Pru Goward
New South Wales Parliament for Goulburn | |
---|---|
In office 24 March 2007 – 1 March 2019 | |
Preceded by | new district |
Succeeded by | Wendy Tuckerman |
Personal details | |
Born | Prudence Jane Goward 2 September 1952 Adelaide, South Australia, Australia |
Political party | Liberal Party |
Spouse(s) | Alastair Fischer (m. 1973; dis. 1983) David Barnett (1986-2022 (his death)) |
Children | 3 (including Kate Fischer) |
Alma mater | Adelaide University (1974) |
Prudence Jane Goward
She was the
Prior to entering politics, Goward served as the Australian Federal
Early life and personal background
Goward was born to Gerald Goward and Zipporah Riggs, and was raised in Adelaide. She attended Morphett Vale Primary School,
She was married from 1973 to 1983 to university lecturer Alastair Fischer, whom she met while studying at Adelaide University.[1]
Goward married journalist David Barnett in 1986. Goward and Barnett maintained a close personal friendship with former prime minister John Howard for many years, and jointly wrote a biography of Howard in 1997.[3] Barnett died in August 2022, aged 90.[4]
She is the mother of three daughters, former model and actor Kate Fischer, Penny Fischer, and Alice Barnett. She has two granddaughters. [citation needed][5]
Career
Goward joined
She was Executive Director of the Office of the Status of Women in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet from 1997 to 1999. In this position, Goward criticised the business community for the "primitive attitudes" that kept women out of senior executive ranks and boardrooms.[8] At the time of her appointment, she was criticised by Anne Summers, a previous Executive Director, and Carmen Lawrence, a prominent female politician, for her perceived inexperience and political connection to the Howard government.[9]
Goward was the Sex Discrimination Commissioner at
Pru Goward, while Minister for the
In August 2019, Western Sydney University announced that Goward had been appointed Professor of Social Intervention and Policy.[2]
Parliamentary career
In 2006, Goward nominated for Liberal Party preselection for the
As the minister responsible for child protective services there have been reports of inadequate staffing and services to meet the need.[15][16]
As the state's Community Services Minister, Goward announced in mid-March 2014 that around 300 harbourfront public housing properties will be sold under the management of Government Property NSW, with the proceeds reinvested into the public housing system. Considered historic structures, the harbourfront properties are located at Millers Point, The Rocks and on Gloucester Street, and include the Sirius complex, a high-rise, 79-unit apartment complex near the Harbour Bridge. The government expects to generate hundreds of millions of dollars from the sales and Goward explained, as a justification of the sale: "In the last two years alone, nearly [A]$7 million has been spent maintaining this small number of properties. That money could have been better spent on building more social housing, or investing in the maintenance of public housing properties across the state."[17]
Due to the resignation of
In December 2018, she announced that she would not be contesting the next election in March 2019.[23]
Controversies
In May 2007, Goward was caught speeding in a school zone. This was her second driving offence for 2007. Goward said "It was extremely careless on my part and like thousands of other drivers I deeply regret it."[24][25]
In February 2014,
In October 2021 Goward was criticised for being tone-deaf and classist following her publication of a column in the Australian Financial Review titled 'Australia's social underclass is not a force to be ignored', in which she referred to lower-income Australians with the derogatory term 'proles'.[31][32]
Awards
Goward was awarded a Centenary Medal in 2001 for services to journalism and women's rights.[33] She was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia in the 2023 Australia Day Honours.[34]
References
- ^ a b c Thompson, Peter (13 November 2006). "Pru Goward". Talking Heads. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 27 April 2011.
- ^ a b "Professor Pru Goward joins Western Sydney University". Western Sydney University. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
- ISBN 978-0-670-87389-0)
{{citation}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link - ^ "David Barnett, journalist and press secretary, dies aged 90". The Sydney Morning Herald. 6 August 2022. Archived from the original on 18 August 2022.
- ^ m.dailytelegraph.com.au/the-once-svelte-kate-fischer-stacks-on-the-pounds/story-e6freuy9-1226060334230
- ^ Screen Australia - "The Liberals: Fifty Years Of The Federal Party"
- ^ http://www.prugoward.com.au/About/AboutPru.aspx
- ^ Bagwell, S. (4 September 1997). "Get Rid of Primitive Attitude: Goward". Australian Financial Review.
