John Price AM: Former Labor MP and shipbuilding advocate dies

Tributes have been paid to Dr John Price AM, a prominent Labor Party figure and former Member of Parliament, following his death. Described by colleagues and family as a mentor and ‘champion for the workers’, Dr Price had a significant impact on the Hunter region.

Dr Price’s career spanned local and state governance. He served as an alderman for the Newcastle City Council before being elected as an MP in 1984, representing Waratah until 1999 and Maitland until 2007. During his parliamentary tenure, he served as the first Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Assembly for eight years.

Beyond politics, Dr Price was a marine engineer and manager in the shipbuilding industry, holding a deep passion for preserving the region's manufacturing heritage. He also held long-standing governance roles at the University of Newcastle, serving on its council for 24 years.