wales politician, Premier of New South Wales and Minister of the Crown in the cabinets of Sir Robert Askin and Sir Eric Willis. He was made the Premier of New South Wales following Askin's retirement from politics and held it until he was replaced by...
and Sir Eric Willis
Eric Willis
Sir Eric Archibald Willis KBE, CMG was an Australian politician, Cabinet Minister and the 34th Premier of New South Wales, serving from 23 January 1976 to 14 May 1976. Born in Murwillumbah in 1922, Willis was educated at Murwillumbah High School and the University of Sydney, where he obtained a...
until the Liberal party lost the 1976 election
New South Wales state election, 1976
A general election for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly was held in the state of New South Wales, Australia, on Saturday 1 May 1976. The result was a narrow win for the Australian Labor Party under Neville Wran—the party's first in the state in more than a decade.- Issues :The incumbent...
. Maddison was first elected to 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...
for the Electoral district of Hornsby
Electoral district of Hornsby
Hornsby is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. Hornsby is one of two post-1927 electorates to have never been held by the Labor party and always by the Liberals, a predecessor party to the Liberals, or an independent, the other such district...
in 1962 until 1973 and thereon as member for Ku-ring-gai until his retirement in 1980.
Early life
Maddison was born in Chatswood, New South Wales, Australia, in 1921, the son of George Edgar Maddison, a company director from New ZealandNew Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, and Frances Mary Maddison (née Patterson). His early education was completed at Sydney Grammar School
Sydney Grammar School
Sydney Grammar School is an independent, non-denominational, selective, day school for boys, located in Darlinghurst, Edgecliff and St Ives, all suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
. Maddison began an arts degree 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...
but interrupted university studies to enlist upon the outbreak of the Second World War. He later gained his BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in 1942. Maddison was commissioned as 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...
in the 2nd Australian Imperial Force, 53rd Anti-Aircraft Regiment
Wallgrove Army Base
Wallgrove Army Base was an Australian Army camp and base at Wallgrove, , New South Wales, Australia.The camp was utilised as a staging and training area during World War II....
, on 2 August 1942, serving in Borneo and the Philippines.
Being discharged on 22 January 1946, he resumed his studies and gained a Bachelor of Laws
Bachelor of Laws
The Bachelor of Laws is an undergraduate, or bachelor, degree in law originating in England and offered in most common law countries as the primary law degree...
(LLB) in 1948. Maddison was admitted as a solicitor in 1948, with Ralph S.B Sillar and Maddison and became a public notary in 1965. He became the vice president of the Constitutional Association of Australia from 1959 until 1964. Maddison married Suzanne Barry-Smith on 14 October 1953 and together had 2 daughters and a son.
Political career
Maddison joined the Liberal Party of AustraliaLiberal 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 1954, becoming Secretary and president of Pymble branch and a member of the state executive from 1958 until 1962.
Maddison stood for preselection for the 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...
seat of Hornsby
Electoral district of Hornsby
Hornsby is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. Hornsby is one of two post-1927 electorates to have never been held by the Labor party and always by the Liberals, a predecessor party to the Liberals, or an independent, the other such district...
and gained it over the sitting member, Sydney Storey
Sydney Storey
Sydney Albert Dawson Storey was an Australian politician and a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly between 1941 and 1962...
, who later resigned from the party as stood as an Independent Liberal candidate. Despite this, Maddison was elected at the 1962 election with 54.24% of the vote and went on to hold the seat at a further three elections. Following the Liberal Party victory at the 1965 election under Robert Askin
Robert Askin
Sir Robert William Askin GCMG, was an Australian politician and the 32nd Premier of New South Wales from 1965 to 1975, the first representing the Liberal Party of Australia. He was born in 1907 as Robin William Askin, but always disliked his first name and changed it by deed poll in 1971...
, Maddison was appointed a Minister of the Crown as Minister for Justice, a portfolio he held until the Liberals lost government in 1976.
As Minister he was responsible for the establishment of the Privacy Committee of New South Wales Parliament, consumer protection laws, a law reform commission and the appointment of the first NSW Ombudsman. In 1970 Maddison was sent as leader of the Australian delegation to the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
conference on prevention of crime in Japan. Following electoral redistribution at the 1973 election, Maddison moved to the new seat of Ku-ring-gai
Electoral district of Ku-ring-gai
Ku-ring-gai is an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is represented by the current Premier of New South Wales, Barry O'Farrell of the Liberal Party of Australia, since 1999.-Electorate History:...
