John's Local Links

John Hyde, first elected as the Labor MLA for Perth in 2001, was formerly the Mayor of the West Australian inner-metropolitan Town of Vincent.

As well as his municipal obligations, John operated two small businesses, John Hyde Arts Services and New Orleans Snowballs. The latter provides shaved ice to various festivals, fairs and rodeos throughout WA. As an arts consultant, he was engaged as CEO of Broome’s Theatre Kimberley, WA’s only professional regional theatre company, and company manager for the Hole in the Wall Theatre Company.

John’s links to the seat of Perth go back to before his birth. His mother, Morna (one of WA’s four hockey-playing Pearce sisters and Australian captain) trained and played hockey on Birdwood Square while pregnant with John. His father is John Hyde, former Claremont captain-coach and Geelong premiership player.

Trained originally as a secondary English, drama and horticulture teacher (BA, Dip Ed - Murdoch University), John taught in Geraldton and later relief teaching at Perth Modern School.

From teaching, John moved into journalism in the 1980s, working as a reporter and sub-editor for The West Australian after a year on the Geraldton Guardian. Eighteen months overseas in the late 1980s saw him working on Edinburgh’s respected The Scotsman and on stage professionally in New Orleans and Seattle before returning to The West and then Post Newspapers.

As a writer he has published numerous stories and co-wrote the hit play Baamba! In 1998 he was dramaturg and director of Kalamunda’s centenary play, Spirit of Kala’s Past.

John remains an avid cyclist.

Community

- A community’s sense of safety is enhanced by both governments and private owners caring for their property and tackling the real causes of crime, not turning our homes into fortresses. John chairs the WA Proceeds of Crime committee, returning ill-gotten gains to victims of crime.

-Our sporting, cultural and community groups give WA a social heart. Many of these groups help youth and seniors while many maintain Council buildings and sportsgrounds. Councils and the State Government must encourage these community groups.