Meet The Hon. Dr John Della Bosca AM

PhD, MLitt (USyd), BA (UNSW)The Hon. Dr John Della Bosca AM

Why did you join the University Council?

I have a passion for Tertiary Education especially the capacity of Universities to positively transform communities. I now have close family living in Newcastle, and I have had a longstanding business connection with Newcastle as the former Managing Director of 2HD/NewFM in its heyday. I moved to the Central Coast nearly forty years ago and have a strong sense of loyalty to that region. I have a solid incentive to make the partnership between the University, the Hunter and the Central Coast continue to work effectively.

What do you look back on most fondly when it comes to your own education?

I did my Masters of Letters at Sydney Uni as a mature age student. Some people take up bowls, some golf ,the more energetic ocean swimming or the Camino. I took up History and Philosophy and loved every seminar and even enjoyed writing the essays and the thesis. I was a Minister of the Crown at the time, so it was my way of destressing and normalising the world.

Biography

Throughout his professional career and personal life, John has maintained a strong interest in environmental, energy and industry policy development.  He has demonstrated this through his leadership and interest in social reform and developing sustainability and improving social conditions.

As Minister, John presided over a diversity of agencies, including some large and complex ones, at no time did any of these agencies exceed the budget allocation or require supplementation.  John achieved an impressive range of social reforms in disability services, motor accidents, Workcover, public hospitals, school education and major changes in drug policy.

As an advocate for the disadvantaged and marginalized John has had successes in changing government positions and reforming policy. The most outstanding example being his role as Every Australian Counts National Campaign Director. More recently he has worked as a public policy researcher at the Whitlam Institute.