I am saddened by the passing of former NSW Minister for Transport, Milton Morris AO. On behalf of the people of NSW, I extend my deepest sympathies and condolences to Mr Morris’ family.
Mr Morris was a tireless advocate for his community as the Member for Maitland between 1956 and 1980, and was a giant of the Parliament of NSW and the Liberal Party.
Mr Morris also served Minister for Lands, Minister for Forests, and Minister for Decentralisation and Development.
During World War II, he served with the Royal Australian Navy and the Volunteer Defence Corps.
As Minister for Transport, Mr Morris was instrumental in the introduction of road safety initiatives we take for granted today, such as compulsory seatbelts and breathalysers.
Road safety measures introduced in more recent years, such as ‘Towards Zero’, are grounded in the pioneering work of Mr Morris.
The son of a railway guard, Mr Morris forever left a mark on Sydney by reviving John Bradfield’s vision of an Eastern Suburbs Railway, initiating the planning and building of this transformative project.
During my tenure in the transport portfolio, Mr Morris was generous with his time in providing me with wise counsel and practical advice. His indubitable legacy is the thousands of lives his road safety reforms saved.
