John Fahey (politician) facts for kids

John Joseph Fahey (born 10 January 1945 – died 12 September 2020) was an important Australian politician. He served as the leader of the state of New South Wales (NSW) from 1992 to 1995. This role is called the Premier. Later, he became a federal minister in the Australian government. He was the Minister for Finance from 1996 to 2001.

Mr. Fahey was also involved in sports. He was the president of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). This agency works to stop athletes from using banned substances. After his political career, he became the chancellor of the Australian Catholic University.

Early Life and Education

John Fahey was born in Wellington, New Zealand, on 10 January 1945. His father, Stephen Fahey, was a farmer. His mother, Annie Fahey, was from Ireland. In 1956, when John was 11, his family moved to Picton, New South Wales, in Australia.

He went to school at Chevalier College in Bowral. Later, he studied at the University of Sydney. In 1968, he married Colleen Maree McGurren. They had two daughters and one son. John Fahey became an Australian citizen in 1973. Before politics, he also played some lower-grade rugby league for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs.

State Politics Career

John Fahey began his political journey in New South Wales. In 1984, he was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly. He represented the area of Camden for the Liberal Party.

He later became the member for Southern Highlands. He won elections for this seat in 1988, 1991, and 1995. During these years, he held important jobs in the government. He was the Minister for Industrial Relations from 1988. From 1990, he was also the Minister for Further Education, Training and Employment. These roles were part of the government led by Premier Nick Greiner.

Becoming Premier of New South Wales

In June 1992, John Fahey became the Premier of New South Wales. This happened after the previous Premier, Nick Greiner, resigned. Mr. Fahey was chosen by his party to lead the state. He said it was a very sad day for him, even though he became Premier.

His government was in power until March 1995. In the state election that year, his government was narrowly defeated. The Labor party, led by Bob Carr, won the election.

Heroic Actions and the Olympics

John Fahey is remembered for two very notable moments during his time as Premier.

First, he showed great bravery on Australia Day in 1994. Prince Charles (who is now King Charles III) was giving out awards in Sydney. A man named David Kang suddenly rushed onto the stage. He fired two shots from a starter's pistol. John Fahey, who was sitting next to Prince Charles, quickly tackled the man. He wrestled him to the ground with help from another person. The man was then arrested. Everyone praised Mr. Fahey for his quick and brave actions.

Second, he played a big part in helping Sydney win the bid to host the 2000 Olympic Games. When it was announced that Sydney had won, John Fahey was incredibly excited. He was seen jumping up and down with joy. This moment became famous and showed his passion for Australia.

Federal Politics Career

About a year after his state government lost the election, John Fahey moved into federal politics. He resigned from the NSW Parliament. In 1996, he was elected to the House of Representatives. He represented the area of Macarthur.

In the federal government, he became the Minister for Finance and Administration. He served in this important role under Prime Minister John Howard.

In 2001, John Fahey announced he would retire from politics. He said he was retiring for family, personal, and health reasons. He had surgery for cancer earlier that year. He officially retired in October 2001.

Life After Politics

After leaving politics, John Fahey continued to be active in public life. In 2001, he became a director of the Bradman Foundation. This foundation honors the famous Australian cricketer, Don Bradman.

In 2007, he was chosen to be the president of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). WADA is an international group that works to keep sports fair. They create rules to prevent athletes from using performance-enhancing drugs. Mr. Fahey led WADA until 2013.

In 2014, he became the fourth chancellor of the Australian Catholic University in Sydney. He was reappointed for a second term in 2019.

Personal Life and Passing

John Fahey was married to Colleen Fahey. They had three children. Sadly, their daughter, Tiffany, died in a car accident in 2006. She was 27 years old. After her death, John and Colleen Fahey became the legal guardians of Tiffany's two children, Campbell and Amber. His son is Matthew Fahey, and his elder daughter is Melanie Fahey.

John Fahey passed away on 12 September 2020, at the age of 75. He had been battling leukaemia, a type of cancer. The government of New South Wales held a special state funeral for him. It took place on 25 September at St Mary's Cathedral in Sydney.

Honours and Awards

John Fahey received many awards for his service to Australia.

• In 2002, he was made a Companion of the Order of Australia. This is a very high honor. It was given to him for his work in both the Australian and New South Wales Parliaments. He was recognized for improving industrial relations and helping technology and industry grow. He was also honored for raising Australia's international profile, especially as the chairman of the bid for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.
• In 2019, Pope Francis made him a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Gregory the Great. This is an award given by the Pope for service to the Catholic Church and society.
• In 2016, his old school, Chevalier College, gave him the Esprit du Chevalier Medal. This is the highest honor from his alma mater.

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