John was born in 1950 in rural New South Wales and educated by the Christian Brothers at Waverley College. He worked as a law clerk in the local family practice before joining the Commonwealth Public Service in 1970. Between 1970 and 1991, John was employed by the Department of Veterans' Affairs in jobs that included serving on the Repatriation Board and as NSW State Audit Manager.
John was Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Trade in the Labor Government from December 2007-February 2009.
John is currently Chair of the Standing Committee on Petitions and a member of both the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade and the Standing Committee on the Broadcasting of Parliamentary Procedures.
Electorate Profile
Reid
State:
NSW
Name Derivation:
Named after Sir George Reid (1845-1918), one of the framers of the Constitution, Premier of New South Wales 1894-99 and Prime Minister of Australia 1904-05.
Area and Location Description:
Reid covers an area of approximately 66 sq km from the Parramatta River in the north, Drummoyne and Rodd Point in the east, Silverwater and Auburn in the west and Rookwood, parts of Strathfield and Burwood in the south. The main suburbs include Abbotsford, Auburn (part), Berala (part), Breakfast Point, Burwood (part), Cabarita, Canada Bay, Chiswick, Concord, Concord West, Croydon (part), Drummoyne, Five Dock, Homebush, Homebush West, Liberty Grove, Lidcombe, Mortlake, Newington, North Strathfield, Rhodes, Rodd Point, Russell Lea, Silverwater, Strathfield (part), Sydney Olympic Park, Wareemba and Wentworth Point.
Products/Industries of the Area:
Light industry, commercial retail and engineering works. Wholesale and retail trades, including Sydney Markets.
First Proclaimed/Election:
1922
Demographic Rating:
Inner Metropolitan
Members:
- Murphy, J (ALP) 1998-
- Zammit, P (LP) 1996-1998
- Easson, M (ALP) 1993-1996
- Woods, R (LP) 1987-1993
- Maher, M J (ALP) 1982-1987
- McMahon, W (LP) 1949-1982