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Bob Heffron

The Honourable
Bob Heffron
Robert Heffron 1960.jpg
Heffron as Premier in 1960.
30th Premier of New South Wales
Election: 1962
In office
23 October 1959 – 30 April 1964
Monarch Elizabeth II
Governor Sir Eric Woodward
Deputy Jack Renshaw
Preceded by Joseph Cahill
Succeeded by Jack Renshaw
Minister for Education
In office
8 June 1944 – 31 May 1960
Premier William McKell
James McGirr
Joseph Cahill
Himself
Preceded by Clive Evatt
Succeeded by Ernest Wetherell
5th Deputy Premier of New South Wales
In office
23 February 1953 – 28 October 1959
Premier Joseph Cahill
Preceded by Joseph Cahill
Succeeded by Jack Renshaw
Member of the New South Wales Parliament
for Botany
In office
25 October 1930 – 22 May 1950
Preceded by Thomas Mutch
Succeeded by District abolished
Member of the New South Wales Parliament
for Maroubra
In office
17 June 1950 – 23 January 1968
Preceded by New district
Succeeded by Bill Haigh
Personal details
Born (1890-09-10)10 September 1890
Thames, Colony of New Zealand
Died 27 July 1978(1978-07-27) (aged 87)
Kirribilli, New South Wales, Australia
Political party New Zealand Socialist Party
Victorian Socialist Party
Industrial Labor Party
Australian Labor Party (NSW Branch)
Spouse(s) Jessie Bjornstad (m.1917–1977)
Children Maylean Jessie Cordia OAM (1919–2006)
June Scott

Robert James "Bob" Heffron (10 September 1890 – 27 July 1978), also known as R. J. Heffron, was a long-serving New South Wales politician, union organiser and Australian Labor Party Premier of New South Wales from 1959 to 1964. Born in New Zealand, Heffron became involved in various Socialist and Labor movements in New Zealand and later Australia before joining the Australian Labor Party. Being a prominent unionist organiser, having been gaoled at one stage for "conspiracy to strike action", he was eventually elected to the Parliament of New South Wales for Botany in 1930. However his disputes with party leader Jack Lang led to his expulsion from the ALP in 1936 and Heffron formed his own party from disgruntled Labor MPs known as the Industrial Labor Party. The success of his party enabled his readmission to the party and his prominence in a post-Lang NSW Branch which won office in 1941.

Heffron served as Minister of the Crown in the cabinets of William McKell, James McGirr and Joseph Cahill, most notably as Minister for Education from 1944 to 1960 and as Deputy Premier. In his significant tenure as minister for education Heffron oversaw massive expansion of the state's public schools and the development of higher education services including the establishment of the New South Wales University of Technology (now the University of New South Wales). Rising to become Premier in 1959, he spearheaded a final attempt to abolish the New South Wales Legislative Council via referendum in 1961, which ended in failure. Serving as Premier until 1964, Heffron was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for 37 years until his retirement on 23 January 1968.


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