- ^ Humphries, D (23 September 2006). "Woman most likely". The Sydney Morning Herald.
- ^ "Specialist Homelessness Services Going Home Staying Home South Eastern Sydney District." Fact Sheet October 2014. New South Wales Department of Family and Community Services. October 2014.
- ^ "The Year in Highlight." Annual Report 2014. Ted Noffs Foundations. Accessed 27 May 2015.
- ^ Mitchell, Alex (16 September 2006). "Goward sinks in Epping but resurfaces closer to home". The Sydney Morning Herald.
- ^ Shanahan, D. (21 July 2006). "The trouble with talent in politics". The Australian. Archived from the original on 4 September 2006.
- ^ "Goward wins Goulburn seat". The Sydney Morning Herald. AAP. 29 March 2006.
- ^ Clennell, Andrew (23 August 2013). "Pru Goward under pressure after allegations of misleading parliament". The Daily Telegraph. Australia.
- ^ Browne, Rachel; Patty, Anna (11 April 2014). "Calls for Pru Goward to be sacked over abandoned children". The Sydney Morning Herald.
- ^ Hasham, Nicole (19 March 2014). "Sydney waterfront public housing properties to be sold off". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 21 March 2014.
- ^ "Barry O'Farrell quits as NSW Premier over memory fail". The Australian. 16 April 2014. Retrieved 23 April 2014.
- ^ "The Hon. (Pru) Prudence Jane GOWARD, MP". Former members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
- ^ "Mike Baird's NSW cabinet". The Sydney Morning Herald. 22 April 2014. Retrieved 23 April 2014.
- ^ Hasham, Nicole (3 April 2015). "Premier Mike Baird's new NSW cabinet sworn in: Gladys Berejiklian and Gabrielle Upton first female Treasurer and Attorney-General". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 6 April 2015.
- ^ Cabinet, Department of Premier and. "The Cabinet". nsw.gov.au - your tagline here. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
- ^ Glanville, Brigid (19 December 2018). "NSW Minister Pru Goward announces retirement from politics". ABC News. Retrieved 19 December 2018.
- ^ "It was extremely careless: Goward". The Sydney Morning Herald. 18 May 2007.
- ^ "Woman wants Goward's apology over advice". NineMSN Pty Limited. Archived from the original on 1 July 2007.
- ^ Nicholls, Sean (19 February 2014). "Katrina Hodgkinson to take on Pru Goward for Goulburn seat". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 21 February 2014.
- ^ "Katrina Hodgkinson to challenge Pru Goward in preselection fight to win NSW seat of Goulburn". ABC News. Australia. 19 February 2014. Retrieved 21 February 2014.
- ^ Nicholls, Sean (28 February 2014). "Pru Goward, Katrina Hodgkinson dispute over Goulburn unresolved". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 25 April 2014.
- ^ "National Katrina Hodgkinson to contest Liberal Pru Goward's seat of Goulburn". The Australian. AAP. 19 February 2014. Retrieved 25 April 2014.
- ^ Nicholls, Sean (28 February 2014). "Katrina Hodgkinson to withdraw from Goulburn poll fight against Pru Goward". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 25 April 2014.
- ^ Meade, Amanda (20 October 2021). "Pru Goward AFR column on 'underclass' condemned as disturbing and abusive". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
- ^ Di Lorio, Michael (20 October 2021). "Pru Goward's Demonisation Of 'The Poor' As Uneducated & Lazy 'Weasels' Is Wrong On Every Level". Pedestrian.tv. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
- Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission. 15 September 2006. Archived from the originalon 7 November 2005.
- ^ "Australia Day 2023 Honours: Full list". The Sydney Morning Herald. 25 January 2023. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
External links
- Profile of Pru Goward at the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission
- Official Website of Pru Goward
Publications
- Barnett, David; Goward, Pru (1997). John Howard, Prime Minister. Viking. ISBN 0-670-87389-6.
- Goward, Pru (2001). A Business of Your Own: How Women Succeed in Business. Australia: Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1-86508-593-6.