John Watkins (Australian politician)
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The Honourable John Watkins AM |
|
|---|---|
| Deputy Premier of New South Wales | |
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In office 10 August 2005 – 3 September 2008 |
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| Preceded by | Andrew Refshauge |
| Succeeded by | Carmel Tebbutt |
| Constituency | Ryde |
| Chancellor of the University of New England | |
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In office 17 April 2013 – 30 June 2014 |
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| Preceded by | Richard Torbay |
| Succeeded by | James Harris |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
7 December 1955 Sydney, New South Wales |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Political party | Australian Labor Party |
| Spouse(s) | Deborah Watkins |
| Profession | Teacher |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
John Arthur Watkins AM (born 7 December 1955) is a former Deputy Premier of New South Wales, serving between 2005 until his resignation from Parliament in 2008. Watkins has been the Chief Executive Officer of Alzheimer's Australia (NSW) since 2008; the Chairman of Calvary healthcare since 2011; and the eighth Chancellor of the University of New England, serving between 2013 and 2014.
Watkins was an elected member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly representing the electorates of Gladesville (between 1995 and 1999) and then Ryde (between 1999 and 2008) for the Australian Labor Party. During his parliamentary career, Watkins served in a range of ministerial portfolios including Fair Trading, Sport and Recreation, Police and Corrective Services, Transport, Finance, State Development, and Education and Training. Often touted as a possible Labor premier, Watkins was from the minority Labor Left faction.
Watkins was the former Deputy Premier of New South Wales, Minister for Transport and Minister for Finance. Watkins was appointed Deputy Premier in August 2005, following the resignation of Andrew Refshauge and upon the appointment of Morris Iemma as Premier. Watkins held the cabinet position of Transport Minister from January 2005. He was appointed Minister for Finance on 30 March 2007 following the reelection of the Iemma Government. Watkins resigned from Cabinet and retired from Parliament in 2008. His retirement triggered the unintentional downfall of Premier Morris Iemma. His resignation came at a bad time for the government; its polling numbers were in free fall only a year after winning reelection. In the ensuing by-election, Ryde was resoundingly lost to Liberal Victor Dominello on a swing of 23.7 percent; only a year earlier, Watkins had been reelected with 60 percent of the two-party vote.
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