During the 1980s, Forwood also spent a two-year stint as one of two vice-presidents of the Northern Territory's Country Liberal Party.
His stint in this role, shared with future Chief Minister Shane Stone, coincided with the ousting of Chief Minister Ian Tuxworth and the creation of the rival Northern Territory Nationals party, leaving them among those tasked with reuniting a fractured party organisation in its aftermath in 1986–87.
In his early years in office, he served stints on the Law Reform and Legislative Council Privileges Committees.
In 2001, Forwood found himself promoted again, as he succeeded Mark Birrell as Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council, and was also made Shadow Minister for Industrial Relations.
Forwood was not up for re-election, but he was nevertheless a casualty of the election - in the aftermath of the devastating result, he was dumped as Leader in the Legislative Council in favor of Philip Davis, and also lost the Industrial Relations portfolio.