John Watkins

Who is John Watkins?

John Arthur Watkins is a former Deputy Premier of New South Wales, serving between 2005 until his resignation from Parliament in 2008. Watkins has been the Chief Executive Officer of Alzheimer's Australia since 2008; the Chairman of Calvary healthcare since 2011; and the eighth Chancellor of the University of New England, since 2013.

Watkins was an elected member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly representing the electorates of Gladesville and then Ryde for the Australian Labor Party. During his parliamentary career, Watkins served in a range of ministerial portfolios including Fair Trading, Sport and Recreation, Police and Corrective Services, Transport, Finance, State Development, and Education and Training. Often touted as a possible Labor premier, Watkins was from the minority Labor Left faction.