Ron Hoenig

Early life and background

Hoenig was born in Camperdown on 21 April 1953, and at age five moved with his parents from Maroubra to a house in King Street, Eastlakes. Hoenig received his education at local schools, Eastlakes Public School, Daceyville Public School, and JJ Cahill Memorial High School in Mascot.

With a university education beyond his family's financial resources, at age 19 Hoenig was employed in the Petty Sessions Branch of the Attorney General and Justice Department, and with the removal of university fees by the Whitlam Labor Government, he enrolled to study law at the Solicitors’ Admission Board (now the Legal Profession Admission Board) and was admitted with a Diploma in Law to practise law in New South Wales in 1980. Hoenig worked as an articled clerk, and then as a solicitor in the Public Solicitor's Office, practicing litigation and criminal law. In 1987, he was appointed as a Public Defender for the State of New South Wales, a role he held until being elected to parliament in 2012.

Legal career

Hoenig was a practising barrister and public defender, who acted as the counsel assisting the inquiry into the death of Dianne Brimble, where he made recommendations that up to three of the persons assisting the inquiry could face prosecution. He defended David Dinh, who was accused of killing New South Wales MP John Newman. Dinh was acquitted by a jury.

Local council

After being elected as an alderman of the Municipality of Botany in September 1980, Hoenig was elected mayor in 1981 and became the first popularly elected mayor of the council in 1983, with 85% of the vote. He was re-elected mayor in 1987 (unopposed), 1991 (80%), 1995 (88%), 1999 (unopposed), 2004, and 2008. Hoenig was mayor when Botany was proclaimed the City of Botany Bay on 11 May 1996.

During his time as mayor, Hoenig campaigned on various issues such as heritage protection, where he supported the establishment of the Botany Historical Trust in 1994 and commissioned the Botany Bay Heritage Study in 1996, as well as the non-expansion of both the Botany Port and Sydney Airport. He did not seek re-election at the 2012 local government elections.

State parliament

Hoenig was preselected as the Labor candidate for 25 August 2012 Heffron by-election in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, following the parliamentary resignation of former premier and state Labor MP Kristina Keneally. Hoenig drew top spot on the ballot paper, with three other candidates from the CDP, Greens and Democrats. Hoenig won with a 60 percent primary and 70 percent two-candidate-preferred vote.

Personal life

Hoenig's parents Ernest and Edith migrated to Australia after World War II. Edith was a Holocaust survivor born in Czechoslovakia and Ernest was born in Austria. Hoenig married Christine Stamper on 27 June 1985 at St Bernard's Roman Catholic Church, Botany, and the marriage produced two sons; Benjamin and Matthew. Hoenig is a member of the Maroubra Synagogue.

Hoenig is a supporter of the South Sydney Rabbitohs rugby league club, having served as a board director in 1999, and was a prominent opponent at the time of the National Rugby League's efforts to remove the club from the competition and proposals to merge it with other clubs.

References

References

1. "Candidates - The Legislative Assembly District of Heffron". [[New South Wales Electoral Commission]].
2. Mr Ron HOENIG, ''Who's Who in Australia 2017'', ConnectWeb, 2017.
3. [http://www.abc.net.au/elections/nsw/2012/heffron 2012 Heffron by-election: Antony Green ABC]
4. {{Cite NSW Parliament
5. "Our Minister > Minister for Local Government". NSW Government.
6. (12 September 2012). "Inaugural Speeches - Full Day Hansard Transcript (Legislative Assembly, 12 September 2012, Corrected Copy)". Parliament of New South Wales.
7. "Mayor's background > Councillor Ron Hoenig, Mayor of the City of Botany Bay". City of Botany Bay.
8. (19 July 2007). "Brimble: Up to three may be charged". [[The Australian]].
9. (26 August 1980). "Municipal and Shire Elections - Municipality of Botany Ordinary Election of Aldermen September 20, 1980". The Sydney Morning Herald.
10. (15 December 1983). "Public Notices - Botany Municipal Council. Election of Mayor and Ordinary Election of Aldermen.". The Sydney Morning Herald.
11. "Councillor Ron Hoenig". City of Botany Bay.
12. (3 September 1987). "No contest in wards of Ulm and Mascot". The Sydney Morning Herald.
13. (19 September 1991). "Labor's hold on power continues". The Sydney Morning Herald.
14. (11 September 1995). "Labor relief as voters fail to exact toll". The Sydney Morning Herald.
15. Dempster, Quentin. (11 July 2003). "Saving Port Kembla". [[Stateline (TV program).
16. Irvine, Jessica. (13 February 2007). "Airport mall's future cloudy after veto". [[The Sydney Morning Herald]].
17. "List of Candidates". botanybay.nsw.gov.au.
18. (6 July 2012). "Ron Hoenig, Labor candidate for Heffron". www.nswalp.com.
19. (April 2018). "Election Night: Two Candidate Preferred". elections.nsw.gov.au.
20. (27 June 1985). "Mayor's two big announcements: the bay and the bride". The Sydney Morning Herald (The Eastern Herald).
21. (1 August 2012). "State member candidate visits Jewish House". jwire.com.au.
22. (2 July 1999). "Stone age over: resignation rocks NRL". The Sydney Morning Herald.
23. (23 October 1999). "Rabbitohs in stew as pair quit board". The Sydney Morning Herald.
24. (15 May 1999). "First-grade mates in line for NRL Chief's job". The Sun-Herald.