Barry Wilde

Barry Wilde
Member of the
NSW Legislative Assembly
for Parramatta
In office
1 May 1976 – 22 February 1988
Preceded byDan Mahoney
Succeeded byJohn Books
ConstituencyParramatta
Personal details
Born
Barry Charles Wilde

(1928-09-03)3 September 1928
Marrickville, Sydney
Died18 January 2018(2018-01-18) (aged 89)
Sydney
NationalityAustralian
Political partyLabor Party

Barry Charles Wilde OAM (3 September 1928 – 18 January 2018) was an Australian politician. He served as a Labor Party Member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1976 until 1988, representing the electorate of Parramatta.

Wilde previously served on Parramatta City Council from 1959 to 1977, as deputy mayor in 1966 and as mayor from 1967 to 1974. Having joined the Labor Party in 1949, he held various positions in the local branch. He ran for the seat of Parramatta in the 1966 and 1969 Federal elections against Sir Nigel Bowen, and the 1974 Federal election against Philip Ruddock; however, he was unsuccessful at each attempt.[1]

Following the retirement of sitting State Member Dan Mahoney, Wilde was elected to the Labor seat of Parramatta at the 1976 state election. Wilde was re-elected at the 1978, 1981, and 1984 elections. This was despite an electoral redistribution in 1979, where the safe Labor seat became marginally Liberal.[2] Wilde was subsequently defeated by Liberal candidate John Books in the 1988 election.[3]

In 2016 he was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia "for service to the Parliament of New South Wales, and to the community of Parramatta".[4]

Barry Wilde Bridge, Parramatta

A bridge that crosses Parramatta River, running north from Smith Street to Wilde Avenue and constructed in 1975, is named in his honour.[5]

  1. ^ "Mr Barry Charles Wilde, OAM (1928–2018)". Former members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 12 April 2019.
  2. ^ Harper, Christine (28 November 1979). "Labor shocked by seat changes". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 4 July 2010.
  3. ^ Green, Antony. "Elections for the district of Parramatta". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  4. ^ "Order of Australia Medal (OAM) entry for Mr Barry Charles Wilde". Australian Honours Database. Canberra, Australia: Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 26 January 2016. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  5. ^ "Parramatta... a heritage of roads and transport" (PDF). Self-guided tour. Roads & Traffic Authority. Retrieved 4 July 2010.