Andrew Refshauge

Andrew Refshauge
13th Deputy Premier of New South Wales
In office
4 April 1995 – 3 August 2005
PremierBob Carr
Preceded byIan Armstrong
Succeeded byJohn Watkins
Treasurer of New South Wales
In office
21 January 2005 – 3 August 2005
PremierBob Carr
Preceded byMichael Egan
Succeeded byMorris Iemma
Minister for Health
In office
4 April 1995 – 8 April 1999
PremierBob Carr
Preceded byRon Phillips
Succeeded byCraig Knowles
Minister for Aboriginal Affairs
In office
4 April 1995 – 3 August 2005
PremierBob Carr
Preceded byJim Longley
Succeeded byMilton Orkopoulos
Minister for Education and Training
In office
2 April 2003 – 21 January 2005
PremierBob Carr
Preceded byJohn Watkins
Succeeded byCarmel Tebbutt
Member of the New South Wales Parliament
for Marrickville
In office
22 October 1983 – 10 August 2005
Preceded byTom Cahill
Succeeded byCarmel Tebbutt
Personal details
Born (1949-01-16) 16 January 1949 (age 75)
Melbourne, Victoria
Political partyLabor Party
RelationsSir William Refshauge (father)
Parent(s)William Refshauge
and Helen Allwright
Alma materUniversity of Sydney
ProfessionPhysician

Andrew John Refshauge (born 16 January 1949) is a former Australian politician who was Deputy Premier of New South Wales from 1995 to 2005, a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly between 1983 and 2005, and a senior minister in the Carr ministry.

Background and early career[edit]

Refshauge was born in Melbourne, the son of Major General Sir William Refshauge AC CBE ED who later became Honorary Physician to Queen Elizabeth II and Director-General of the Commonwealth Department of Health.[1] He has three brothers and one sister. One brother, Richard Refshauge,[2] was a Judge of the ACT Supreme Court. His sister, Kathryn Refshauge, is the Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Sydney.

Educated at Scotch College, Melbourne, Refshauge studied medicine at the University of Sydney, and after graduating, worked in NSW hospitals and later at the Aboriginal Medical Service in Redfern.

He helped establish Aboriginal Medical Services in Wilcannia and Kempsey.

Political career[edit]

Angered by the dismissal of the Whitlam Government, Refshauge joined the Australian Labor Party.[citation needed] In 1983 he was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly as the member for Marrickville on the same day that Bob Carr was elected the member for Maroubra in by-elections. He served in a variety of portfolios, as well as rising to be the leader of the left faction of the party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition in 1988, and Deputy Premier in 1995 following the election of the Carr government.[3]

Refshauge was the Legislative Assembly representative on the Senate of the University of Sydney between 1987 and 1988 and was the Deputy Leader of the Opposition between 11 April 1988 and 4 April 1995. Prior to entering politics he was a member of the Aboriginal Affairs Policy Committee (1981–1986). Refshauge was a delegate to Labor's State Conference (1984–2005); an executive committee member of the H.V. Evatt Memorial Foundation; a board member of the Mandela Foundation; and a Fellow of the Senate of the University of Sydney (1983–1986).[4]

During his term in parliament, Refshauge served as minister between 1995 and 2005 in portfolios covering Health, Aboriginal Affairs, Urban Affairs and Planning, Housing, Education and Training, State Development and as Treasurer.

Refshauge announced his resignation from Parliament, as Deputy Premier and from the ministry in August 2005, a few days after Bob Carr announced his retirement as Premier and from Parliament. Refshauge originally had planned to retire at the 2007 election but was prompted to go earlier with Carr's retirement and a request by the replacement premier, Morris Iemma that Refshauge stand aside to allow for a new Deputy Premier so that there could be a new leadership team.[5]

Bob and I got in [to Parliament] on the same day. Maybe our replacement should come in on the same day too. I've decided that the time is right to move on to other things. But the time is right, I have decided it's right to leave.

— Andrew Refshauge, announcing his retirement from politics, 2 August 2005.[3]

Career after politics[edit]

Refshauge presently holds a number of senior community leadership roles, including the Chairman of CareFlight (NSW), since December 2007;[6] a director of Family Care Medical Services, since 2007; a director of the Aged Care Standards Accreditation Agency, since 2008 and Chair since 1 July 2012;[7] and the Chair of the Investment Committee of the Aboriginal Land Council of New South Wales, since 2008.

He has previously served in a range of other community roles, including the Chair of the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare; a director of the Prince of Wales Medical Research Institute, later to become Neuroscience Research Australia; a member of the Foundation for Research and Treatment of Alcoholism and Drug Dependence; and a director of the Family Care Medical Services.[8]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Farquharson, John. "Refshauge, Sir William Dudley (1913–2009)". Obituaries Australia. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. Retrieved 18 March 2014.
  2. ^ "Refshauge: William Richard: National Medal". It's an Honour. Commonwealth of Australia. 16 October 2007. Retrieved 18 March 2014.
  3. ^ a b "Refshauge resigns from NSW politics". The Sydney Morning Herald. 2 August 2005. Retrieved 19 March 2014.
  4. ^ "The Hon. Dr Andrew John Refshauge (1949- )". Former members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 6 May 2019.
  5. ^ Nolan, Tanya (2 August 2005). "Andrew Refshauge quits NSW politics". PM. Australia: ABC Radio. Retrieved 19 March 2014.
  6. ^ "The Board". careflight.org. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
  7. ^ Butler, Mark; Minister for Mental Health and Ageing (7 June 2012). "Dr Andrew Refshauge appointed new chair of Aged Care Standards and Accreditation Agency". Aged Care Crisis (Press release). Retrieved 19 March 2014.
  8. ^ "Board of Directors". Aged Care Standards Accreditation Agency. Archived from the original on 14 April 2014. Retrieved 19 March 2014.

Further reading[edit]

 

New South Wales Legislative Assembly
Preceded by Member for Marrickville
1983–2005
Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by Deputy Premier of New South Wales
1995–2005
Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister for Health
1995–1999
Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister for Aboriginal Affairs
1995–2005
Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister for Urban Affairs and Planning
1999–2001
Succeeded by
Minister for Planning
2001–2003
Preceded by Minister for Housing
1999–2003
Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister for Education and Training
2003–2005
Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister for State Development
2005
Succeeded by
Preceded by Treasurer of New South Wales
2005
Succeeded by