Former NSW premier Neville Wran dies

Former long-serving New South Wales Premier Neville Wran, has died aged 87. Source: AAP

NEVILLE Wran, who was premier of NSW for a decade, has died after suffering dementia. He was 87.

His family was by his bedside when he died just before 6pm on Sunday at the Lulworth House nursing home in Sydney's eastern suburbs, where he had been in care for the past two years

"This is of course a very sad time for us all, but in fact a blessed release for Neville," his wife Jill Hickson said in a statement to AAP.

"Dementia is a cruel fate and I have been grieving the loss that comes with it for some years.

"But I hope now, especially in this political climate, people will join me in celebrating the life of a great man, a true political hero."

Bob Carr, who surpassed Mr Wran's record for the longest continuous service as NSW premier, said Mr Wran set a template for successful Labor leaders, including prime ministers Bob Hawke and Paul Keating.

"He was a master politician. He taught contemporary Labor a great deal," Mr Carr told Sky News.

"He presented a model of stable state government that had a big impact on future Labor governments that followed his."

Mr Carr said Mr Wran showed Labor governments could be moderate and trustworthy after the tumult of the Whitlam years.

"They remarked he was the barrister Labor briefed to get it back into government ... when people though after the defeat of 1975 federally that it would never be a serious party for government again," Mr Carr said.

The NSW Labor party said "NSW lost a true Labor great" with the death of Mr Wran.

"Vale Neville Wran, the brightest of his generation. He transformed his Party and his State," Labor pollster Bruce Hawker tweeted.

Barry O'Farrell, who last week stood down as NSW premier, tweeted: "Sad news. Neville Wran helped build NSW incl initiating our sister-state relationship with China's Guangdong province in 1979."

Mr Wran led the Labor government in NSW from May 1976 to July 1986, before dramatically announcing his resignation to a shocked Labor conference.

He was a successful lawyer before entering parliament in the Legislative Council in 1970. He moved to the lower house in 1973 before becoming Labor leader.

In 1976, he led Labor to government in a tight election, forming government after a 10-day wait, with the support of an independent.

Mr Wran and his government were involved in damaging scandals.

In 1983, he stepped aside while a royal commission examined allegations he'd tried to influence a magistrate over a misappropriation hearing against rugby league boss Kevin Humphreys. He was cleared.

Prisons minister Rex Jackson was jailed for selling early releases and chief magistrate Murray Farquhar was jailed for perverting the course of justice. Senior police were caught up in corruption scandals.

Mr Wran was fined $25,000 for contempt of court after declaring his belief in the innocence of his old friend Lionel Murphy, the High Court judge facing a charge of attempting to pervert the course of justice.

After politics, Mr Wran had success in the business world, including running a merchant bank with Malcolm Turnbull, now Communications Minister in Tony Abbott's cabinet.

Mr Wran was married twice, first to Marcia Oliver, whose son he adopted before they had two more children, and then to Ms Hickson, with whom he had two children.

He was put into care as dementia took hold two years ago.

Ms Hickson paid special tribute the nursing staff of Lulworth House who had been caring for the former premier.

"They really are angels," she said.

NSW Premier Mike Baird said he was deeply saddened to learn of the death of Mr Wran, whom he described as a towering figure in the NSW Labor Party and in the state during the 1970s and 80s.

Mr Baird pointed to Mr Wran's achievements, including the electrification of several regional rail services, establishing the Darling Harbour precinct and being instrumental in creating national parks.

He said many features of democracy in NSW, including four-year terms, public funding and disclosure laws, and a democratically elected Legislative Council bore Mr Wran's imprint.

"Kerryn and I would like to pass on our deepest condolences to Jill Wran and to Mr Wran's children," Mr Baird said in a statement.

"His legacy is positive and lasting."

The NSW government will offer the Wran family a state funeral, Mr Baird said.

The head of the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, where Mr Wran was inaugural chairman, paid tribute to his 14 years at the helm before retiring in 2008.

Executive director Robert Graham said Mr Wran oversaw the institute's growth, from having few staff to a team of more than 130 world-class scientists.

"Neville was incredibly generous and inclusive, encouraging those around him and seeking their views," Professor Graham said in a statement.

"He possessed consummate political skills and tact, and always kept the interests of the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute at the front and centre of his work.

"We're grateful for his mentoring, guidance and wisdom. He will be sorely missed by us all."

Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull tweeted: "Farewell Neville Wran 1926-2014."

Former NSW premier Kristina Keneally tweeted: "Neville Wran was a great man, a true gentleman and a visionary Labor leader. We are all better for his life. God bless."

NSW Opposition Leader John Robertson paid tribute to Mr Wran, saying: "Very sad to hear the passing of #NevilleWran. A great @NSWLabor legend who led us back to Govt in NSW in 1975. A humble man & true leader."

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