Patricia Forsythe

The Honourable Patricia Forsythe AM
Australian High Commissioner to New Zealand
In office 2 March 2019 – 31 March 2022
Preceded by	Ewen McDonald
Succeeded by	Harinder Sidhu
Executive Director of Sydney Business Chamber
In office September 2006 – March 2019
Preceded by	Margy Osmond
Succeeded by	Katherine O'Regan
Member of the New South Wales Legislative Council
In office 25 May 1991 – 22 September 2006
Succeeded by	Matthew Mason-Cox
Personal details
Born	Patricia Wingrove (1952-03-01) 1 March 1952 Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia
Political party	Liberal Party
Alma mater	University of Newcastle Graduate School of Government at The University of Sydney

Patricia Forsythe AM (born 1 March 1952) is an Australian politician and diplomat who was the Australian High Commissioner to New Zealand from March 2019 to March 2022. As of 2024, she is Chancellor at the University of Newcastle. She was previously the Executive Director of the Sydney Business Chamber since September 2006. Prior to her appointment to the Chamber, she was a member of the Legislative Council of New South Wales representing the Liberal Party between 1991 and 2006.

Biography

Born in Newcastle, New South Wales, she received a Bachelor of Arts (Diploma of Education) from the University of Newcastle, Australia and became a high school teacher from 1974 to 1978 and 1983 to 1986. She had joined the Liberal Party in 1968, and served on the State Executive 1982-1991 and 1993–1995. After a period as a public affairs manager from 1987 to 1988, she was Executive Officer to the Minister for Local Government and Planning from 1988 to 1991.

Political career

In 1991, Forsythe was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Council as a Liberal member. During her period in the Legislative Council, Forsythe spoke against moves by the Federal party and student Liberal organisations who were promoting voluntary student unionism In 2005, Forsythe expressed concern over the "extreme religious right" in the Liberal Party after the resignation and suicide attempt of then Liberal leader John Brogden. Forsythe named David Clarke as leader of the religious right.

Forsythe was challenged for preselection by Matthew Mason-Cox for the 2007 state election. However, she resigned on 22 September 2006 and took up appointment as Executive Director of the NSW Business Chamber. She was replaced by Mason-Cox in the Legislative Council.

Life after politics

Forsythe is currently a member of the Council of Macquarie University, and serves on the boards of the Hunter Development Corporation, the Hunter Medical Research Institute, Business Events Sydney, the Anglican Board of Mission, and Cricket NSW. She has previously been a member of the National Trust, the Institute of Political Science, the Sydney Institute, Amnesty International, and Friends of La Perouse Museum.

On 1 March 2019 it was announced that Forsythe had been appointed the post of High Commissioner to New Zealand, despite having no previous diplomatic experience and the role being typically held by a career Department of Foreign Affairs officer. Forsythe served concurrently as non-resident High Commissioner to the Cook Islands and Niue until 2020, and completed her term as High Commissioner to New Zealand in March 2022.

Forsythe was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in 2019 for significant service to business, and to the people and Parliament of New South Wales.

On 4 October 2023 the University of Newcastle announced the appointment of Forsythe as the university's next chancellor, replacing Paul Jeans. Forsythe's term as chancellor commenced on 1 January 2024.

Further reading

• Forsythe, Patricia (25 September 1991). "maiden Speech" (PDF). Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). New South Wales: Legislative Council. Retrieved 24 July 2020.