, gaining 77.6% of the vote. In 1971, Maddison was made a Councillor at Macquarie University
Macquarie University
Macquarie University is an Australian public teaching and research university located in Sydney, with its main campus situated in Macquarie Park. Founded in 1964 by the New South Wales Government, it was the third university to be established in the metropolitan area of Sydney...
, a position which he held until 1978.
In 1975, following the retirement of Premier Sir Robert Askin
Robert Askin
Sir Robert William Askin GCMG, was an Australian politician and the 32nd Premier of New South Wales from 1965 to 1975, the first representing the Liberal Party of Australia. He was born in 1907 as Robin William Askin, but always disliked his first name and changed it by deed poll in 1971...
and the election Tom Lewis
Tom Lewis (Australian politician)
Thomas Lancelot Lewis AO is a former New South Wales politician, Premier of New South Wales and Minister of the Crown in the cabinets of Sir Robert Askin and Sir Eric Willis. He was made the Premier of New South Wales following Askin's retirement from politics and held it until he was replaced by...
as his successor. Eric Willis
Eric Willis
Sir Eric Archibald Willis KBE, CMG was an Australian politician, Cabinet Minister and the 34th Premier of New South Wales, serving from 23 January 1976 to 14 May 1976. Born in Murwillumbah in 1922, Willis was educated at Murwillumbah High School and the University of Sydney, where he obtained a...
resigned as Deputy Leader and Maddison was elected in his place. Lewis the appointed Maddison as Attorney General on 3 January 1975 and he was admitted to the New South Wales Bar that same year. As Attorney General Maddison represented Australia as deputy leader of the Geneva conference in 1975 and delegate to Australian Constitutional Convention in Hobart in 1976. He remained as Attorney General until the Liberals lost the election to the ALP on 14 May 1976. Maddison held Ku-ring-gai for a further two elections until his retirement in 1980, causing a by-election that was won by future Liberal Premier of New South Wales, 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...
.
In opposition, Sir Eric Willis appointed Maddison as Shadow Minister for Finance and Federal Affairs from 28 May 1976 to 16 December 1977. When Willis resigned as Leader, Maddison announced his intention to contest the vacant leadership against David Arblaster
David Arblaster
David Amos Arblaster, was a New South Wales politician, Minister for Culture, Sport and Recreation and Minister for Tourism in the cabinet of Sir Eric Willis until the Liberal party lost the 1976 election...
, Peter Coleman
Peter Coleman
William Peter Coleman is an Australian writer/journalist, former politician and Minister of the Crown in the cabinets of Tom Lewis and Sir Eric Willis. Following Willis' resignation as leader he was made Leader of the New South Wales Opposition...
and Kevin Rozzoli
Kevin Rozzoli
Kevin Richard Rozzoli is an Australian politician. He was a Liberal Party of Australia member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1973 until 2003, representing the electorate of Hawkesbury. He also served as Speaker of the Legislative Assembly from 1988 to 1995, during the Greiner and...
, thereby resigning as Deputy Leader. However, when Coleman emerged as leader he was made Shadow Minister for Justice, Shadow Minister for Federal Affairs, Shadow Minister for Cultural Activities from 20 December 1977 until 7 October 1978, when Coleman was lost his seat. Maddison the contested the vacant leadership against Jim Cameron and acting Leader John Mason
John Mason (Australian politician)
John Marsden Mason is a former Australian politician, a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for 16 years.-Early life:Mason was born in Rose Bay in Sydney in 1928, the son of Kay Mason and Stella Marsden...
. When Mason emerged successful as the new Leader, Maddison expressed that he was "a little aghast" at the result. Despite this, Mason appointed him as Shadow Attorney General and Shadow Minister for Justice on 2 November 1978. It was to be his last political appointment which he held until his retirement from Parliament on 4 July 1980. On his retirement, he was permitted by Queen Elizabeth II, on the Governor's recommendation, to continue to use the title "The Honourable".
After parliament
Following his retirement, Maddison continued to involve himself in a wide range of community affairs as a member of the Law Foundation of New South Wales, the Returned Services League of Australia, and as the Chairman of directors of the Multiple Sclerosis Society of New South Wales. He died on 29 August 1982.In June 1993, the New South Wales Government dedicated the new home of the New South Wales Justice and Attorney General's Department and various courts as the "John Maddison Tower" in recognition of Maddison's contribution to law in New South Wales.