Preceded by Frank Walker Role Legislator Rank Major Name Terry Griffiths Service/branch Australian Army | Occupation Army officer Succeeded by Marie Ficarra Nationality Australian Died June 18, 2009 | |
Born 22 June 1944
Sydney ( 1944-06-22 ) Political party Liberal Party of Australia (1988-1994)
Independent (1994-1995) Spouse(s) Jann Mariette Hart
m. 1965, diss.
Diane von Westernhagen
m. 1974, diss. 2000 Children 1 (f), 1 (s) with Hart;
1 (f), 2 (s) with von Westernhagen Party Liberal Party of Australia | ||
Terence Allan "Terry" Griffiths (22 June 1944 – 18 June 2009) was a former Australian army officer and New South Wales state politician. He was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly representing the Georges River from 1988 to 1995 initially for the Liberal Party and then as an independent member. He held a number of ministerial portfolios from 1991 to 1994 including Minister for Justice, Minister for Police and Minister for Emergency Services. In 1994, Griffiths was forced to resign from both the ministry and the Liberal Party over claims of sexual harassment.
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Early years and background
Griffiths was born in Marrickville, New South Wales; his father was Richard Patrick Griffiths, an army officer of the Cadet School Portsea. He was educated at Liverpool Boys High School. In 1962 he was trained at the Officer Cadet School, Portsea and the School of Military Engineering and was commissioned as an army officer. In 1965 he married Jann Mariette Hart, with whom he had two children. He served in South Vietnam 1969–70. He and Jann divorced and, on 19 January 1974, he married Diane Maree von Westernhagen with whom he had three children. Griffiths was an army attache in Washington 1978–81. After reaching the rank of Major, he left the army in 1982. From 1983 to 1988 he was employed as the chief executive officer of The Scout Association of Australia's NSW branch. During his time as chief executive officer of The Scout Association of Australia New South Wales Branch, serial sexual abuse by NSW scout leaders, including Commissioner and Branch Councillor Darryl Rubiolo, took place.
Griffiths joined the Liberal Party of Australia in 1987. With his election to the NSW legislature, he resigned as chief executive officer of The Scout Association of Australia New South Wales Branch and was appointed to its Council. Following the failure of his political career on claims of sexual harassment, molestation and bullying of staff, he and his second wife divorced in 2000. He was also dropped from The Scout Association of Australia New South Wales Branch Council.
Political career
In 1988, Griffiths was elected as the Liberal member for Georges River in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, defeating sitting Labor MP Frank Walker. He was re-elected easily in 1991 and became Minister for Justice, moving to the Police Ministry in 1992. In 1994, he was forced to resign from both the ministry and the Liberal Party over claims of sexual harassment. He retired at the 1995 election.