Barrie John Unsworth (NSW Premier 1986-1988) was born in 1934 at Dubbo and educated at Canterbury Junior High School and Kogarah Intermediate High School. An electrician, he became shop steward for the Electrical Trades Union at 21, beginning a progression through the ranks of the union movement.
Unsworth became Secretary of the NSW Labor Council in 1979, a position he held for five years. He was elected to the Legislative Council in 1978, and after the 1984 election he became Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council and Minister for Transport. He later became Minister for Health (February to July 1986).
On July 4, 1986 , Unsworth was sworn in as Premier and Minister for State Development after Neville Wran's resignation. He continued the program of reform begun by Wran, as well as new initiatives such as creation of the Judicial Commission and the Tangara train.
Regrettably, Labor was defeated at March 1988 election, due in part to Unsworth's vigorous and principled stand on gun laws.
Unsworth remained a senior member of Bob Carr's frontbench team until the 1991 election, successfully leading Labor's fight against the Greiner government's industrial relations policies.