John Woodward (lawyer)

John Woodward
34th Mayor of North Sydney
In office
23 September 1971 – 27 September 1972
DeputyPeter Tranter
Preceded byMichael Fitzpatrick
Succeeded byMichael O'Dea
Deputy Mayor of North Sydney
In office
13 December 1968 – 11 December 1970
MayorJoseph Vincent Bugler
Michael Fitzpatrick
Preceded byFrederick James Brunton
Succeeded byHelen Gordon Cook
Alderman of the Municipality of North Sydney for Kirribilli Ward
In office
4 December 1965 – 21 September 1974
Personal details
Born(1934-11-01)1 November 1934
Watsons Bay, New South Wales, Australia
Died6 August 2022(2022-08-06) (aged 87)
Tokyo, Japan
Political partyIndependent
Alma materUniversity of Sydney

John Thomas Woodward (1 November 1934 – 6 August 2022) was an Australian sportsman, politician, lawyer, and public servant.

Early life

John Thomas Woodward was born in Watsons Bay, Australia on 1 November 1934.

He was a keen sailor, member of the Vaucluse Yacht Club. He skippered 'Flying Dutchman' to win the VJ Amateur Sailing Association, Commonwealth Championship of 1952-53 [1][2][3] and was Senior Club VJ Champion in 1953-54.[4]

Legal career

In 1959, Woodward completed a Bachelor of Laws at University of Sydney.[5] He concluded his direct involvement in the legal profession in 1974 as a solicitor / partner with Currie & Currie located in King St, Sydney.[6]

Political career

Woodward was an alderman from the Kirribilli ward of the North Sydney Council from 1965 to 1974, Deputy Mayor from December 1968 to December 1970, and Mayor of North Sydney from September 1971 to September 1972.[7][8] During his time with North Sydney Council, Woodward advocated protecting local heritage, reducing housing density and loss of trees, and establishing community services.[9]

From 1976 until 1979, Woodward was Director (in the Premiers Advisory Unit) reporting to Neville Wran, the Premier of NSW.[10]

Environmental and planning career

From 1981 to 1992 he was Chairman of the NSW Office of The Commissioners of Inquiry for Environment and Planning and authored (or co-authored) over 55 reports covering planning and environmental enquiries conducted in NSW during that time.[11]

Some of the more notable inquiries included:

Between 1993 and 1996, he completed a further three environmental based inquiries:

  • Commonwealth Commission of Inquiry, Shoalwater Bay Capricornia Coast, Queensland, Australia.[16]
  • Commonwealth Commission of Inquiry, East Coast Armaments Complex Point Wilson, Victoria.[17]
  • A proposal for future use of lands at Lucas Heights : Lucas Heights mediation / Sutherland Shire Council and Waste Service NSW.[18]

In 1999 he completed an assessment into the amalgamation of the South Sydney, Randwick and Botany Bay councils.[19]

Later life

In his later years, he moved to Tokyo, Japan, where he died aged 87 on 6 August 2022. North Sydney Council passed a condolence motion at its meeting on 22 August 2022, with the motion from the mayor, Zoë Baker, acknowledging his "contribution to North Sydney and NSW, particularly, his legacy of a commitment to strong environmental sustainability and excellent town planning."[20]

References

  1. ^ "DETAILS OF SPORT". Sydney Morning Herald. National Library of Australia. 27 January 1953. p. 10. Retrieved 30 August 2011.
  2. ^ "SPORT DETAILS". Sydney Morning Herald. National Library of Australia. 27 November 1952. p. 10. Retrieved 30 August 2011.
  3. ^ "DETAILS OF SPORT". Sydney Morning Herald. National Library of Australia. 23 November 1953. p. 7. Retrieved 30 August 2011.
  4. ^ "Vaucluse Yacht Club honour board and photos from 1940s and 1950s" (PDF). Vaucluse Yacht Club. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
  5. ^ Bachelor of Laws (PDF), Sydney University, retrieved 28 August 2011
  6. ^ King St Street Scene, City of Sydney Image Library, retrieved 28 August 2011[permanent dead link]
  7. ^ State Environmental Planning Policy No. 5, Parliament of New South Wales, archived from the original on 5 April 2011, retrieved 28 August 2011
  8. ^ Oral history interview with John Woodward, Nan Manefied, retrieved 28 August 2011[permanent dead link]
  9. ^ "Council Meetings" (PDF). North Sydney Council. 22 August 2022. Retrieved 24 August 2022.
  10. ^ Passport photo, Mr John Woodward, Premiers Advisory Unit, retrieved 29 August 2011
  11. ^ List of Available Reports (PDF), OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONERS OF INQUIRY FOR ENVIRONMENT AND PLANNING, archived from the original (PDF) on 23 April 2011, retrieved 27 August 2011
  12. ^ M2 Hills Motorway, Ozroads, retrieved 30 August 2011
  13. ^ Woodward, John, 1934- (1989), An Inquiry into objections to a conservation order The Royal Automobile Club of Australia, 89 Macquarie Street, Sydney / John Woodward, Chairman, Commissioners of Inquiry for Environment and Planning, ISBN 0-7305-5808-8{citation}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  14. ^ Kate O'Donnell, In the Shadow of Power, Planning Politics and the Kurnell Peninsular (PDF), University of New South Wales, archived from the original (PDF) on 1 October 2011, retrieved 30 August 2011
  15. ^ BHP Mini Mill Rooty Hill Australia, Sinclair Knight Merz, archived from the original on 28 September 2011, retrieved 30 August 2011
  16. ^ Woodward, John T (1993), Report / Commonwealth Commission of Inquiry, Shoalwater Bay Capricornia Coast, Queensland, Australian Govt. Pub. Service, ISBN 0-642-20057-2
  17. ^ Woodward, John, 1934-; Blakers, M. (Margaret); Doolan, K. J. (Kenneth James) (1996), Report of the Commonwealth Commission of Inquiry East Coast Armaments Complex Point Wilson, Victoria, Australian Govt. Pub. Service, ISBN 978-0-644-46369-0{citation}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  18. ^ Woodward, John, 1934-; Allan, Pam, 1953-; Sutherland (N.S.W. : Shire). Council; Waste Service NSW; New South Wales. Office of Environmental Mediation and Inquiry (1996), A proposal for future use of lands at Lucas Heights : Lucas Heights mediation, Office of Environmental Mediation and Inquiry, retrieved 29 August 2011{citation}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  19. ^ Woodward, John; South Sydney (N.S.W.). Council; Randwick (N.S.W.). Council; Office of Environmental Mediation and Inquiry (1999), Progress report : assessment of options for a possible amalgamation – City Councils of South Sydney, Randwick and Botany Bay : To the Minister for Local Government and the mayors and councillors of the City Councils of South Sydney and Randwick, Office of Environmental Mediation & Inquiry, retrieved 29 August 2011
  20. ^ "Mayoral Minutes - 6.1. Vale John Woodward" (PDF). Council Meeting Minutes - Monday 22 August 2022. North Sydney Council. 22 August 2022. Retrieved 30 August 2022.
Civic offices
Preceded by
Frederick Brunton
 Deputy Mayor of North Sydney
1968 – 1970 		Succeeded by
Helen Cook
Preceded by
Michael Fitzpatrick
 Mayor of North Sydney
1971 – 1972 		Succeeded by