Born in Emmaville, New South Wales, to miner Joseph Healey and Alice Stephenson, he was educated locally before becoming a boilermaker.
He enlisted with the AIF in World War II, serving in the Middle East, New Guinea, Morotai and Borneo from 1941 to 1945.
[1] In 1970, a joint sitting of parliament elected Healey to the New South Wales Legislative Council as a Labor member to a term ending in 1982.
[3][1] In 1982, he was one of three Labor MLCs to vote against their own government's bill to decriminalise homosexual activity between consenting adults in New South Wales.
[1] Healey, a Methodist, died at Enfield on 16 August 1997(1997-08-16) (aged 78) and his funeral was held at Rookwood Crematorium.