Joseph Cahill | |
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29th Premier of New South Wales Elections: 1953, 1956, 1959 | |
In office 2 April 1952 – 22 October 1959 | |
Monarch | Elizabeth II |
Governor | Sir John Northcott Sir Eric Woodward |
Deputy | Bob Heffron |
Preceded by | James McGirr |
Succeeded by | Bob Heffron |
3rd Deputy Premier of New South Wales | |
In office 21 September 1949 – 2 April 1952 | |
Premier | James McGirr |
Preceded by | Jack Baddeley |
Succeeded by | Robert Heffron |
Secretary for Public Works | |
In office 16 May 1941 – 2 April 1952 | |
Premier | William McKell James McGirr |
Preceded by | Lewis Martin |
Succeeded by | Jack Renshaw |
Minister for Local Government | |
In office 8 June 1944 – 2 April 1952 | |
Premier | William McKell James McGirr |
Preceded by | James McGirr |
Succeeded by | Jack Renshaw |
Member of the New South Wales Parliament for Cook's River | |
In office 10 May 1941 – 22 October 1959 | |
Preceded by | New district |
Succeeded by | Tom Cahill |
Personal details | |
Born | Redfern, New South Wales | 21 January 1891
Died | 22 October 1959 Sydney, New South Wales, Australia | (aged 68)
Resting place | Rookwood Cemetery |
Political party | New South Wales Labor Party |
Spouse(s) | Esmey Mary Kelly (b.1891–m.1922–d.1971) |
Children | Thomas James Cahill (1924–1983) John Joseph Cahill (1926–2006) Brian Francis Cahill (1930–2013) Mary (Gemma) Cahill Margaret Cahill[1] |
John Joseph Cahill (21 January 1891 – 22 October 1959), also known as Joe Cahill or J. J. Cahill, was a long-serving New South Wales politician, railway worker, trade unionist and Labor Party Premier of New South Wales from 1952 to his death in 1959. Born the son of Irish migrants in Redfern, Cahill worked for the New South Wales Government Railways from the age of 16 before joining the Australian Labor Party. Being a prominent unionist organiser, including being dismissed for his role in the 1917 general strike, Cahill was elected to the Parliament of New South Wales for St George in 1925.
After many years of backbench service, including a term outside of parliament, Cahill was appointed Secretary for Public Works in 1941 and Minister for Local Government in the government of William McKell in 1944, where he led significant reforms of local government in the state, including establishing a Royal commission in 1945, and passing the landmark Local Government (Areas) Act of 1948. Promoted to Deputy Premier in 1949, Cahill became Premier of New South Wales from April 1952 to his death in October 1959. His term as premier is primarily remembered for his government's role in post-war infrastructure development, which included the commissioning of the Sydney Opera House and construction of the expressway which now bears his name.