Ron Mulock facts for kids

Ronald Joseph Mulock (born January 11, 1930 – died September 4, 2014) was an important Australian politician. He was known as Ron Mulock. Before becoming a state politician, he was the mayor of Penrith. He was a member of the Australian Labor Party. Ron Mulock served in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly (the state parliament) from 1971 to 1988. He also held the high position of Deputy Premier of New South Wales from 1984 to 1988. He worked under Premiers Neville Wran and Barrie Unsworth.

Ron Mulock's Early Life

Ron Mulock was born in Darlinghurst, a suburb of Sydney, on January 11, 1930. His birth name was Ronald Joseph Moore. When he was ten months old, he was fostered by Elizabeth Mulock. She later adopted him when he was 14.

Ron went to school at St Declan’s in Penshurst and De La Salle College in Marrickville. He was a very talented sportsman. He played first-grade cricket from 1949 to 1962. He was a fast bowler and was one of the best outside the national Test team. In the 1959–60 season, he took the most wickets in the Sydney First Grade Competition. Ron also helped start the Penrith Panthers Rugby League team and later became their patron.

Becoming a Lawyer and Mayor

Ron Mulock studied law part-time at the University of Sydney. He earned his law degree in 1957. In 1955, he became a solicitor, which is a type of lawyer. He opened his own law office in Penrith. By 1971, his firm had 20 employees.

Before joining state parliament, Ron was a local council member (called an alderman) on the Penrith City Council for six years. He served as the Mayor of Penrith from 1968 to 1971. He first ran for council as an independent candidate. Later, in 1968, he joined the Australian Labor Party.

Ron Mulock's Political Career

As a state parliamentarian, Ron Mulock represented different areas. He represented Nepean from 1971 to 1973. Then he represented Penrith from 1973 to 1981. Finally, he represented St Marys from 1981 until he retired in 1988. After the 1973 election, he became a spokesperson for law and justice for his party.

Serving as a Minister

In May 1976, the Wran government came to power. This ended 11 years of the Labor Party being out of government. Ron Mulock became the Minister of Justice until 1978. He was also the Minister for Services until 1977.

He held several other important roles:

• Minister for Housing (1977-1978)
• Minister for Mineral Resources and Development (1978-1980)
• Minister for Mineral Resources and Technology (1980-1981)
• Minister for Education (1981-1984)

Ron Mulock was a strong supporter of getting more resources for Western Sydney. He helped expand Milperra College into the Macarthur Institute of Higher Education. He also worked hard to establish a university in Western Sydney. In 1987, he and Premier Barrie Unsworth signed an agreement. This led to the creation of the University of Western Sydney in 1989.

Becoming Deputy Premier

On February 10, 1984, Ron Mulock became the Deputy Premier of New South Wales. This happened after the previous Deputy Premier, Jack Ferguson, retired. Ron was chosen because he was well-liked and performed strongly in his roles. He was elected by his fellow party members.

After becoming Deputy Premier, he took on more important roles:

• Minister for Health (1984-1986): This was a very challenging time. He dealt with a big disagreement with doctors.
• Minister for Transport (1986-1987): Transport, Education, and Health were the three biggest spending areas for the government. Ron Mulock was the only NSW Minister to hold all three of these roles in a row.
• Attorney-General (1987-1988): He held this role until the Unsworth government lost the election in March 1988.

Life After Politics

In 1988, Ron Mulock was given the title of Officer of the Order of Australia (AO). This was to recognize his great service to the New South Wales Parliament. After leaving politics, he worked as a consultant and helped solve legal disputes.

He was also involved in many community activities:

• He joined the Electricity Transmission Planning Committee in 1991.
• He chaired the Penrith Lakes Committee from 1996 to 2001.
• He supported groups for sports, education, welfare, and people with disabilities.

In 2013, Pope Francis honored Ron Mulock. He was made a Knight Commander of the Order of St Gregory the Great. This was for his dedication to his faith and his service to the community.

Ron Mulock passed away on September 4, 2014, at the age of 84. He was survived by his wife, Desley, two sons, and nine grandchildren. Two of his sons had passed away before him. He is buried at Pine Grove Memorial Park.